Brian Barton
Light pollution is a noun that refers to the human-made or artificial alteration of outdoor light levels from those occurring naturally. It is caused by the inefficient or unnecessary use of artificial light, such as streetlights, advertising, and buildings, and has adverse effects on human health, wildlife behaviour, and the environment. Light pollution is a global issue, with 83% of people worldwide living under light-polluted skies. It has also been linked to the decline of certain migratory bird and insect populations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of pollution | Light |
| Type of light | Artificial |
| Sources | Streetlights, advertising, buildings, boats, factories, offices, satellites, fireworks |
| Effects | Disrupts ecosystems, adverse health effects, interferes with astronomy, disorients migratory birds, disrupts moth caterpillar abundance, interferes with firefly mating signals, disorients sea turtles |
| Impact on humans | Sleep deprivation, fatigue, headaches, stress, anxiety, cancer |
| Impact on animals | Disorients migratory birds, disrupts moth caterpillar abundance, interferes with firefly mating signals, disorients sea turtles |
| Impact on astronomy | Interferes with the observation of stars and other celestial bodies |
| Impact on the environment | Contributes to climate change |
| Prevalence | 83% of the world's population lives under light-polluted skies |
| Solutions | Adjusting light fixtures, using appropriate light bulbs, educating the public, legislative change, using timers and sensors, using the right colour of light |
| Other names | Skyglow, light trespass, over-illumination |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Light pollution is a human-made alteration of outdoor light levels
The sources of light pollution include building exterior and interior lighting, advertising, commercial properties, offices, factories, streetlights, and illuminated sporting venues. Even in places meant to provide protected natural habitats for wildlife, light pollution is making an impact. The National Park Service (NPS), for example, has found that nearly every park showed at least some light pollution. This is a major concern for astronomers and people who want to enjoy the beauty of a starry night, as light pollution competes with starlight in the night sky.
Light pollution also has adverse effects on human health and wildlife behaviour. It disrupts the natural rhythm of day and night, which is encoded in the DNA of all plants and animals. Nocturnal light interrupts sleep and confuses the circadian rhythm, the internal 24-hour clock that guides daily activities and affects physiological processes. It also has harmful effects on migratory birds, pollinators, sea turtles, and mammals, including humans. For example, the bright lights of buildings and towers can disorient migratory birds, causing them to collide with these structures. Similarly, sea turtle hatchlings can become confused by artificial lighting, causing them to head inland instead of towards the ocean, leading to their deaths.
To address light pollution, individuals are urged to use outdoor lighting only when and where it is needed, to ensure that lights are properly shielded and directed downwards, and to close window coverings at night to keep light inside. Manufacturers have also designed high-efficiency light sources that save energy and reduce light pollution. Additionally, organizations like DarkSky International work with communities to establish codes and statutes that reduce light pollution and educate the public about the harmful effects of excessive artificial light. By implementing these measures, it is possible to reduce light pollution and restore the natural night sky.
Land Pollution in China: A Growing Concern?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![Biological effects of oil pollution : a comprehensive bibliography with abstracts Melvin Light and Joseph J. Lanier. 1978 [Leather Bound]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61kelb6mFML._AC_UY218_.jpg)
It is a side effect of industrial civilization
Light pollution is indeed a noun, and it is a side effect of industrial civilization. It refers to the human-made or anthropogenic alteration of outdoor light levels from those occurring naturally. This is caused by the inefficient, unnecessary, or excessive use of artificial light, which can have adverse effects on human health, wildlife, and the environment.
As a result of light pollution, the night sky visibility is reduced due to "skyglow," which is caused by upward-directed light from poorly designed or directed lamps and security floodlights. The light is scattered and reflected by particles in the atmosphere, reducing the visibility of stars and the Milky Way. This not only affects astronomers and those who appreciate the beauty of a starry night sky but also has ecological consequences.
Light pollution disrupts ecosystems and has been linked to the decline of certain migratory songbird populations. It disorients migratory birds, causing them to collide with brightly illuminated structures. Sea turtles are also vulnerable to light pollution, as it deters females from returning to their nesting beaches and confuses hatchlings, leading them inland instead of towards the ocean. In addition, light pollution has been associated with decreased moth caterpillar abundance and the decline of firefly populations, likely due to interference with their mating signals.
Furthermore, light pollution has been shown to impact human health. Studies have suggested a link between exposure to artificial light at night and health issues such as sleep deprivation, fatigue, headaches, stress, and anxiety, and even cancer. For example, reduced melatonin production due to increased night light has been connected to an increased risk of cancer, and nurses who worked night shifts with exposure to artificial light had a higher risk of colorectal cancer.
Light pollution is most severe in highly industrialized and densely populated areas, including regions of North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Sources of light pollution include building exterior and interior lighting, advertising, outdoor area lighting, offices, factories, streetlights, and illuminated sporting venues. While light pollution is a global issue, there are efforts to reduce it through the use of timers, sensors, appropriate lighting fixtures, and public education to push for legislative change.
The Devastating Impact of Lost Shipping Containers on Marine Life
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Light pollution affects human health
Light pollution is the human-made alteration of outdoor light levels from those occurring naturally. It is caused by the inefficient, annoying, or unnecessary use of artificial light. Light pollution competes with starlight in the night sky, interferes with astronomical observatories, disrupts ecosystems, and has adverse health effects on humans.
Research suggests that artificial light at night can negatively impact human health in several ways. Firstly, it can increase the risk of obesity. A large survey found a correlation between brighter residential nighttime lighting and obesity, with respondents reporting reduced sleep times, dissatisfaction with sleep quality, excessive sleepiness, and impaired daytime functioning.
Secondly, light pollution can lead to sleep disorders. Studies have shown that brighter neighbourhoods are associated with shorter sleep times and poorer sleep quality. This is particularly evident in individuals with low socioeconomic status due to factors such as poor housing conditions, high stress, and unpredictable daily schedules. Additionally, light trespass, which occurs when unwanted light enters one's property, can cause sleep deprivation.
Thirdly, excessive artificial light at night has been linked to an increased risk of certain types of cancer, particularly breast cancer. Studies in Israel and the United States have found a statistically significant correlation between outdoor artificial light at night and a higher risk of breast cancer, even when controlling for other factors such as population density and air pollution.
Finally, light pollution can contribute to mental health issues such as depression. The glare from road lamps, commercial security lights, and signs can cause discomfort, distraction, and adverse effects on quality of life. The intense, blue-rich LED lighting can decrease visual acuity and create safety concerns, further impacting mental well-being.
While light pollution has been shown to have detrimental effects on human health, it is important to note that the research in this field is still evolving, and more studies are needed to fully understand the complex relationship between light pollution and its health consequences.
Understanding Runoff Pollution: A Growing Environmental Concern
You may want to see also
Explore related products
It disrupts ecosystems
Light pollution is a phenomenon associated with the use of artificial lighting by humans. It alters the natural cycles of light and dark that plants and animals rely on for various life-sustaining behaviours, such as reproduction, nourishment, sleep, and protection from predators.
Insects
Insects are attracted to artificial light sources, which can disrupt their normal flight activity, long-distance migrations, and make them an easy target for predators. Insects that are normally nocturnal may be drawn towards lights, becoming trapped and exhausted, and unable to escape. This can change the diversity of insects, as species may disappear from a community if they cannot reproduce quickly enough to make up for the loss at the lights.
Birds
Birds that migrate or hunt at night navigate by moonlight and starlight. Artificial light can cause them to wander off course and towards dangerous landscapes in cities. Millions of birds die every year colliding with illuminated buildings and towers.
Amphibians
Most frogs are nocturnal, so artificial light likely affects their breeding, feeding, and ability to avoid predators. It has been observed that frogs gather at lights to forage, making them more susceptible to dehydration and predators, as well as cars.
Mammals
Studies have found that many small mammals, such as mice, eat less in areas lit by artificial light, possibly to avoid predators. Conversely, predators of small mammals, such as foxes, are attracted to lit areas for easy prey.
Sea Turtles
Sea turtles hatch at night on beaches and find the sea by detecting the bright horizon over the ocean. Artificial lights disorient them and draw them away from the ocean, leading to their deaths.
Plants
Plants depend on the cycle of light and dark for photosynthesis, the process by which they grow. Artificial light disrupts this process, affecting their growth.
Fracking Pollution: Is It Worse Than Regular Natural Gas?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![The Darkness [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81+Vvs1l4SL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
![The Darkness [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A1qy7Pa0YKL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Light pollution impacts wildlife
Light pollution is a human-made alteration of outdoor light levels from those occurring naturally. It is caused by the inefficient or unnecessary use of artificial light. Light pollution competes with starlight in the night sky, interferes with astronomical observatories, disrupts ecosystems, and has adverse health effects.
Light pollution also acts as a form of habitat loss, as some organisms are repelled from their natural habitats and have to seek alternative locations. It can alter the behaviour of animals, such as nest hiding and migration, making them more susceptible to dangers such as dehydration, vehicles, and predators.
Furthermore, light pollution can disorient animals that rely on the moon and stars for navigation. Many migratory birds fly at night, and the glare of artificial light can confuse them, causing them to collide with brightly illuminated towers and buildings. Sea turtles are also vulnerable to the effects of light pollution, as bright lights can deter females from returning to their usual nesting beaches.
Simple solutions can help mitigate the impact of light pollution on wildlife. These include using timers and sensors, choosing the right colour of light, and keeping light fixtures low and shielded to minimise glare and light pollution. By making these changes, we can reduce the harmful effects of light pollution on the natural world.
Natural Rainwater: Pure or Polluted?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Light pollution is the human-made alteration of outdoor light levels from those occurring naturally. It is caused by the inefficient or unnecessary use of artificial light.
Light pollution has adverse effects on human health, wildlife behaviour, and our ability to observe stars and other celestial objects. It also disrupts ecosystems and has negative impacts on the environment.
Sources of light pollution include building exterior and interior lighting, advertising, commercial properties, offices, factories, streetlights, and illuminated sporting venues. Boats, cars, and fireworks can also contribute to light pollution.
![Darkness (Unrated Version) [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91KHRQ3nMwL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
