Flip the Switch!
Mar 15 to May 31 ------- Aug 15 to Nov 15
11 pm to Sunrise
What is Lights Out?
Lights Out is a voluntary program that involves turning off and/or blocking as many external and internal building lights at workplaces as possible at night to help prevent injury and death of birds migrating through the Hampton Roads area during the spring and fall bird migrations.
This can be as simple as reminding employees to flip the switch on the way out of the office and ensuring that the evening cleaning crews make turning off any office lights part of their to-do list. The next step can be incorporating motion detecting light switches to turn off the lights when no one is around. All of these steps protect migrating birds and save money!
Learn more about the Lights Out program at https://www.audubon.org/our-work/cities-and-towns/lights-out
Why Lights Out?
Hampton Roads lies directly along the Atlantic Flyway used by millions of birds every year to migrate north in the spring and south in the fall. The Chesapeake Bay is a major stopover point for the birds on their marathon journey. The majority of birds fly at night, navigating with the night sky. However, as they pass through urban areas like Hampton Roads, they can become disoriented by bright artificial lights and skyglow, often causing them to collide with buildings or windows. And building collisions are just the most acute hazard, many more birds are put at risk by the amount of energy the birds waste flying around brightly lit areas, exhausting and leaving them vulnerable to other urban threats.Lights Out also has secondary benefits in protecting moths, reducing light pollution, reducing energy costs for businesses, and reducing the regions overall carbon footprint.
How to Participate in Lights Out?
We are asking commercial and institutional building owners/tenants to minimize unnecessary lights and make some lighting changes during the peak spring and fall migration periods of March 15 - May 31 and August 15 - November 15, from 11 pm to 6am. Specific actions include the following:
- Turn off interior lighting, especially on upper floors
- Substitute task and area lighting for workers staying late
- Close curtains or blinds, if available
- Down-shield exterior lighting or limit to ground level
- Turn off exterior decorative lighting
- Reduce lobby and atrium lighting where possible
- Extinguish spot and flood-lights where possible
Whether you are a property manager, business, tenant, government agency, or resident, you can join us in helping to prevent night-time bird collisions during the fall and spring migrations. Sign up to participate in Lights Out 2024!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is involved in the program? How do I participate? Learn more through our FAQs.
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