Reflection: Be kind to the glider, the bogong moth and the magpie…
“…let all of us speak the truth to our neighbours, for we are members of one another. … and be kind to one another, tender-hearted…” (Ephesians 4)
I can be a bit of a light sleeper at times and when I get out of bed in the very early hours of morning I often notice how many lights are on in neighbours houses and yards. A recent article caught my eye today – how urban lights affect and threaten our non-human neighbours (How urban lights disrupt Australia's unique wildlife and food webs at night - ABC News).
On one street, a nesting magpie’s sleep patterns are screwed up by new white-blue street lamps. The bogong moth, which should be honing its way to the Australian Alps is caught in a death spiral around an outside light. And the squirrel glider takes its life in its hands by crossing a lit street to some succulent blossom. The glider can’t see well in low light, unlike foxes and cats on the prowl!
“This means that human residents need to be more considerate that their activities, including sound and light, directly impact the wildlife food webs around them.”
There are tips supplied on how to be considerate and kind to these neighbours:
· turn your lights off and draw your curtains
· install lights that are angled down to the area you need to light
· use warm-coloured light, which can be less impactful on some species
· turn your solar LED lights off
· shield your outdoor lights
· don't angle lights at trees to leave dark refuges for fauna
· for bogong moths, plant flowers which can provide energy during their migration and reduce pesticide use
· contribute to citizen science projects such as Moth Tracker to fill knowledge gaps and aid conservation efforts.
I’ll be doing a bit of a reccy around the house and yard tonight and see what I can do to be kinder to these wonderful and unique neighbours.
Rev Ceri
