► Rekindle the stars
On Saturday October 12, we turn off the lights as Le Jour de la nuit invites us to do for its 16the edition. This national event to raise awareness of light pollution and the beauty of the starry sky contributes to developing a lighting policy that uses less energy and is more respectful of natural environments. We know, for example, that nighttime lights delay the fall of leaves on deciduous trees and increase the mortality of certain animals.
Proposed by Agir pour l’environnement, an association for citizen mobilization for a livable planet, this event is organized in France around artistic evenings, nature and astronomy outings, readings by the fire, etc.
www.jourdelanuit.fr
► Gardens on the back burner
Lighting up your driveway, your garden or the walls of your house after dark certainly creates a friendly and reassuring atmosphere. But this also generates harmful disturbances for certain animal and plant species. Diurnal animals stay awake, others flee lit areas… How to avoid overlighting your outdoor space?
The French Biodiversity Office (OFB) provides practical advice: light dimly and only the useful surface, favor amber yellow/orange colors, leave water surfaces in the dark as much as possible, because these environments are very rich in biodiversity and highly sensitive to artificial nighttime light.
www.ofb.gouv.fr
► For an “enlightened” municipality
Since Covid and the energy crisis, many municipalities have reduced their public lighting. What about your city or village? The National Association for the Protection of the Night Sky and Environment (ANPCEN) invites citizens to call on their elected officials to encourage them to reduce unnecessary lighting and in particular proposes a standard letter to send to the town hall.
The association points out in passing that turning off the lights has no impact on burglaries, as demonstrated by the statistics of municipalities which already practice switching off in the dead of night. Another proposal: register your municipality or territory in the Star Cities and Villages competition, which has existed since 2009 in order to obtain the label (one to five stars).
www.anpcen.fr
