About Light Pollution
Light pollution is becoming a greater issue in our world today. Caused by excess light, light pollution's effects vary depending on the region and severity of intense light. It affects our worlds environment and organism populations, and it puts at risk species in greater risk- especially those that rely on the dark or the Earth's day and night cycles. Light pollution also affects the night sky and is slowly blocking out the stars by covering them with an orange, dull skyglow.
As a child, I always loved looking up at the stars. They're much more interesting and mysterious than looking at the clouds, and each constellation has its own unique and interesting story. When you visit a large city, you don't see the stars. You look up, and it looks like a bleak gray sky, photo-shopped with a gross, blurry orange filter. You almost feel like you're inside rather than outside when you're walking around in a city, and that in itself is a serious issue. The light we're using is excessive and unnecessary, and it's not even beneficial to the Earth- it's hurting it.
We need to take action now to limit light pollution before it's effects on our world are irreversible.
The constellation Orion- normally(left) and with skyglow(right)
|
Intense Light Pollution "The intense brightness close to artificial lights like street lights... often means night-time cities are lit up like Christmas trees... we know a lot about [this light pollution's] effects on nature." (Marshall).
|
Dull Skyglow"...further from cities, although there is less bright light, there is still a diffuse orange glow in the sky. This skyglow is widespread: about a third of people cannot see the Milky Way at night because of it." (Marshall).
|