FENWICK ISLAND, Del. — Dozens of people gathered inside Fenwick Island Town Hall Tuesday to learn about the dangers of light pollution, and what they can do to reduce it.
The event, hosted by the Fenwick Island Dark Sky Committee, featured guest speakers, a Q&A session, and visual displays showing how different types of lighting affect the environment. Organizers demonstrated the contrast between high- and low-Kelvin bulbs and explained which light bulbs are more environmentally friendly.
“You should use lower lumens, which is brightness, and lower Kelvin, which is on the lower yellow scale,” attendees were told during the presentation.
Rosemary Hoy, chair of the town’s Dark Sky Committee, said excess artificial light at night can be harmful not only to people, but also to animals and ecosystems.
"They're doing their thing at night,” Hoy said. “That’s when they eat. That’s when they reproduce. That’s when they pollinate. So if they think it's daytime all the time because of too many nighttime lights, then they're not able to thrive or even survive. And that can affect our ecosystem.”
Dozens of people gathered inside Fenwick Island Town Hall Tuesday to learn about the dangers of light pollution.
For local resident Jim Fleagle, the event shined light on ways he can improve light pollution. “It brings value to the community. It brings value to nature,” Fleagle said. “It's actually a cost savings and a light improvement feature, which is what I learned today.”
The committee is encouraging residents to make small changes such as switching to lower-lumen, lower-Kelvin lights, installing motion sensors, or simply turning off unnecessary lighting at night.
Hoy noted that the town's current lighting ordinance is outdated. The committee plans to propose an updated version before the end of the year.