Light Pollution, which is also sometimes referred to as photopollution, is excessive, conspicuous, misdirected fabricated light; created as the largest side effect of urbanisation/industrialisation. The sources that this monstrosity is made up of include building exterior and interior lighting, commercial properties, offices, street lights, factories, advertising and illuminated sporting venues among others. If I was to define light pollution I would say that it’s the addition of artificial light and carbon dioxide by mankind, causing adverse effects.
A suitable definition I have cited from a respectable source is as follows – “the degradation of photic habitat by artificial light”- Professor F. J. Verheijen
It is often blamed by many for worsening health, damaging ecosystems and completely ruining several aesthetic environments. However I believe that further awareness must be spread if we wish to diminish the effects of light pollution in the future. It has a much larger effect on the population than at first glance which I am going to continue to explain.
The major consequences of light pollution are as follows: the washing out of light from stars in the sky thus interfering with aesthetic appreciation and more predominantly, astronomical research, disruption of paramount ecosystems and energy waste.
Light pollution can interfere with our current ability to study the stratosphere and beyond in a dyad of ways. Firstly and unambiguously, unguarded lights send their luminosity in all directions, most cardinally in this situation straight upwards; effectively ensconcing the sky aglow in the day time. Despite the sky not glowing as brightly at night, the severe increase in artificial light from urban cities is sufficient enough to make it extremely difficult to see exceptionally dim entities in the sky. Secondly if an astronomer is using spectroscopy (usually known as the best tool in an astronomers toolbox), city lights make it damn near impossible to measure planetary movement. Basically, the artificial light interferes with the light emitted from the planets, changing the displayed distance image that is usually shown by the spectrogram, thus producing really unclear data as a result.
Ways To Limit Light Pollution
- Switching off outdoor lighting at night, there is very little supporting evidence available for outdoor lighting reducing crime
- If you would like to keep your outdoor safety lighting, I would personally suggest investing in motion sensors if affordable, they do the job extremely well
- Buy lighting certified by The International Dark-Sky Association, this organisation evaluates lighting based on low glare and efficiency
- Campaigning to raise awareness or even writing articles of your own on the matter
- Shielded fixtures prevent any light from spreading upwards
- Lightly attempt to persuade neighbors to follow your lead, set an example
The issue of rapidly increasing light pollution has been around for a rather long time and certainly won’t just go away overnight. Major cities produce so much light pollution that it’s definitely going to be an uphill battle, an uphill battle it will have to be, but we will win it. If you would like future generations to even have slim chance of being able to see stars in the serene, beautiful night sky, I would like to ask you to please support this cause. After all, the way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.
