How light pollution can affect the environment

We have all heard of water and air pollution. Also, most people wouldn’t dispute the fact that they really are a problem. However, light may be the only source of pollution that the average consumer overlooks. That may be because the average person doesn’t think of “light” when the word pollution appears on the news or in conversation. After all, it’s just light, right? No, it’s not really that simple. Light pollution is defined as the illumination of the night sky due to the scattering of artificial light, it is also known as sky glare. Unnecessary light not only wastes large amounts of electricity, it also negatively affects wildlife.

Light pollution, also called sky glow, is defined as light that wastefully escapes into the night sky and causes a glow over urban / suburban areas. It also refers to the light that is

refract into the surrounding atmosphere. This refraction is strongly related to the wavelength of light. Rayleigh scattering, which makes the sky appear blue during the day, also affects light that comes from the ground into the sky and is then redirected to become a celestial glow, seen from the ground. As a result, blue light contributes significantly more to sky glare than an equal amount of yellow light. Glare from the sky is particularly irritating to astronomers as it reduces the contrast in the night sky to the point where it may be impossible to see the brightest stars.

So what kind of lighting is harmful? The truth is that there is interior and exterior lighting that can be harmful in the long term. Research has been done on the subject for years and it is well known that indoor fluorescent lighting can cause many health problems such as migraines, fatigue, irritability, and many other health conditions. But when it comes to the outside environment, night security lighting represents the biggest threat in terms of light pollution. Additionally, studies have shown that outdoor security lighting does not reduce crime and uses approximately 800 pounds of carbon each year per light. Have you ever looked up at the sky at night only to see a haze of dim light? This is the perfect example of light pollution. Researchers have been studying this problem for years and have produced real-life photographs of land masses, cities, and rural areas around the world at night. The results spoke for themselves; Night light is definitely a problem.

Light that is considered annoying, wasteful or harmful causes damage to the environment and health, as well as other forms of pollution. Some indoor and outdoor lights are considered harmful in the long term. It is well known that indoor fluorescent rays can cause many health problems. such as migraine headaches, fatigue, irritability, and many other health conditions. Approximately 800 pounds of coal each year is wasted by light. Outdoors, light pollution damages nocturnal wildlife.

Constant lighting could destroy crops, trees, and even wildlife. Plants depend on the light and dark cycle for proper growth. The onset of darkness is crucial to the flowering and reproduction process. Birds have been known to fly towards towers and windows at night due to the confusion caused by night lighting. The fact that the night must be dark is not always the case today. In some places like Vegas, you can’t even tell

Whether it is night or day because the billions are so bright, you feel like you are in another dimension.

Life existed in fixed natural cycles of light and dark, so the disruption of those patterns influences many aspects of animal behavior. Light pollution confuses animal navigation, disrupts competitive interactions, changes predator-prey relationships, and influences animal physiology. Studies suggest that light pollution around lakes prevents zooplankton from eating algae on the surface, causing algal blooms that kill lake plants and reduce water quality. Night light also interferes with the ability of moths and other nocturnal insects to navigate. Night flowers that depend on moths for pollination will be affected by night lighting. This leads to the decline of plant species that cannot reproduce and change the long-term ecology of an area.

The lights on the tall structures disorient migratory birds. The number of dead birds after being attracted by tall towers is estimated to be 4 to 5 million per year. The Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) works with building owners in Toronto, Canada and other cities to turn off lights during migration periods to reduce bird mortality.

Contrary to popular belief, baby sea turtles are not attracted to the moon. Rather, they find the ocean moving away from the dark silhouette of the dunes and their vegetation, a behavior that artificial lights interfere with. The lights can also disorient young seabirds as they leave their nests and fly out to sea.

Night frogs and salamanders are also affected. Since they are nocturnal, they wake up at night. Light pollution causes salamanders to emerge from their hiding place later, giving them less time to mate and reproduce.

So to do your part for the environment, make sure your outdoor lighting is ordinance compliant. By this, it is meant that it only lights up the ground below them and never shines on a neighboring property or in the night sky. Second, making sure the exterior lights are only on when needed. Lighting from dusk to dawn should be strictly avoided. Third, reduce the wattage of your bulbs. The human eye stands out for its ability to adapt to the amount of light present. Too much light can be overwhelming and dazzling, reducing visibility. Even a small reduction in wattage will reduce light pollution.