Nebraskaland

44 Nebraskaland • November 2025 By Monica Macoubrie, Outdoor Education Specialist he holiday season is a time of joy, warmth and celebration. As we deck the halls and light up our homes, let's consider how our festive practices might impact the environment and local wildlife. By making mindful choices, we can create a holiday season that's not only merry and bright but also benefi cial to the creatures that share our environment. Light Pollution For many people around the world, the holidays are a magical time of year, often highlighted by festive outdoor lighting displays. With many holidays falling around the winter solstice, these lights bring warmth and joy to the dark, cold days of mid-winter. But do holiday light displays contribute to light pollution? And should we be concerned? Light pollution is generally described as any negative impact caused by the use of artifi cial light at night. This helps distinguish the benefi cial uses of nighttime lighting from the known or suspected harmful eff ects it can have. Importantly, not all outdoor lighting qualifi es as light pollution. According to a 2014 National Aeronautics and Space Administration study, "nighttime light shines 20-50 percent brighter during Christmas and New Year's compared to the rest of the year." This pattern is also observed in other parts of the world. For instance, during the Islamic month of Ramadan, some Middle Eastern cities experience nighttime lighting that is more than 50 percent brighter than at other times of the year. While we have limited data on the adverse impacts of this increased lighting on the nighttime environment, we do know light emissions contribute to skyglow — the brightening of the night sky that makes it harder to see stars. Still, the potential impact of light pollution from holiday lights is relatively small compared to the constant illumination of streetlights or buildings that remain on throughout the night year-round. In most cases, holiday lighting does not pose a signifi cant environmental threat, especially when installed away from ecologically sensitive areas, such forests, prairies, river corridors or wetlands. So, it's still possible to enjoy the warmth and charm of holiday lights without causing undue harm to the environment. However, there are several ways to make holiday lighting more wildlife-friendly. First, consider using fewer lights overall. As David Hardisty, a University of British Columbia business professor, explains, "The fi rst string of lights you put up adds a lot of holiday cheer. Having one string up versus none makes a big diff erence, but adding six strings instead of fi ve barely changes anything [in adding holiday appeal]." Second, be mindful of the color of your lights. Avoid using lights with a cool or blue tone, as blue light is particularly disruptive to raptors, such as owls and hawks, and contributes signifi cantly to skyglow. If you prefer white lights, opt for warmer hues that resemble the soft glow of T Make the Holidays Wildlife-Friendly A Christmas decoration made from pheasant feathers decorates a tree at the Cody mansion at Buff alo Bill State Historical Park. ROCKY HOFFMANN, NEBRASKALAND

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