Purpose of event is to raise awareness of light pollution and provide solutions to the public to encourage the protection of and enjoyment of dark skies and responsible outdoor lighting.
On Earth Day, the Goleta City Council issued a Proclamation declaring the week of April 21-28, 2025 as “International Dark Sky Week” in the City of Goleta. The City’s action affirms its recognition of the value of dark skies, not only so we can see constellations and the Milky Way, but also for the health of wildlife and people. The Proclamation was accepted by Jessie Altstatt, Conservation Science Chair for Santa Barbara Audubon Society (SBAS) who has advocated for reducing excessive nighttime lighting across the city.
SBAS President Janice Levasheff comments, “The Goleta South Coast is an “Audubon Important Bird Area” that supports sensitive breeding birds along the Pacific Flyway migration route. The most critical time for birds is between midnight and sunrise, especially during the spring and fall migrations. In addition, night-time lighting reduces the ability of nocturnal birds to forage for prey. We commend the city for recognizing the negative impacts of outdoor lighting, and we plan to continue helping the community understand the value of darkness to living creatures.”
Lighting is one of the rare forms of pollution that is completely reversible –with the flick of a switch. Dark skies are impacted by light pollution, mostly caused by lights pointed up into the sky (instead of down) resulting in roughly $3 billion per year of wasted energy in the United States. The goal of this annual international event is to raise public awareness about the causes of and solutions to light pollution. National Audubon’s Lights Out program is working in communities across the country to understand and mitigate the impacts that artificial lighting has on birds, but there are actions that all Goleta residents can take to make our skies darker, more natural, and healthier for everyone…