"And Now, a New York Version of Star Wars"

Newspaper article

By: James C. McKinley Jr.

Date: December 22, 2001

Source: McKinley, James C. "And Now, a New York Version of Star Wars." The New York Times (December 22, 2001).

About the Author: James McKinley covers legislation and other political and social concern topics for the New York Times.

INTRODUCTION

There are a growing number of environmentalists, astronomers, and advocacy groups who claim that poorly planned city lighting unnecessarily brightens up the night sky, leading to such unwanted things as urban glow, energy waste, and the disturbance of plant and animal species. Government bodies have listened to these claims, as hundreds of cities, towns, and regions across North America, Europe, and Asia have passed laws and ordinances to limit the amount of light pollution urban areas emanate into the night sky. The United Nations and other international bodies have been involved in discussions on light pollution and its impacts, and how it can be limited.

During the 1970s and 1980s, the first nighttime pictures of the earth were produced by the U.S. Air Force's Defense Meteorological Satellite. These pictures were able to show the worldwide geographical distribution of light sources, but due to the high saturation of light flux, the satellite detectors did not produce quantifiable measurements of light emittance. This changed with technological advancements in 1998, enabling regular data collection and monitoring of global light production. Using satellite measurements of the upward flux of light, scientists are now able to map nighttime light while taking into account such things as the scattering of light by aerosols, the curvature of the Earth, natural sky brightness, and the differences in the Earth's altitude. Western Europe, the East and West coasts of the United States, and East Asia emit some of the highest levels of nighttime light.

Unlike indoor lighting, which usually leads to only a small percentage of escaped light, outdoor lighting is said to be very inefficient, with over fifty percent going directly up into the sky. Depending on the angle of the outdoor light, it is claimed that light is polluting when it goes where it is not wanted, and when it creates visual hazards. Many laws designed to decrease light pollution are often aimed at decreasing glare and improving visibility for drivers.

PRIMARY SOURCE

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SIGNIFICANCE

Environmentalists have documented the effects of artificial light on many different living creatures. Newly hatched sea turtles are often disoriented due to lighting on beaches and in some cases the glow of light from cities. As a result, these turtles have become more vulnerable to predators when they are unable to reach the ocean in a timely manner. Birds migrating at night are known to mistake city lights for stars, which they use as a directional guide. Scientists say the flowering cycles of plants can be disrupted by the presence of artificial light, reacting as though days are longer. Mammals, amphibians, fishes, and invertebrates have also shown disrupted cycles due to unnatural nighttime light.

It is possible to determine and map those areas of the Earth where it is dark enough for people to see the stars. Undeveloped places in Africa and many other rural regions provide the most ideal setting for stargazing. Nighttime light makes it difficult to see stars in urban areas. Astronomers say that light pollution creates tremendous difficulties in carrying out important observations and studies. Astronomers and amateur stargazers alike say that regaining the ability to see stars and other celestial bodies from within urban areas is a motivation to reduce light pollution. The American Astronomical Society suggests that government should keep development projects out of the vicinity of observational telescopes.

Light pollution legislation is often passed with the goal of making lighting more efficient, typically by mandating the use of cut-off fixtures which direct light to the ground. These fixtures utilize bulbs requiring as little as 10 percent of the energy that traditional bulbs need to light the same area, providing an additional cost savings. Japan's Environment agency estimated that nighttime light energy savings could be as high as 18 percent if lighting were limited to lighting needs. With lower energy needs, advocates claim that efficient light reduces carbon dioxide emissions and other air pollutants. Opponents of light pollution legislation say the costs of converting lights to cutoff fixtures, installing filters, reflectors, and other devices to improve efficiency is not worth the benefit. There are also claims that controlling the way streets are lit could compromise safety, because light pollution laws may limit how bright street lights may shine.

FURTHER RESOURCES

Periodicals

Longcore, Travis, and Catherine Rich.. "Ecological Light Pollution." Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 2, 4 (May 2004): 191-198.

Web sites

Cinzano, P. "The Night Sky in the World." Light Pollution Science and Technology Institute (Istituto di Scienza e Tecnologia dell'Inquinamento Luminoso). 〈http://www.lightpollution.it/dmsp/index.html〉 (accessed March 7, 2006).

International Dark-Sky Association. 〈http://www.darksky.org〉 (accessed March 7, 2006).

Sullivan, W.T. The Special IAU/COSPAR/UN Environmental Symposium: Preserving the Astronomical Sky (IAU Symposium 196), July 1999. 〈http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/iaucom50/s196rep.html〉 (accessed March 7, 2006).