Apparently, some towns in this great world of ours take light pollution very seriously. I always thought light pollution in cities and suburbs just made it hard to see constellations. However, turns out light pollution causes a lot of problems.
I became aware of the hazards of excessive night time lighting when we recently traveled to Arizona. We spent a few nights in the gorgeous town of Sedona, about two hours north of Phoenix. When I asked the concierge at my hotel to recommend a restaurant for dinner, she warned me that most places in Sedona close by 9pm.
Hello? That seems pretty early to shut down, especially in a tourist town. Turns out, Sedona is a “Dark Sky Community”.
According to the International Dark-Sky Association, Dark Sky Communities strive to decrease the negative effects of light pollution by creating and enforcing policies that promote education about light pollution and more responsible use of outdoor lighting.
“Many species (including humans) need darkness to survive and thrive.”
American Medical Association Council on Science and Public Health (2012)
Don’t think light pollution is a problem? Consider this:
- wasted energy: excessive lighting at night results in wasted energy- at least 30% of all US outdoor lighting is wasted and results in 21 million tons of carbon dioxide needlessly released into our atmosphere
- disrupted ecosystems: light pollution at night disrupts the nocturnal activity and breeding rituals of many species; artificial light disrupts the clues that many birds use for migration; sea turtles hatching on beaches are drawn away from the ocean by artificial light
- human health: artificial light at night disturbs our biological clocks and our sleep patterns and causes increased risks for obesity, depression, sleep disorders, diabetes, breast cancer and more; most outdoor lights and computer screens use blue light, which is more energy efficient but worse for human health
One main reason we use so many lights at night is to prevent crime. However, multiple studies show little evidence that increased light causes a decrease in crime.
Luckily, I live on a farm far enough away from the glaring lights of the Walmart parking lot that I can see the Milky Way from my driveway. However, my small town is definitely not a Dark Sky Community. Perhaps it should be. To learn more about the International Dark Sky Places conservation program, visit DarkSky.org/our-work.
Have you ever heard of a “Dark Sky Community”? What do you think about the issue of light pollution?
Thanks for getting nerdy with me!
I’ve heard of these! What a great concept 🙂