From Star Gazing to Screen Gazing.... and Back Again

by Neethu Susan George As a child, I would often lie under the night sky and count the stars, one... two... ten... thirty... until I lost count and started all over again. No phones, no tablets, but just the sky, my imagination, and endless curiosity.

Somewhere along the way, life happened. We got busy, distracted, screen-gazing instead of star-gazing. Years later, I returned to that same backyard to do what I used to love—count the stars.

But this time… I could barely count five or six.

What happened?!!

At first, I didn’t give it much thought. Life moves fast, and we’re all caught up in it. But as I got deeper into lighting design and sustainability, I began to understand how light pollution is silently erasing our night skies, and how deeply it impacts ecosystems, wildlife, human health, and even the sense of wonder we once had.

That realization is what inspired me to become a DarkSky Advocate, because we can still light our spaces beautifully and responsibly... without erasing the night sky.

It’s not about using less light.

It’s about using light thoughtfully.

That's my story. What's yours?!!

#DarkSky #LightingDesign #Sustainability #LightPollution #NightSky #DarkSkyAdvocate #LightingWithPurpose #LightMatters #Outdoorlighting #Ecosystem