When was the last time you noticed a beautiful star?
Stars are more than just a pleasant sight—the glowy specks in the night sky have impacted us humans and our culture in many ways. From the constellations and their myths to stargazing with loved ones. However, I am here to break the unfortunate news to you: our stars have been disappearing from the night sky.
The reason? Light pollution.
What is Light Pollution?
Light pollution, according to DarkSky International, is described as the following:
the human-made alteration of outdoor light levels from those occurring naturally.
In other words, light pollution is when human-made lighting brightens our dark sky at night. Think of big cities like Tokyo and New York… Its glittering streetlights and neon signs, as well as the digital billboards. All of this contributes to light pollution, which ultimately hides beautiful stars from our sight.
The photo below was taken in Moscow on February 3, 2024, with the night sky remaining bright due to light pollution.
Ivtorov from Wikimedia Commons
Light Pollution Damages Wildlife
The effects of light pollution go beyond our inability to enjoy beautiful stars. Because human-made lighting turns nighttime into daytime, it has impacted nocturnal animals.
For example, frogs and toads croak at night as a mating ritual; but due to artificial lighting, this behavior is disrupted, reducing their reproduction rate.
Light pollution affects sea turtles, as well. Because sea turtles are born on the beach, baby sea turtles use the bright horizon to guide themselves into the ocean. However, due to excessive human lighting, they are often misguided away from the ocean. This ends up killing millions of baby sea turtles.
Darwis Alwan from Pexels
Light Pollution Damages Our Health
The circadian rhythm is a biological clock that tells our bodies whether it is daytime (a time to remain active) or nighttime (a time to sleep). Because the photoreceptors in our eyes are a significant part of maintaining this rhythm, excessive lighting at night interferes with our circadian rhythm, reducing our sleep quality.
Our melatonin production can worsen when we are exposed to excessive artificial lighting, too. Melatonin is a hormone that enables us to sleep; it also supports our immune system and helps the functioning of the ovaries, pancreas, thyroid, and adrenal glands.
What You Can Do When Installing Outdoor Lighting
For one, we can be conscious about our lighting choices when installing any type of outdoor lighting. Here are the five principles from DarkSky you can follow:
Useful → Utilize outdoor lighting only when it is necessary. You don't want to install lighting if you do not need it. It can brighten up natural habitats and potentially disturb people living near that area.
Targeted → Make sure that the light is only brightening its designated area. Any time light is shined at a place where it is not supposed to, it is a wasteful contribution to light pollution.
Low level → The lighting should be as bright as it needs to be; nothing more. Bright light can disturb wildlife and our human neighbors.
Controlled → Use sensors and timers to ensure that the lighting is used only when it is needed.
Warm-colored → Try to avoid the shorter-wavelength colored lighting, such as blue/white. Opt for orange/yellow-colored lighting. The color temperature of your light should be 3000 kelvins or lower (see chart below for reference).
Bhutajata from Wikimedia Commons
Extra note: examine DarkSky's list of approved products to shop for environmentally-conscious lighting.
You Can Spread Awareness
The most important way you can help combat light pollution is through education. If you see unnecessary lighting in your home or city, speak up! Do your research and share your knowledge with others about light pollution.
DarkSky is a wonderful organization to get involved in when spreading awareness. Their website also introduces ways you can help scientists observe the night sky in your area and information on how to join DarkSky as an ambassador. I highly recommend paying a visit to darksky.org.
P. Horálek, M. Wallner from Wikimedia Commons
Conclusion
Light pollution is happening right under our noses, often disguised by beautiful cityscapes and glamorous, high-tech buildings. As pretty as the city lights can be, they are harming our planet.
Although light pollution is not as ‘well-known’ as some other forms of pollution in this world, it is crucial to speak up about this often-overlooked issue. As teenagers, we are the next generation with a duty to speak up for the world we want to see and live in. Spread the word, be involved, and let's protect our beautiful night sky.
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