Light Pollution Control
Artificial light is essential in our modern society and we all use it for many different things including:
-
To light streets and roads at night
-
As a security measure to protect homes and businesses
-
To increase the hours we can play sports outdoors
However, increased use of lighting has resulted in problems. Light in the wrong place at the wrong time can be intrusive and there have been more complaints about light pollution in recent years.
So what can you do to help reduce it and what can you do if you experience light pollution?
What is light pollution?
Light pollution can be described as artificial light allowed to illuminate, or pollute, areas not intended to be lit.
It consists of several elements:
-
Light trespass – light spilling beyond the boundary of the property on which a light is located, sometimes shining through windows and curtains.
-
Glare – the uncomfortable brightness of a light source when viewed against a darker background.
-
Sky glow – the pink or orange glow we see for miles around towns and cities caused by a scattering of artificial light by airborne dust and water droplets.
Sources of light pollution include security lights that light up buildings and their surroundings, floodlights used to illuminate games pitches, places of entertainment, street lighting, advertising and display lighting.
The Impact
Light pollution can harm people’s quality of life. For example, it can disturb sleep when it shines into homes. It can also interfere with our view of the night sky.
The pollution itself is waste energy and is therefore a waste of resources and money.
Most importantly light pollution has an impact on the ecology and wildlife of an area, affecting the behavioural patterns of mammals, birds, insects and fish.