1. Light pollution wastes billions of dollars annually in the United States alone. $5 to $10 billion depending on whose numbers you want to use. That number grows each and every year. Don’t you think we could find more productive uses for $5 to $10 billion dollars than lighting up the bottoms of clouds?
2. Light pollution wastes incredible amounts of our valuable natural resources. I’m talking hundreds of millions of barrels of oil and hundreds of millions of tons of coal each year.
3. Light pollution pollutes the air we breathe through the unnecessary generation of electricity (to power all those wasted lights). Most of the electric is generated from burning fossil fuels (oil and coal). Air pollution is a huge problem that affects a very large segment of the population.
4. Light pollution harms nocturnal wildlife. Many species won’t even go near an area that has bad lighting. Also, many species will simply stop reproducing if habitat destruction from overly bright lights becomes too severe. Light Pollution currently threatens all Florida Sea Turtles.
5. Light pollution harms humankind, being linked to some major ailments. This is serious stuff! Most recently, light at night has been linked to increased incidence of breast cancer.
6. Light pollution destroys the views of the heavens that mankind has enjoyed since the beginning of time. 90% of Americans live under skies that are negatively affected by light pollution… while more than half cannot even see our own Milky Way Galaxy from their homes. This is a shame. Mankind has looked to the stars throughout history to try to understand events around them. We shouldn’t let an unproductive, wasteful habit rob us of such wonders.
So, there you have it. Light pollution is a wasteful habit that provides nothing positive to society all while it threatens us on a number of fundamental levels. Thankfully, light pollution is one of the easier problems to address. Simply turn off the offending lights or replace them with a night sky friendly fixtures. Night sky friendly outdoor lights are simply lights which shine light down onto the ground beneath them (where it belongs), not wastefully up into the night sky (where it most certainly does not belong).
Now here’s your chance to help. Please book mark or tag this article using your favorite tools. Or provide a link to Starry Night Lights (www.StarryNightLights.com) from your website or blog. A little bit of effort on your part can go a long, long way.
