On Friday 11 September, the city of Chemnitz will be taking part in Earth Night 2026. On this night, the Karl Marx Monument will not be illuminated; the lights will remain off. This is intended to send a message against light pollution and in support of preserving natural darkness.
Under the slogan ‘Lights out – for a whole night’, residents, businesses and organisations are also being called upon to switch off or reduce non-essential outdoor lighting from dusk onwards, or by 10 pm at the latest. Lighting required for safety reasons is exempt from this.
Artificial light can have a particularly adverse effect on insects, birds and other nocturnal animals. Furthermore, unnecessary lighting consumes energy and outshines the natural night sky.
Unlike Earth Hour (during which lights are switched off for one hour one evening in March each year), Earth Night is about switching off or dimming lights from nightfall onwards for the whole night.
Earth Night aims to highlight the problem of ever-increasing light pollution caused by the unchecked use of artificial light. The campaign is organised by the ‘Paten der Nacht’ (Patrons of the Night), a non-profit, non-partisan organisation dedicated to curbing light pollution.
Further information on Earth Night is available at www.earth-night.info.
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