Ivins Night Sky Initiative launches to address light pollution
By Mike Scott
The Ivins Night Sky Initiative officially launches Jan. 8. The initiative’s mission is to improve, preserve, and protect the night sky over Ivins and to serve as a resource for city officials, residents, and businesses.
“The population of Ivins doubled since 2000 and is expected to double again in just over 20 years,” said Ivins Night Sky Initiative cofounder Patty Dupre. “What will our night sky look like with twice the light pollution we have today? Will there be nothing left to see for our children and grandchildren to be inspired by, marvel at, and cherish? Will the wonderment of the night sky be just a distant faded memory for those of us who were once lucky enough to gaze upon it? We can’t let that become our fate. That’s why now.”
The Ivins Night Sky Initiative is tackling this issue in Ivins, but other communities in southwest Utah face the same problems. The more progress the initiative makes, the more tools and experiences they will have to share with other communities.
The Ivins Night Sky Initiative is a volunteer, nonprofit citizen organization. Patty Dupre and Mike Scott handle the day-to-day activities, but they rely on advisors for technical issues and citizens for input and support on projects.
They have been working on this behind the scenes for almost a year and received assistance from the International Dark Sky Association with recommendations to make the Ivins Outdoor Lighting Ordinance more dark-sky friendly. Other communities that accomplished a similar mission also helped. And residents of Ivins and others interested in preserving the night gave sky a lot of input, support, and guidance.
Area residents who wish to participate can take the following actions:
—Download the position paper at ivinsnightsky.org. It has detailed information about lighting issues along with the group’s action plan.
—Email mike@ivinsnightsky.org and say if this issue is important to you and what else you think the group should do.
—Tell friends about the mission and encourage them to send comments.
—Say if you are willing to help. There’s much to do, but many hands make light work.
—Check the initiative’s website periodically for new activities and updates on progress as well as information about lighting and lighting issues.
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