Group No.

5
Seriño, Ralph
Rosales, Gio

LIGHT POLLUTION

*What is Light Pollution?

The inappropriate or excessive use of artificial light which can have
serious environmental consequences for humans, wildlife, and our
climate. Components of light pollution include:
 Glare – excessive brightness that causes visual discomfort
 Skyglow – brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas
 Light trespass – light falling where it is not intended or needed
 Clutter – bright, confusing and excessive groupings of light sources

Our main source of light is the sun. Then later, humans accidentally
discover fire and it became as main source during night time throughout
centuries. In modern period, artificial lights was invented as humans
discover the electricity as an energy source.
*How bad is Light Pollution?

With much of the Earth’s population living under light-polluted

skies, over lighting is an international concern. If you live in an urban or
suburban area all you have to do to see this type of pollution is go outside
at night and look up at the sky.

According to the 2016 groundbreaking “World Atlas of Artificial

Night Sky Brightness,” 80 percent of the world’s population lives under
skyglow. In the United States and Europe 99 percent of the public can’t
experience a natural night!

*Effects of Light Pollution

For three billion years, life on Earth existed in a rhythm of light and
dark that was created solely by the illumination of the Sun, Moon and
stars. Now, artificial lights overpower the darkness and our cities glow at
night, disrupting the natural day-night pattern and shifting the delicate
balance of our environment. The negative effects of the loss of this
inspirational natural resource might seem intangible. But a growing body
of evidence links the brightening night sky directly to measurable
negative impacts including:

 Increasing energy consumption

Lighting that emits too much light or shines when and where
it’s not needed is wasteful. Wasting energy has huge economic and
environmental consequences.
 Disruption the Ecosystem and Wildlife

Plants and animals depend on Earth’s daily cycle of light and

dark rhythm to govern life-sustaining behaviors such as
reproduction, nourishment, sleep and protection from predators.

Scientific evidence suggests that artificial light at night has

negative and deadly effects on many creatures including
amphibians, birds, mammals, insects and plants.

Artificial Lights Disrupt the World’s Ecosystems

1. Nocturnal animals sleep during the day and are active at

night. Light pollution radically alters their nighttime
environment by turning night into day.

2. Glare from artificial lights can also impact wetland habitats

that are home to amphibians such as frogs and toads, whose
nighttime croaking is part of the breeding ritual. Artificial
lights disrupt this nocturnal activity, interfering with
reproduction and reducing populations.

3. Sea turtles live in ocean but hatch at night on the beach.

Hatchlings find the sea by detecting the bright horizon over
the ocean. Artificial lights draw them away from the ocean.

4. Birds that migrate at night navigate by moonlight and

starlight. Artificial light can cause them to wander off course
and toward the dangerous nighttime landscapes of cities.
 Harming Human Health

Humans evolved to the rhythms of the natural light-dark cycle

of day and night. Our bodies produce the hormone melatonin in
response to circadian rhythm. Melatonin helps keep us healthy. It
has antioxidant properties, induces sleep, boosts the immune
system, lowers cholesterol, and helps the functioning of the thyroid,
pancreas, ovaries, testes and adrenal glands.

1. Increases the risk for obesity

2. Easily Depressed
3. Increases the risk for chronic sleep disorders
4. Disrupts our biological clock which is our sleep-wake pattern.
5. Nighttime exposure to artificial light suppresses melatonin
production.

 How to reduce Light Pollution?

1. Use low color temperature light sources for interior

and exterior light. Their light is less harsh and less
harmful to human health and the environment.
2. Outdoor lighting should be fully shielded and direct
light down where it is needed, not into the sky. Fully
shielded fixtures can provide the same level of
illumination on the ground as unshielded ones, but
with less energy and cost.
3. Unnecessary indoor lighting should be turned off.
4. Conserved energy.