Go Green Glen Ellyn Sheds Light on Special Dark Skies Projects
Greetings from Go Green Glen Ellyn! We’re so glad you’re here. And so is the planet!
by Jac Casazza, GGGE President
You might have heard there is a rare planetary alignment happening in our night skies! While that isn't entirely true (see here), our darker skies in winter do make for some spectacular star and planet gazing. In this spirit, this week we are shining a light on special projects completed by the Glen Ellyn Park District that add to the community while protecting the environment - particularly our skies. It's a great example of how sustainable planning can be win-win for everyone. You can also learn more about dark sky friendly resources.
Together we can learn, do, and participate in everyday environmental actions that make our community more healthy, more beautiful, and more environmentally friendly for all!
Glen Ellyn Park District’s Newest Stars are Dark Sky Compliant!
Glen Ellyn Park District’s newest stars are Dark Sky Compliant!
This past summer, the Glen Ellyn Park District completed the new and improved Dr. Frank Johnson Center at 490 Kenilworth Avenue. Originally built in the 1920s as an ice storage facility, the old Center had outlived its usefulness. The new, state-of-the-art Center, supports the Parks Department’s work across 300 acres of Park District land.
There are a number of environmentally friendly aspects to the new Center, including native plants, plant propagation areas, provisions for future fleet electrification and interior motion detection LED lights. Another environmentally friendly aspect is that the outdoor lighting is dark-sky compliant. Recently, we spoke with Nate Troia, Superintendent of Planning and Natural Areas, about the intentional installation of dark-sky compliant lighting.
Why did the Park District opt for dark sky compliant lighting?
Nate shared, “Because it is in a residential area, it was very important to us to have the outdoor lighting dark-sky compliant. This means that there is light only where needed and the lighting is completely shielded. It is directed down, where it needs to be. The lights are more amber and the brightness is less.”
In addition to the beautiful new Frank Johnson Center, in 2023, the Park District completed design and construction certifications for the first Dark Sky International (DSI) dark-sky compliant outdoor sports facility in the entire state of Illinois! The softball fields at Ackerman Park were certified by Dark Sky International (DSI) as complying with its certification requirements for controlling outdoor light pollution. (See www.darksky.org.)
“We knew the lights needed to be replaced, and given our organization’s goals to provide both excellent recreational opportunities as well as to be a good steward of public lands, we thought why not? It just made sense.” The Park District also installed dark-sky friendly outdoor lighting at Ball tennis courts.
How did the Park District do this?
In order to obtain the certification, Nate Troia and Park District staff worked closely with Glen Ellyn resident and DSI dark-sky advocate Adam Kreuzer. Adam leads the Chicago Chapter. DSI is headquartered in dark-sky friendly Tucson, Arizona. Nate lived in Tucson before moving to the area.
What are the benefits from the new dark-sky compliant lighting? In addition to darker skies and happier neighbors, dark-sky compliant lighting protects migrating birds, nocturnal pollinators, and other nocturnal wildlife. Also, a huge benefit is electricity savings! After roughly 18 months of operation of the new lights at Ackerman, the lighting costs of the project have been recovered. The playing experience for the softball players has been excellent.
Go Green Glen Ellyn and the Chicago Chapter of the Dark Sky International commend the Glen Ellyn Park District for being dark-sky leaders not only for Glen Ellyn, but for the entire state of Illinois. We are hopeful their leadership serves as a beacon to light the way for other park districts and governmental agencies to transition to dark-sky compliant lighting as facilities are upgraded. Thank you, Glen Ellyn Park District!
A look at the new Frank Johnson Center at night. Notice all the lights are shielded down, and areas are intentionally lit without light spilling over.
Adam Kreuzer, Dark Sky International, Chicago, and Nate Troia, Glen Ellyn Park District
What about natural areas? There is a new Illinois law that starting this month called The Responsible Outdoor Lighting Control Act. It is the first state statute in the country that specifically mandates easy, cost-efficient, productive measures to curb artificial light pollution at night. According to Dark Sky International's Adam Kreuzer, "the law governs all properties owned and managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, including all state parks and wilderness areas, and is an incredible template for additional state statutes and for Illinois counties, municipalities and park districts." So it looks like we will be seeing more dark sky compliant projects in our future!
DO: Actions You Can Take
Winter brings longer nights, which means more opportunities to stargaze. But snow's reflective properties can also exacerbate light pollution. One study found snow made suburban light pollution 33% worse on a clear night, and even worse on a cloudy night! You might have noticed this yourself! Darker nights are healthier for humans, with less disruption to our circadian rhythms, as well as for animals and pollinators. So here are a few reminders on things you can do to keep our skies dark.
How can we contribute to a dark night sky?
Dark Sky International makes it easy for us to make better choices with guidelines for our lighting. Some of their suggestions include auditing your outside lighting, and asking yourself:
Do your lights have a clear purpose?
Is the light directed to where it is needed?
Are the lights generating more light than you really need?
Are your lights on all night long?
Are you using warmer colored lighting where possible?
Learn ways to improve your lighting, and encourage your neighbors and others to do the same, including entities like churches, the park district, the village, etc.
Enjoy your dark sky starry starry nights!