We have all heard of water pollution and air pollution. Furthermore, most people would not argue the fact that they are indeed a problem. However, light may be the only source of pollution that is overlooked by the average consumer. That may be because the average person does not think "light" when the word pollution comes up in the news or in conversation. After all, it is just light right? No, it is actually not that simple. Light pollution is defined as the lightening of the night sky due to artificial light being scattered about, it is also known as sky glow. Unnecessary light not only wastes massive amounts of electricity, but it adversely affects wildlife as well.

So, what kind of lighting is harmful? The truth is that there are indoor and outdoor lighting that can be harmful in the long run. Research has been being done on the subject for years and it is well known that indoor fluorescent lighting can cause many health problems such as migraine headaches, fatigue, irritability and many other health conditions. But as for the outdoor environment, nighttime security lighting poses the biggest threat in terms of light pollution. Moreover, studies have shown that outdoor security lighting does not reduce crime, and uses approximately 800 pounds of coal each year per light. Have you ever looked up into the sky at night only to see a haze of dim light? This is the perfect example of light pollution. Researchers have been studying this problem for years and have produced actual photographs of landmasses, cities and rural areas around the world at nighttime. The results spoke for themselves; nighttime light is definitely a problem.

Did you know that constant lighting could destroy crops, trees and even wildlife? Plants depend on the cycle of light and dark for proper growth. For some plants, the onset of darkness is crucial to the flowering and reproduction process. Birds have been known to fly into towers and windows at night due to the confusion caused by nighttime lighting. Night was meant to be dark, but that is no longer the case in our large urban communities. In fact, in some places like Las Vegas, you cannot even tell it is night because the billions of lights are so bright you feel like you've stepped into another dimension.

Nighttime lighting unravels our natural internal clock, the one that naturally tells us when it's bedtime. Nighttime is meant to be a rest period, with the exception of the animals that are nocturnal. Which brings me to another point, lights scare away the predators and critters that roam about hunting at night. That may sound good to you if you keep your side porch light on in hopes of scaring away raccoons from your trashcans, but for the animals that hunt at night, it poses a real threat to their existence. The same goes for marine life. Many amphibians and reptiles come up at night to feed on algae and other such materials. When light is introduced, they simply take cover.

So, what can you do about it? First things first, if you must have outdoor lighting, you can take measures to make sure that the light is pointed downward instead of upward. Also, do not use more watts of power than is absolutely necessary for any light inside or out. Not only does it conserve energy, but also it minimizes the amount of sky glow in the atmosphere. And lastly, like your mother always said, turn off any light that is not being used. This is especially true for fancy floodlighting and advertising lighting late at night and in the early morning.

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About the Author
Hi, this is Michael Raber an avid environmentalist. I have been around and have seen the negative effects of our abuse of this world's natural resources the most alarming of which is global warming. I felt it was my obligation to do something and I wrote some articles on the subject. Give them a read and let's start making a difference for our children's sake.