Written By Ashley Rogers, Director of Public Relations, February 2, 2026
Imagine you have waited all year for your summer camping vacation. You can’t wait for the chance to truly escape from it all…the hustle and bustle, the noise, the constant stimulation modern life brings with it. You pack up the family, the RV, and take off to your favorite RV park off the beaten path. The kids help set up camp, you get the lanterns glowing, the campfire is blazing, and the s’mores ingredients are spread out on the table ready for you to dig in. After everyone has a full belly, you turn off your RV lights, turn the lanterns down, and assemble the family together facing the open sky. Tonight is the Perseid Meteor Shower, and you’ve waited for this!
As darkness falls and the quiet of the night wraps itself around you, you suddenly realize your eyes are struggling to see the stars. You can’t seem to adjust your sight to the dark, and you don’t know why the meteors aren’t visible. As you look around, you begin to realize why…there are lights everywhere. Although the lighting might be minimal according to typical standards, there are many ways that we can practice “responsible lighting” for the health and enjoyment of the people and animals around us.
Why Does Outdoor Lighting Matter?
You might be wondering why our outdoor lighting matters. Light Pollution, more easily understood as the overuse or misuse of artificial lighting, can cause harm to humans and wildlife. Not only is the viewing of the natural night sky obstructed, but it also can cause the reduction in natural melatonin production in humans…a hormone needed for normal circadian rhythm (sleep patterns).
For nocturnal animals, the overuse of artificial lighting at night can have detrimental effects. Not only does it affect their sense of natural predator-prey instincts, but it can affect the reproduction cycles of amphibians that have darkness as their que to croak. Migratory birds use seasonal patterns to determine when to migrate. Light pollution causes a disruption to their migratory patterns and even accidental collision with buildings at night. This sadly ends with the death of millions of these birds each year.
For more information, visit Artificial Lighting Harm.
What Is Responsible Outdoor Lighting?
Our colleagues at DarkSky International and Mountains of Stars are working with professionals in the camping industry to determine what RV parks and campgrounds can do to help practice responsible lighting. We know that educating the camping community is the first step to achieving DarkSky safe lighting standards. When people know the “why” they are much more likely to participate in the “how.” They have come up with 5 Basic Principles For Responsible Lighting to help guide us in using lighting reponsibly.
Responsible Outdoor Lighting Should Be…
- USEFUL
- TARGETED
- LOW LEVEL
- CONTROLLED
- WARM-COLORED
Follow this link for more information on how to achieve responsible outdoor lighting during your RV and camping experiences. You can also visit our friends at Mountains of Stars for additional tips.
Viewing The Night Sky at Greensport
At Greensport RV Park and Marina, we are committed to keeping the natural beauty we share…just like that. Natural. We know lights are needed and necessary for safety at our RV Park, but we do invite you all to practice these simple lighting principles during your stay. We can all try to make friends with the dark. Find your own “night-vision” and invite your kids or family members into the wonder that the night sky brings us.
Find wonderful materials for educating yourself and your family at Mountains of Stars Learning Center, and tools for parents and educators at Dark Sky Materials For Educators.
Greensport RV Park is only a short drive from Gadsden and Birmingham!
