A Darker, Yet Brighter Future
By Co-Editor Grant Regen
Everyone should see the Milky Way at least once in their life. It gives us a placing in the cosmos and shows us how small we really are. Today, though, seeing the beauty of the stars is quite rare. Light pollution destroys quality views of the sky by meanlessly shining light upwards. This not only masks the stars but also wastes energy and dangers wildlife. The main contributor to this problem is that of negligence and ignorance. The way light travels upwards is with non-shielded lights. Shielded lights reflect their brightness down to where it is needed. Most street lights contain no shields, placing more than 50% of their light into the air. To stop light pollution such as this, shield your own lights, and then encourage your neighborhood too. If we all work together, one day it may be possible for every person to see the Milky Way in their lifetime.
Considering other damages of light pollution including energy waste, degrading security, and wildlife endangerment, different perspectives are reached. Security would increase in neighborhoods due to proper shielding of light. Glare can hide dangers which even lighting would fix. The security of other animals is also being perpetrated. Turtles, after hatching, will move toward artificial light instead of the ocean. During migration, birds use the stars and moon to navigate their long journey. Salamanders’ eating cycles are skewed due to shed light. Multiple nocturnal species are affected by the city halos that scar our skyline. These halos are also reminders of massive energy loss.
The International Dark Sky Association estimates that about two billion dollars is sent into the sky with no use at all. All of this money and much more could be saved by adding light shields and lowering wattage. The extra energy is also generated by burning oil. It is estimated that over 14 million tons of carbon dioxide pollute the air each year because of light pollution in the United States. Each of these statistics show that light pollution involves economics and nature.
On the bright side, no pun intended, times are changing. Cities are learning to shield their street lights, change to efficient LED lights, and effectively place lights. Dark sky reservations are being established. Children are being more educated about the universe. All of these are positive signs in the future fight against the encroaching light. Even you could help the cause. Start by shielding your own lights because each light adds up. Try to encourage your neighbors to join you by passing out fliers. You can also join the International Dark Sky Association who is leading the fight for a darker night. By doing your part at home, you will start to save the billions of stars waiting to be uncovered.
“If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I'll bet they'd live a lot differently. ”
- Bill Watterson