Originally posted by spacemanspiff
I still don't get why light pollution is a big deal. Is seeing that many stars really that important to most people? maybe if you are an astronomer.
Certainly astronomers are the most irked by light pollution (LP). But here's a helpful list...
(1) LP messes up astronomy.
(2) LP deprives people, including non-astronomers, of the opportunity of an incredible view and a sense of place and wonder in the universe.
(3) LP is ugly. (compare orange sky glow vs. starry skies)
(4) Some LP is dangerous. Glare from some lights causes driving hazards, especially for older people (as our eyes age, they are more susceptible to glare). Next time you're driving around at night, consider all the places in the road you cannot see because of the glare of some light...is there a pedestrian in that blind spot? There are many cases of this kind of accident. There are also some cases of people leaving over-lit gas stations and driving out onto darker roads...they eyes are no longer "dark adapted" and they can't see as well back on the roads...bam, another pedestrian hit.
(5) Some LP is a nuisance...called "light tresspass". For example, if some business sets up huge lights across the street from your bedroom window and keeps you up at night.
(6) LP wastes money. It costs money to light that lamp. If half the light misses the target, then half the cost of running that light is wasted. Using shielding and proper aim, you can achieve the same level of lighting in the intended area with a lower wattage bulb...saves money. The IDA estimates that the US loses 1 billion dollars per year on light that pours into the sky rather than where it is was intended to go. Why are you paying your town/city to light the sky with
streetlights?
(7) LP wastes energy/fuel. See above. Corrolary: increases air pollution, etc. by consuming fuel needlessly. Increases dependence on foreign oil. Causes war in the middle east. Ok, now I'm exaggerating.
(8) Some LP is hazardous to wildlife. Some nocturnal animals' habitats are messed up. There are countless "bird kills" from birds that are attracted to and run into lit towers or the wires of lit towers (especially some endangered migratory birds). After hatching, some baby sea turtles crawl toward lit roadways rather than the light reflected off ocean water. There is some evidence that LP is bad for vegetation too (e.g., trees need day-night cycles).
(9) There is some evidence that LP can increase the risk of breast cancer in women (part of the immune system that fights breast cancer operates at night...stimulated by darkness, not time of day).
(10) There's no conclusive evidence that outdoor lighting reduces crime. Some case studies show higher crime rates in better lit areas. (but other studies do show lighting to reduce crime in other conditions)
but we can always just turn the lights off.
We can, but we don't. Most municipal and business lights and some home lights are on automatic "dusk-to-dawn" timers. No one thinks twice about it. Consider how many businesses light their parking lots all night even though they're only open during daylight hours. Why have a porch light on all night when you can have a cheap motion sensor turn it on only when you need it?
anyway in the ep lisa somehow gets them to turn the lights of springfield down so she can see the stars. and of course now that's it's so dark at night people run into stuff and have problems. then they jack the lights up to full blast and no one can sleep, ect ect. it was a good episode.
Humorous exaggeration. Fighting LP does not mean turning off all lights. It means using smarter lighting (used only where/when needed, proper shielding, proper wattage bulbs).
ok, I'm babbling. LP is a pet peeve for me.
