Article

2023-07-24 -Signs, Portents, and the Weather-

Light pollution is the easiest pollution to fix ‐ so why aren't we doing it?

[Salon] Our night sky is rapidly disappearing. At our current rate of dumping excess light into the world, a child born today who could see 250 stars right now from their nearby night sky will only be able to see 100 stars from that same spot on their 18th birthday.

Light pollution does far more than ruin stargazing experiences — it has a devastating affect on the environment. Driven primarily by unchecked urbanization, light pollution disrupts firefly mating rituals, lengthens pollen season and makes navigation more difficult for diverse species ranging from monarch butterflies to Atlantic salmon. It isn't good for human health, either. Too much artificial light has been linked to an increased risk of depression while electronic devices can negatively impact our sleep.

Globe at Night regularly monitors the sky, but not because these astronomers are casually sky gazing for fun. They are citizen scientists from all over the world united by a common goal: The need to monitor the sky and measure light pollution, or excess artificial lighting that has a negative impact on the natural environment. They discovered that the night sky on average gets 9.6% brighter every year.

Considering the seriousness of the light pollution problem, one would think that it's impossible to solve. In fact, it would be quite easy for people to reduce light pollution both for their own sake and that of animals in their environment. After all, light pollution exists entirely as a result of human behavior.

Posted by Besoeker 2023-07-24 05:21|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [28 views ] Top

#1 There have been outdoor lighting fixtures that direct the illumination downward, with no 'uplight' but plenty of 'area light', for years (I have them around our property). It's even easier with LED types where the lighting is more directional.

Unfortunately you typically can't find these at your local Home Depot.

And, for some reason, urban lighting planners like to bathe whole buildings from ground mounted fixtures for no reason other than appearance. It looks impressive, but has contributed significantly to this problem.

Posted by Mullah Richard 2023-07-24 07:13|| 2023-07-24 07:13|| Front Page Top

#2 To see the Milky Way Stars ?
Rural Ga pretty much ceased in the late 1960's.
Found it again In 1990's in the Western NC mountains on Old US64 between Hayesville and Franklin or while on the Blue Ridge Pkwy.

But on my last walk and ride about trip, that too had become light populated.

Posted by NN2N1 2023-07-24 07:20|| 2023-07-24 07:20|| Front Page Top

#3 As more and more lights become LED, the problem will worsen.

Posted by M. Murcek 2023-07-24 07:25|| 2023-07-24 07:25|| Front Page Top

#4 Best to carry out nightly skullduggery in darkness than provide better lighting for video records of it. Dontcha know light is racist!

Posted by Procopius2k 2023-07-24 07:54|| 2023-07-24 07:54|| Front Page Top

#5 And don't forget, the electricity used contributes to global warming. Unless it's all solar-generated with storage batteries for nighttime use.

Posted by Bobby 2023-07-24 07:55|| 2023-07-24 07:55|| Front Page Top

Of course you knew he had slaves ?

Posted by Besoeker 2023-07-24 08:24|| 2023-07-24 08:24|| Front Page Top

#7 If all the parking lot lights in the world were controlled by motion detectors, skulduggery would be reduced and stars visible again. Win-win!

Posted by Bobby 2023-07-24 09:04|| 2023-07-24 09:04|| Front Page Top

#8 Why is light polution a problem?
Because we don't like to sit in the dark.

Posted by ed in texas 2023-07-24 09:07|| 2023-07-24 09:07|| Front Page Top

#9 the electricity used contributes to global warming

Turn off the street lights.
Put a tax on neon.
Stop cutting grass.
Welcome to the country.

Posted by Skidmark 2023-07-24 09:41|| 2023-07-24 09:41|| Front Page Top

#10 Easy-peasy to solve: mandate that all electricity come from solar.

Posted by Rambler in Virginia 2023-07-24 10:33|| 2023-07-24 10:33|| Front Page Top

#11 The return of candles and whale oil lamps will cheer the greens right up.

Posted by M. Murcek 2023-07-24 10:37|| 2023-07-24 10:37|| Front Page Top

#12 Street lights reduce crime. The stars at night are nice, but I prefer fewer muggings, murders and rapes.

Posted by Angstrom 2023-07-24 10:48|| 2023-07-24 10:48|| Front Page Top

#13 Maybe that’s what the song Roxanne was all about.

Posted by Super Hose 2023-07-24 12:29|| 2023-07-24 12:29|| Front Page Top

#14 You want to observe stars? Go to North Korea.
[insert night picture of the Korean peninsula here]

Posted by Procopius2k 2023-07-24 13:19|| 2023-07-24 13:19|| Front Page Top

#15 I think there is a county in Texas that has light restrictions. There are radio restrictions in a portion of West Virginia. Radio is another kind of pollution.

Posted by Super Hose 2023-07-24 15:00|| 2023-07-24 15:00|| Front Page Top

#16 Street lights reduce crime

So there would be MORE crime without lights?

Posted by Skidmark 2023-07-24 23:13|| 2023-07-24 23:13|| Front Page Top

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