Introducing
Your new presentation assistant.
Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.
Trending searches
This presentation is designed to be shared at a community event to raise awareness about the impacts of light pollution. Possible locations for this event are the library, a town meeting, or at a STEM night hosted by one of the schools. The hope is that once more people are aware of this problem they will be motivated to make changes to local policies.
Prior to this module I had heard the term light pollution but had absolutely no idea how much of a problem it was. I honestly thought it just made the stars harder to see and that was the end of it. I now realize that it impacts humans and animals in many ways and since it is 100% caused by humans we have a respobsility to reverse it. This is the one type of pollution that can easily and quickly be remeided so there is no excuse to ignore it and allow it to continue to harm the species that we share this planet with.
Schielke (2018)
83% of the global population lives under light polluted skies
99% of Americans and Europens live under light polluted skies
14% of the global population does not use their night-time vision due the level of light pollution in their area
(Morelle, 2016)
Prior to the invention of the light bulb all light came from the Sun and other stars
In the time since the light bulb was invented light pollution has continued to grow
Between 1947 and 2000 there was a 6% yearly increase in light emissions in the USA alone
(Isaacs-Thomas, 2021)
LED lights are becoming increasingly popular thanks to being more energy efficient than their predecessors
The problem is their shorter wavelength is more easily scattered through the atmosphere, adding to light pollution
(Pawson and Bader, 2014)
Project Tera (2018)
Results from unshielded lights
Can temporarily blind you, especially the elderly
Creates unsafe driving conditions
(IDA, n.d.)
Also known as light spill
Occurs when unwanted light enters a home, business, or other building
Can be caused by streetlights, headlights, unshielded outdoor lights
(IDA, n.d.)
Caused by wasted, upward directed lights
Creates a glow over highly populated areas
Blocks out the view of the night sky
(IDA, n.d.)
Occurs when there is an excessive use of lights in one area
Can cause problems for drivers and pilots
Contributes to the other types of light pollution
(IDA, n.d.)
Light polltuion has been linked to (IDA, n.d.):
Emotional distress can also occur:
Many animals are impacted by light pollution:
Nocturnal and migratory animals are impacted at a greater rate
(Tafreshi, 2019)
(Bolton, 2016)
35% of wasted light is due to improper shielding
99% of outdoor light is wasted
Wasted light causes increased CO2 emissions
(IDA, 2022)
Core Glow (n.d.)
Use fewer decorative lights
Use dimmers, timers, and motion sensors
Use anti-glare light colors such as yellow, red, or amber
Purchase IDA approved light fixtures
Turn off all lights that aren't in use
(Rinkesh, n.d.)
Laws include actions such as:
(National Conference of State Legislatures, 2022)
Beil, Kurt. (2019, May 1). May 1, 2019. Outdoor Light Pollution Linked to Increased Depression and Suicide Risk: A cross-sectional study of Korean adults. Natural Medicine Journal. https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/outdoor-light-pollution-linked-increased-depression-and-suicide-risk
Bolton, Damen. (2016, November 25). Bright city lights are keeping ocean predators awake and hungry. Phys.org. https://phys.org/news/2016-11-bright-city-ocean-predators-hungry.html
Core Glow. (n.d.). 5 Ways To Reduce Light Pollution - Core Glow with the International Dark-Sky. https://www.coreglow.ca/news/5-ways-to-reduce-light-pollution-core-glow-with-the-international-darksky-association
Globe at Night. (n.d.). Using Sky Quality Meters to Measure Sky Brightness. https://www.globeatnight.org/sqm.php#:~:text=The%20larger%20the%20number%20read,.org%2Fmagnitudes.htm.
International Dark Sky Association. (n.d.). Light Pollution. https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution/
International Dark Sky Association. (2022, August 2). Light is Energy: Estimating the Impact of Light Pollution on Climate Change. https://www.darksky.org/light-is-energy-estimating-the-impact-of-light-pollution-on-climate-change/
Morelle, Rebecca. (2016, June 10). Light Pollution Affects 80% of Global Population. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36492596
National Conference for State Legislatures. (2018, March 25). States Shut Out Light Pollution. https://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/states-shut-out-light-pollution.aspx
Pawson, S.M. and Bader, M. K-F. (2014, October 1). LED lighting increases the ecological impact of light pollution irrespective of color temperature. Ecological Society of America. https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1890/14-0468.1
Project Tera. (2018, June 26). May Newsletter: light pollution. https://projectt3rra.weebly.com/blog/may-newsletter-light-pollution
Rinkesh (n.d.). 21 Impressive Ways to Reduce Light Pollution. Conserve Energy Future. https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/impressive-ways-reduce-light-pollution.php
Schielke, Thomas. (2018, April 17). How Satellite Images of the Earth at Night Help Us Understand Our World and Make Better Cities. Arch Daily. https://www.archdaily.com/892730/how-satellite-images-of-the-earth-at-night-help-us-understand-our-world-and-make-better-cities
Tafreshi, Babak. (2019, April 3). Our Nights are Getting Brighter, and Earth is Paying the Price. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/nights-are-getting-brighter-earth-paying-the-price-light-pollution-dark-skies