The 3rd annual annual meeting of IDA’s Massachusetts Chapter on Sunday, October 4th, was an entirely virtual event. But being online wasn’t such a bad thing after all, as more members than ever dropped in to watch the program.

Those 2 hours will be packed with exciting presentations and updates! After welcoming everyone, President James Lowenthal got right down to business, and those assembled reelected our current slate of officers for another 1-year term:

President:   James Lowenthal
Vice President:   Tim Brothers
Treasurer:   Michael Person
Secretary:   Nancy Morrison
Communications:   Kelly Beatty

A review of the past year’s activities included updates on legislative efforts and the many opportunities that chapter officers had to talk about dark night skies and fighting light pollution to local news media. (Read more in the Chapter’s annual report for 2019–20.)

Attendees heard a prerecorded pep talk from state Senator Cynthia Stone Creem, who has been the legislature’s most ardent support for our “dark-sky bill.” Although time is running out for its approval in the current legislative session, she’s committed to submitting it again at the beginning of next year if it should not pass this time around.

Additional speakers were:

Diana Umpierre, an activist with Sierra Club Florida and currently a member of IDA’s Board of Directors, presenting: “Growing a transformational movement for our night sky”;

Will Freedberg, who helps coordinate the Bird Conservation department at Massachusetts Audubon, presenting: “Fatal attraction: How light pollution skews migratory bird behavior”; and

Avalon Owens, a doctoral student in the Biology Department at Tufts University, presenting “Sex and synchronicity: Does artificial light at night disturb the courtship of Photinus carolinus fireflies?”

In closing, President Lowenthal outlined a full docket of activities and overtures for the post-pandemic months ahead. (Teaser: Our Chapter will propose to change the state’s Energy Code to require fully shielded lighting on all outdoor-lighting installations.) So stay tuned!