HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-28-26 Public Comment - B. Rice - Chronicle LTE_ Michael Smith_ Bozeman's Growing Light Pollution Has a Cumulative EffectFrom:Bonnie Rice
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Chronicle LTE: Michael Smith: Bozeman"s Growing Light Pollution Has a Cumulative Effect
Date:Thursday, April 23, 2026 2:48:11 PM
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Letter to the editor:
Bozeman's growing
light pollution has a
cumulative effect
Michael Smith Mar 5, 2026
Not so long ago I could easily view celestial wonders — planets, stars,
nebula — within Bozeman’s city limits. Unfortunately, that has become
difficult due to the explosive growth and the concomitant increase in light
pollution from homes, businesses, parking lots, and streetlights.
The stars are being switched off by human light pollution. The Seven
Sisters (the Pleiades) is reduced to three or four stars. Star-hopping to
identify constellations is difficult. Only Orion, Cassiopeia and the Big
Dipper are easily identifiable within Bozeman.
I fear Sirius, the Dog Star in Canis Major (the Greater Dog and Orion’s
companion), the fifth brightest celestial object and a guide star, will be
reduced to a pinprick of light.
Light pollution’s harms extend beyond night sky viewing. It suppresses
peoples’ melatonin production and disrupts circadian rhythms. It is linked
to cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders, and cancers in night
shift workers.
It confuses birds during their biannual migrations. Bats, wildlife, and
pollinating insects and moths are all negatively affected by it, as is the
respiration cycle of plants and trees.
Lighting contributes 5-10% of greenhouse gas emissions. Much of outdoor
lighting shines up and is useless. Personal, business and taxpayer dollars
are misused and wasted.
Simple, inexpensive solutions to reduce light pollution while maintaining
human safety and comfort exist. Closing blinds, turning off unnecessary
lighting, softer light bulbs, shielded outdoor fixtures to direct light
downward, and outdoor lights equipped with motion sensors are easy and
inexpensive fixes. The International Dark-Sky Association
(https://darksky.org/) provides many excellent resources.
It is hard to protect precious things, and harder to lose them. But we don’t
have to lose the night sky and much that it nourishes.
Please look around your home and business to see how to reduce your light
pollution. Then do it.
Michael Smith
Bozeman