NEWS RELEASE
PROTECT THE PORKIES
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Tomorrow (Tuesday, February 25th) at 7pm EST the Protect the Porkies campaign will be holding a public virtual event regarding overturning the state prohibition on Dark Sky Preserves in the Upper Peninsula. The Pure Michigan campaign has been actively promoting astro-tourism in the State. Given that the purest night skies are in the U.P., we find it absurd that our state lands — such as Porcupine Mountains State Park — cannot promote and profit from astro-tourism the same as those downstate.
The event will feature Dark Sky advocates from around Michigan:
—Brad Barnett: Executive Director of Visit Keweenaw
—Aimee Cree Dunn: Professor of Native American Studies at Northern Michigan University
—Cynthia Hector Johnson: Beaver Island State Research Area, Michigan's first International Dark Sky Sanctuary
—Robert Parrish: Lawless Park in Cass County, an International Dark Sky Park
—Robyn Porteen: Dark Sky Michigan
—Tom Grotewohl: Protect the Porkies
—Kathleen Heideman: Save the Wild UP and the UPEC Mining Action Group
After hearing from our panelists, we'll open the floor to audience participation.
The growth of light pollution has significant impacts on human and ecological health, and the demotion of the Upper Peninsula with regards to protecting their nights is an injustice in need of correcting.
You can register here. More information can be found in the online petition.
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