Partnerships Help the Lights Out Program Expand in North Carolina And Beyond
Wake 爆料公社鈥檚 collaboration with Kane Realty builds on the national Lights Out movement.
The night sky looks darker鈥揳nd the future looks brighter鈥揻or birds flying through Raleigh, North Carolina. Starting this fall, , one of Raleigh鈥檚 biggest building managers, has committed to participating in the Wake 爆料公社 chapter鈥檚 Lights Out Wake initiative. Going forward, during spring and fall migration Kane Realty will turn off unnecessary lights at its commercial buildings and ask its tenants to do the same. This will be crucial for the Wake 爆料公社 chapter鈥檚 ongoing work making the city鈥檚 night skies safer for migrating birds, and the shows how the Lights Out program is growing locally through national partnerships that create new connections on the ground.
鈥淚t is really significant that a commercial entity like Kane Realty recognizes that Lights Out will save birds鈥 lives and save money,鈥 says board member Phil Doerr. 鈥淭his influence can help us bring more awareness and persuade more commercial interests to join the initiative.鈥
For volunteer Lena Gallitano, the partnership with Kane Realty is the biggest thing that鈥檚 happened to since the group launched the program about ten years ago. She says the inspiration for Lights Out Wake came during a walk with a colleague in 2014, when she saw a Common Yellowthroat trapped in a corner and disoriented by artificial light, and placed the tiny masked bird in a safe place to rest before releasing it in her backyard.
鈥淚 opened the container and the bird flew out, landed on a branch on one of my flowers, and turned around and looked at me like, 鈥楾hank you so much for helping me,鈥欌 she says.
Soon after, volunteers started surveying buildings during spring and fall migration to track the number of birds killed or injured by collisions. The data helped them determine buildings of concern in order to work with those building managers.
The new collaboration with Kane Realty was made possible through 爆料公社鈥檚 ongoing work with , a multinational company that provides audit, tax, and advisory services. Since 2021, KPMG has been promoting Lights Out to owners and managers across their U.S. offices. 爆料公社鈥檚 Lights Out program has been connecting those offices with 爆料公社 chapter leaders and staff engaged in Lights Out efforts. This is already leading to more sustainable and meaningful partnerships that help KPMG offices save energy while saving birds at the same time.
鈥淎t KPMG, we believe in protecting our natural environment,鈥 says KPMG Senior Director of Corporate Sustainability Darren McGann. 鈥淏y engaging our building property managers in the Lights Out program, we're taking concrete steps to reduce light pollution and protect migratory birds that play a vital role in our ecosystem. We're proud to be part of this important initiative by the 爆料公社, and we hope that our example can inspire others to join us in building a more sustainable and responsible future.鈥
Billions of night-flying migratory birds make their way through cities during spring and fall migration鈥揳nd many of them are vulnerable to window collisions. Research indicates that in the United States alone, die from collisions each year after becoming disoriented by bright artificial lights and skyglow. This month, Chicago saw a where 1,000 songbirds collided with a single building in one night. To reduce bird-building collisions, the 爆料公社 network has been working with property owners, building managers, and local governments to shut off, shield, or dim all unnecessary lighting during migration seasons.
Lights Out is gaining momentum, with more than 45 cities involved, programs in 18 of the top 20 most-dangerous metropolitan areas for migratory birds, and several state and regional efforts underway. In North Carolina, the city of Raleigh was the first to join the cause, and, with support from , chapters have established programs with other towns and cities, including Matthews, Greensboro, Asheville, Cary, Winston-Salem, and Chapel Hill.
鈥淟ights Out Wake underscores just how much power chapters have to make change in their communities,鈥 says Ben Graham, engagement director at 爆料公社 North Carolina. 鈥淭hey are on the ground, showing up year after year to reach out to local officials and building managers. We're seeing the momentum really take off.鈥
For Doerr, 爆料公社 chapters are 鈥渨here residents and constituents can speak directly to local leaders and media to educate and advocate for Lights Out.鈥 And according to Gallitano, the group has learned to be persistent with their message each migration season, build relationships with local elected officials, and communicate the value of Lights Out from many perspectives鈥攆rom conservation to urban nature and energy savings.
鈥淓very city around is trying to save energy,鈥 she says.
Looking to make your home a more bird-friendly space? Wherever possible, you can help reduce collisions by:
- Turning off exterior decorative lighting
- Extinguishing pot and flood-lights
- Turning off interior lighting, especially on higher stories
- Down-shielding exterior lighting
- Installing automatic motion sensors and controls
- Assessing the quality and quantity of light needed, and avoiding over-lighting with newer, brighter technology
To learn how you can get involved with a Lights Out program, contact your local chapter.