Light pollution from the perspective of Roosevelt mid-school students
What is Light Pollution? Students in Phyllis Perry's Life Science class set out to answer the question. The students are in 7th grade, which means they are 12 turning 13, Perry said. Students teamed up to research a biome of their choice. They learned about the plants and animals and the adaptations that allow them to survive. Another part of the presentation was to investigate human impact. Kids discovered that humans have impacted the planet by oil extraction, logging and deforestation, mining, fires, war, commercial agriculture, introduced species and pollution. “With raised awareness of these issues, people have begun to try and turn things around for animals and the planet,” Perry wrote in an email to The Independent. “One area that we felt everyone could learn more about is light pollution. That is how we came to discover the International Dark Skies Association. We discovered that there are ordinances in the East Mountains that aim to prevent light pollution. The students felt like awareness and education would be the first step toward making the east mountains darker!”
Light pollution, the world's light problem
Light pollution is the excessive use of artificial light. This can have serious environmental consequences for humans, wildlife, and our climate.
Elements 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), and clutter (bright, confusing and excessive groupings of light sources). This can cause light pollution; the brightness around the horizon which makes the night sky incredibly brighter, or the thing preventing you from seeing the Milky Way.
Light pollution is also a side effect of industrial civilization. Its sources include building exterior and interior lighting, advertising, commercial properties, offices, factories, streetlights, and illuminated sporting venues.
You may have never seen the real night sky By Ariana, and Grayson
Eighty percent of the world’s population experiences skyglow and 99 percent of the population in the U.S.A. and Europe can’t experience the natural night sky. Most of the lights humans have on at night are non-essential and it’s just extra stuff we don’t need. With this much of the world affected it’s a big problem. This does not solely affect humans; this is also affecting creatures. They can be attracted to light from a city, instead of moonlight like they are supposed to, and extra light affects any creature that’s nocturnal too. A few examples of creatures affected are sea turtles, migratory birds and moths.
How lights affect the world around us
By Maddox and Sebastian
If there is too much light pollution it will block the view of the universe. These affects will also interfere with most astronomical research. It will disrupt ecosystems that will disrupt natural sleep because it will be light when it is supposed to be dark outside. This will affect the health of most humans, animals and plants. So help the world and turn off some of your lights!
Death of an ecosystem by porch light
Keeping unnecessary lights on can ruin the delicate balance in ecosystems as we know it.
Artificial light is chasing away the natural darkness of night. Unfortunately, it’s also chasing away the beautiful balance of our ecosystems. Animals and plants are being affected by light pollution, maybe even more than humans. Many rely on the night for mating and finding food. As street lights and porch lights that go unchecked evade the veil of natural darkness, animals are exposed and harmed. Here are some examples of how the animals are being affected:
• Migrating birds are led off-course by the overwhelming tangle of lights that is enveloping the world.
• Mother wallabies exposed to artificial light at night gave birth about a month later than those living under only the natural light of the moon and stars. They mate in October and the decreasing daylight at that time of year triggers the pregnant female, and helps the fetus get ready to be born exactly 6 weeks after the solstice.
• Fireflies use their flashes to help them to recognize each other’s gender. Artificial light ruins this. Females didn’t flash back at the male as often as those not exposed to light, resulting in fewer females mating.
• Baby sea turtles mistake the glow of city lights for the shimmer of the sea, leading them away from water and towards predators.
How the plants are being affected:
• Insects are attracted to artificial lights, which can be fatal for them. Less insects means less pollination which means less plants which means less air.
• The release of sex cells in corals is triggered by a