Dark Skies

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Working To Restore This
Lost Treasure

We think our star-studded skies overhead are as valuable as our beautiful landscapes. Dark Skies for many of us are now a rare sight in the South East, constantly under threat from increasing light pollution. We believe that the loss of dark sky places in Surrey affects us all and are worth protecting.

Some of the best places to view the night sky in Surrey are in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Take a look at the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) on the Night Blight website which shows you where to find the darkest skies here.

We want to champion and protect the fragile oases of natural darkness still to be found within the county and to do all we can to reduce the damage done countywide by light pollution.

What is Light Pollution?

The term “light pollution” refers to the adverse effect of any artificial light on the environment. It is usually characterised by the orange “sky glow” that is produced above our towns and cities. This is caused by street lights and glare from lighting that spills beyond its intended lit area. We all rely on artificial light to live our lives, but do we know the facts;

Badly designed lighting wastes energy, burning resources that could be used to meet genuine need.

It travels far from its source, escaping from towns and suburbs to blight unspoiled rural locations.

It is associated with risks to human health and well-being from sleep disorders, obesity, and depression to diabetes and more.

It disrupts the life of wildlife and impacts the wider ecology and biodiversity.

It ‘light-washes’ the night sky, sweeping away the beauty of the starry heavens, a source of spirituality and wonder since the dawn of time.

How you can help

Become a Dark Sky champion in Surrey by doing the following;

Only use light when you need it and only use as much as you need for that purpose – anymore is just wasted, so avoid using brighter lights than absolutely necessary.

Install lighting only where necessary and always direct it towards the ground.

Turn off lights when you don’t need them.

Use fully shielded fixtures around your home and encourage their use at your workplace and elsewhere.

Use energy saving features such as timers, dimmers, and motion sensors in all outdoor lighting, and avoid using inefficient high wattage light sources (i.e. ones that produce less light per watt).

Always remember to draw your curtains or blinds at night to prevent intrusive light unnecessarily spilling out of your home.

Use long wavelength light (light that has a red or yellow tint rather than very white or blue lights) to minimize impact.

Promote the use of intelligent and effective outdoor lighting in your community.
Educate your friends and neighbours about the economic, environmental and security benefits of good outdoor lighting.

Stay informed and spread the word about the damage that light pollution does.