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ÊLight pollution from wasteful and inefficient nighttime lighting is destroying our view of the night sky, Elk Rapids resident Wallace Hibbard said. On a perfectly clear night, about 4,000 stars should be visible.

Ê"In most cities, you can see one percent of that," Hibbard said.

ÊThat's the reason why Hibbard and several other Elk Rapids residents are campaigning to hold "Lights Out Elk Rapids," an initiative to get everyone in the village and surrounding area to turn off all outside lights and all unnecessary inside lights for a half hour in order to reduce light pollution and better see the stars.

ÊToday, the Milky Way is barely visible. In ancient times, it was so bright that it could cast shadows, Hibbard said. He hopes "Lights Out Elk Rapids" will give locals an example of what they've been missing.

Ê"It's just a kind of thing to get people aware of what the dark skies look like," he said.

ÊThe main culprits behind blocking the stars are what astronomers call "glare bombs," exterior lights and security lights that cover large areas. Across the country cities and villages are passing "dark sky" ordinances that require exterior lighting to be shielded and focus their light toward the ground instead of upward.

Elk Rapids has a similar ordinance on the books, but it only applies to new installations, meaning the village's own lighting along River Street is grandfathered in. This was one of the main instigating factors to the "Lights Out Elk Rapids" campaign, Hibbard said.

"Our concern was the village's own lighting was a detriment," he said.

And the Village of Elk Rapids is not exempt from the campaign, either. With a tentative date of Monday, May 5, supporters have asked the village to turn off all street lamps and exterior lights from 10 to 10:30 p.m. Elk Rapids Public Schools have also agreed to turn off as many exterior lights as possible. It will also be a moonless night, Hibbard said, which will reduce the glare shining down.

While it is relatively new in the Elk Rapids area, the dark skies concept has existed for more than two decades. Founded by astronomers in 1988, the International Dark-Sky Association seeks to preserve dark skies. It's Web site, www.darksky.org, contains a list of best choice lighting to reduce light pollution.

Additionally, cities around the world have observed their own "Lights Out" events. It began in Australia, where all major cities now participate, and has grown to include around 26 major cities worldwide. Atlanta and Chicago were two American cities to take part in the event held March 29.ÊÊ

An interest in astronomy first led him to the International Dark-Sky Association, Hibbard said, and while dark sky ordinances are a step in the right direction, it won't make a true difference in light pollution until many years from now.

"It could be 50 years before we convert all lights in the area to dark sky," he said.

A change in our night lighting isn't only good for seeing more stars either, he said. It has other benefits, such as saved energy costs, a boost in tourism, and a possible reduction in crime.

People have become so used to security lighting that nothing appears suspicious to us anymore, Hibbard said. Some studies have even suggested that keeping lights off at night and forcing criminals to use flashlights can reduce crime.

"The jury's still out on security lighting preventing crime," Hibbard said. Keeping security lights turned off and converting to lower intensity dark sky lighting can also save money. The conversion cost might be high, Hibbard said, but the benefits will last a lifetime.

"The savings go on year after year," he said. "It's not just a one time deal, everybody's concerned with saving money."

Finally, as a vacation area, Hibbard believes dark skies could be yet another draw to the area for tourists, and he would like to get the message out to the entire region. More visitors would mean increased attention to local businesses and dark skies have plenty of room to grow beyond one half hour one night a year.

"It can't but help to improve our entire atmosphere," Hibbard said. "You can do a lot by just flicking the switch."

Brian Keilen can be reached for question or comment at bkeilen@michigannewspapers.com or by calling 231-264-9711.