Light Pollution.. A problem for all of us
Eng. Sameera AL-Kandari
1. Introduction:
Have you had a problem with light Pollution? Of course. Whether you are A professional astronomer or an amateur astronomer or a member of the general public . you have undoubtedly been bothered by this scourge. For most people on earth . the dark skies our an castors had have disappeared . the problem is urban sky glow . due mostly to too much bad lighting . which leads to light pollution.
2. What is light pollution?
* Definition: LIGHT POLLUTION IS THE SKY GLOW PRO-DUCED BY THE SCATTERING OF AR-TIFCIAL LIGHT IN THE GASES AND PARTICLES OF THE AIR CAUSED BY THE POOR QUALITY OF OUT – DOOR LIGHTING . THESE POOR FIXTURES SEND PART OF THE LIGHT UP TO THE SKY INSTEAD OF PRO-JECTING IN DOWN THIS ALSO RESULTS IN LIGHT TRESPASS. GLARE AND ENERGY WASTE.
3. WHY NIGHT LIGHTING?
to see at night. For security. Safety, utility, and for an attractive nighttime environment around us. But not all lighting is good lighting.
4. What are the adverse poor night- time lighting?
a. Urban sky glow (the brightening skies over our heads). Destroying our view of the universe. We don’t live up there in the sky ; we don’t need all that light up there.
b. Glare. Glare never helps visibility, but it is far too common in all of our cities. We should strive for a glare free environment.
c. light trespass. Many present lighting installations bother us as much or more than they help. the wasted light shines into our yards, our windows, even our telescope buildings. As with noise pollution , we don’t need any of this bad light.
d. A trashy looking, confusing nighttime environment. We should, all of us, be striving for a good looking nighttime environment, just as we should be doing in the daytime. Such poor. environments are part of the stress of today’s life. We should help with the problem , not compound it. Remember, the night is part of the environment too.
e. Energy waste . We waste an astronomical amount of energy and money by all this lighting, shining it where it is not needed or wanted (including up into the sky ) and by using energy in- efficient light sources and lighting designs. Better to use such money for improving our world, not mucking it up we all suffer from these problems. But we need not.
5. What to do?
Here are some specific suggestions:
a. educate people about what can be done. Most people haven’t a clue about lighting what is available, what costs are, or anything.
b. educate about energy waste.
c. Educate about the adverse effects of poor lighting: glare, clutter , light trespass, sky glow, energy waste show what quality lighting can do set a good example.
d. learn about quality lighting educate others.
e. talk to people, individually and in groups; city officials , the media , utility staff, lighting designers. And the public.
f. develop networks; helpers awareness solutions.
6. Solutions
a. use good lighting. Such quality designs are really all just common sense approaches to lighting lets not tolerate all the bad lighting; lets get rid of it.
b. shine the light down, where it is needed. Control the light output to locations where it is needed; don’t waste it. Use quality lighting fixtures.
c. use time controls (or dimmers or other control) to insure that light is there when needed , and not there when it is not.
d. design and install lighting to insure that glare is minimized. Most all glare comes form poor fixture or poor installations. There is no need for any of it.
e. use the right amount of light for the task, not overkill . more light is not the approach to use. when not blinded by glare, the eye is a marvelous instrument and can see very well at what seems to be quite low lighting levels. In addition. Going from over lit areas to darker areas means that we don’t see to well (transient adaptation). And the opposite holds as well .
f. use energy efficient light sources. Light sources vary greatly in their efficiency. consider especially the use of low pressure sodium lamp; they are the most efficient of all, and they are also strongly preferred by astronomers as the light out- put by LPS is essentially all one color and can be filtered out quite well. LPS is excellent for street lighting. parking lots, security lighting . and other applications where color rendering is not critical. careful lighting design can be done using LPS for essentially any application.
g. shield the light. So it goes down , not up or side away.
h. be aware of quality of lighting Educate others.
7. So what’s the problem?
the main problem is that there is still a vast lack of awareness of the issues, the problem , and the common sense solutions. Education is the main thrust of most current activities . the second large problem is apathy . even with awareness . action is needed . some consider it too big an issue to be come in volved with . other feet that it is not important e ought , neither is a good enough reason for apathy.
8. Conclusion :
dark skies are compatible with quality lighting they require such lighting they require such lighting is fact poor lighting has many adverse effects . including glare. Clutter. Light trespass . energy waste , and light pollution.
dark skies are compatible with a sate. Secure , and functional nighttime environment. As with astronomers, the public needs and deserves a quality nighttime environment , glare clutter . light trespass , energy waste and light pollution are a major threat to that environment .
with good lighting, we all win . we help preserve the dark skies , we see better ( and are star and more secure) we have a more pleasant and comfortable nighttime environment and we save a great deal of energy and money doing so . neither astronomers nose the public . any where need any of the adverse environmental effects of poor lighting.
Reference: Beatona Magazine - Environment Public Authority - issue No. 20
