Unnecessary Lighting: All About Light Pollution

Light pollution manifests itself in a variety of forms, including sky illumination, reflective glare, penetrative light and clutter. Light pollution leads to decreased visibility and energy waste at night. Humans have introduced light pollution, either directly or indirectly, through man-made infrastructure and technological advancements. Light pollution blocks the stars at night, obstructs the views of astronomical observatories, and disrupts the planet's ecosystems. Light pollution comes in two main varieties, including intruding light that simply imposes an inconvenience for those who do not desire its presence, and excessive light that leads to adverse health effects and other dilemmas. Light pollution primarily stems from building interior and exterior light fixtures, such as advertisement billboards, office fluorescent lights, factories, street lamps, commercial real estate, and sporting events. Therefore, light pollution mainly affects the residents living in metropolitan areas.

Types of Light Pollution

Light pollution includes several categories, such as light trespass, over-illumination, glare, light clutter, and sky glow. One light source may produce one or more of the aforementioned effects. Light trespass happens when light penetrates into another individual's personal property. For instance, light trespass may manifest itself as a strong light penetrating the window of one's property, thus causing sleep deprivation or blocking a clear view. Over-illumination implies shining light with high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps upwards into the sky and neighboring buildings. The root cause for over-illumination stems from over-consumption by not using timers, shoddy building and electrical designs, incorrect light fixtures, improper hardware, incomplete building training, inadequate maintenance, indirect lighting techniques, and the substitution of mercury lamps. Glare occurs with oncoming traffic and car lights shining into the windshields of drivers. Glare lighting causes loss of contrast, which leads to unsafe driving conditions. Light cluttering occurs when too many structural buildings and light fixtures produce their illuminating effects in a condensed area. Groupings of light could cause confusion, which may distract drivers from paying attention to oncoming traffic and other obstacles. Sky glow occurs when the lighting produced from populated areas reflects directly into the sky causing disruption in aerial views. Pollution, cloud formation, and aerosol chemicals can contribute greatly to this disruption.

Above: An old street light

Light Pollution Effects

Light pollution carries several effects and consequences for the global infrastructure. Lighting contributes to ¼ of all electricity consumption around the world. Over-illumination consists of energy wastage, including night-time and non-beneficial light sources. Medical research has revealed adverse health effects for constant exposure to artificial lighting, including increased headaches, fatigue, stress, and decrease in sexual function. Additionally, excessive lighting has affected the overall mood, including increased anxiety. Fluorescent lighting has been linked to elevated blood pressure by eight points. Second shift and graveyard work may suppress the hormone melatonin due to light exposure during normal nocturnal sleeping times. Light pollution poses a threat to wildlife by thwarting the ecological processes of plant and animal physiology. It can confuse animal navigation, disrupt predator and prey relations, and disrupt photosynthesis. Moreover, astronomical observatories struggle with studying the cosmos due to sky glow. Sky glow interferes with contrast between the stars and galaxies making it difficult to view fainter objects. While new astronomical telescopes have helped to focus on these discoveries, scientific developers should find a way to procure a means of filtering light pollution outside of modern advancements. Finally, light pollution has interfered with the modern strategies in reducing atmospheric pollution, such as smog emitted from automobiles and factories.

Above: Light pollution at it's brightest

Solutions to Light Pollution

The reduction of light pollution requires several approaches to different subtypes of artificial light intrusion, including sky glow, glare, light trespass, and light clutter. Therefore, the best method for reducing light pollution depends on the situation. Companies and residents can help solve light pollution problems by implementing one of several solutions, including minimizing the light emission necessary while still achieving the light's purpose, turning off lights with a timer or sensor, improving outdoor fans with lights, adjusting the type of lights used, and evaluating the existing lighting plans and then redesigning all of the plans where applicable. When adding outdoor ceiling fans or light fixtures to your home, utilizes Dark Sky Approved outdoor lighting. Also, verify that the exterior ceiling fan or the light fixture that you install does not emit light pollution.

Light Pollution Organizations

Many energy advocates assert that light pollution solutions should be procured by adjusting societal habits and implementing more lighting efficient strategies that does not incorporate unnecessary consumption and luminescent creation. Many international industrial groups have recognized light pollution problems, such as the Institution of Lighting Engineers based in the United Kingdom. Many light fixture manufacturers have also recognized light pollution issues, such as Minka Lights. There are many light fixtures manufactured by Minka Lavery that do not emit light pollution and are IDA Dark Sky Approved. Many energy advocates contend that one person's light pollution may actually be desirable for another. For instance, a small business may need an illuminated billboard to advertise their services, while this light may beam directly into the window of a housing or apartment unit. Light pollution proponents need to use objective data to assure new programs will aid in the decrease of unwanted light. Public and governmental authorities have also stepped in to enforce the curtailing of excessive artificial light exposure by introducing and enforcing light pollution-specific laws and regulations.

Article Written by +Colby Harris