Introducing 

Prezi AI.

Your new presentation assistant.

Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.

Loading…
Transcript

Light Pollution

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.

Purpose of Presentation

"Light pollution is excessive, misdirected, or obtrusive artificial (usually outdoor) light." (Globe at Night, n.d.)

What is Light Pollution?

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

  • 20% of Europeans
  • 37% of Americans

(Morelle, 2016)

A Global Issue

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)

A Growing Problem

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)

The Downside of LED Lights

Types of Light Pollution

Project Tera (2018)

Results from unshielded lights

Can temporarily blind you, especially the elderly

Creates unsafe driving conditions

(IDA, n.d.)

Glare

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.)

Light Trespass

Caused by wasted, upward directed lights

Creates a glow over highly populated areas

Blocks out the view of the night sky

(IDA, n.d.)

Skyglow

Over Lighting

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.)

What's the Big Deal?

Light polltuion has been linked to (IDA, n.d.):

  • disrupted circadian rhythms
  • lowered melatonin production
  • obesity
  • some cancers, especially in night shift workers
  • increased anxiety, depression, and suicide rates (Beil, 2019)

Emotional distress can also occur:

  • Solastalgia - the distress produced by environmental change
  • Missing sky factor - loss of feelings of awe and wonder as we look into the infinite night sky

Impacts on Human Health and Wellbeing

Disruptions to Ecysostems

Many animals are impacted by light pollution:

  • birds flying into buildings
  • reproduction timeline being shifted
  • increased predation
  • frogs not vocalizing as much, which is necessary for their mating ritual
  • disorientation of baby sea turtles

Nocturnal and migratory animals are impacted at a greater rate

(Tafreshi, 2019)

(Bolton, 2016)

Impacts to the Environment

35% of wasted light is due to improper shielding

  • Equates to $3 billion per year and unnecessary carbon released into the air

99% of outdoor light is wasted

Wasted light causes increased CO2 emissions

  • 15 million tons on outdoor residential light

(IDA, 2022)

Light pollution CAN be solved

What Can Be Done?

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.)

At Home

Laws include actions such as:

  • shielding outdoor light fixtures
  • prohibiting reflective materials to act as artifical light on roadways
  • limiting the lumens that can be emitted
  • using energy efficient bulbs
  • creating hours when unnecessary lights must be turned off

(National Conference of State Legislatures, 2022)

Across the Country

References

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

Learn more about creating dynamic, engaging presentations with Prezi