This article by Laura Paddison, published on the BBC’s website, lays out a case for comprehensively tackling light pollution. It’s not just about protecting views of the night sky but also the environment.
It is estimated that between 100 million and one billion birds die every year from flying into buildings in the US, with artificial lights thought to play a major role in the death toll. But the effects of light pollution on the natural world is thought to be far greater still.
The culprit isn’t just street lighting:
A study published last year looking at how much light from Tucson was visible from space revealed that the city’s street lights contributed only 18% of the light pollution. The smart street lighting reduced this to 13%, but the bulk of the light emanating out from the city came from advertising billboards, floodlights, buildings with their lights on, facade lighting, parking lots and sports stadiums.
Currently, multiple countries, 17 states, and numerous municipalities have legislation in place addressing light pollution.
Click here to check it out.
