The darker the sky, the brighter our future.

In May, Naramata slows into its bloom. The orchards hum. The lake glimmers longer in the light. Evenings stretch just enough to remind us summer is on the way. And after the sun dips behind Giant’s Head and the hills blush with dusk, we have a choice: to keep the dark—or to drown it in light.

Too much outdoor lighting doesn’t just wash out the stars—it warms the planet. Around the world, billions of dollars in energy is wasted each year lighting up places that don’t need to be lit. That wasted light means wasted power—often from fossil fuels—and it quietly contributes to climate change.

But here, in Naramata, darkness still lives. You can feel it walking the KVR after sunset, or sitting on a bench at Manitou Park under a rising moon. You can see it from the wharf when the lake mirrors the constellations, or from a vineyard ridge when the Milky Way arcs across the sky. It’s a quiet beauty—and a fragile one.

Now is the time to step into it. Bring a blanket to Sun Rock and watch the night roll over the valley. Settle in on a patio with a glass in hand and let the constellations slowly reveal themselves. Walk the lanes after dinner, phone in your pocket, stars above your head. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture—just a quiet return to what’s already there, waiting.

Preserving that beauty means rethinking how and where we use light. Warm, shielded bulbs. Motion sensors. Lights off when not needed. Small, conscious choices that make a big difference for the skies, for wildlife, for our energy use—and for future generations who deserve to look up and feel awe.

This season, let’s honour the dark as we do the blooms—as something worth preserving. Let’s choose less glow and more stars. Less hum and more hush. Because the quieter the night, the more it speaks.

To learn more about how light pollution affects climate change and energy consumption, visit:
www.darksky.org/resources/what-is-light-pollution/effects/energy-climate/

Your Dark Sky Naramata Team & Naramata Slow