Welcome to Pollution Guide
Pollution Article
. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for further reading, click here.
Light Pollution: What's The Bright Idea?
from:The city lights have been a subject of excitement and awe for many. There have been songs written about it and descriptions that describe excitement of the city lights has engaged many people. However, not all is positive with the big city lights. It has been labeled as a form of pollution – light pollution.
Where Does Light Pollution Come From?
Light pollution is not a new form of pollution, but merely a newer recognition. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution we have been striving to work longer hours to produce as much as possible. We have been exposed to nighttime activities that require the need of lights, like going out to dinner, seeing a show, strolling the storefronts, and more. Light pollution is described as intrusive light at night.
There are two forms of light pollution. The first is considered to be an annoying light that intrudes on natural or a low light setting. The second is excessive light that is usually used indoors that affects those exposed. Of course the larger cities with dense population have larger amounts of light pollution, but smaller areas and office buildings are sites of such pollution too. A few sources of interior and exterior light pollutants include:
• Building exterior and interior lighting
• Commercial properties
• Advertising
• Offices
• Factories
• Street lighting
• Sporting Venues
Who Could Be Affected?
It seems that some city lights could not do much harm, but perhaps to those who want to stargaze but cannot because the artificial light floods out the natural light of the stars. However, there are many other living beings that are adversely affected by light pollution. Here are some examples:
• Energy Waste – We are always hearing how we should conserve energy, but keep in mind that city lighting is responsible for over ¼ the use of energy and many of it is wasted upward lighting.
• Human Health – Over-exposure to artificial light can cause headaches, fatigue, stress, eyestrain, elevated blood pressure, and even cancer. Artificial light interrupts the natural sleep patterns and release of melatonin, this decrease in melatonin has been directly linked to breast cancer.
• Animals – All life resolves around natural light. Certain organisms have daytime activity and others night. Artificial light can interfere with these natural patterns. Certain algae eaters do not come to the surface to feed on nighttime algae, flight patterns of birds, night blooming flowers that provide food for certain moths, and much more can be affected by the presence of artificial light.
• Improper Placement – Improper lighting can cause unnecessary glare and shadows that may impede drivers and pedestrians.
Light pollution does affect us everyday and it is only until recent studies that we can see what is truly does. It is important for us to realize what the cost of industrialization is doing to our health and for those who are sharing our planet.
Pollution News
Luminant Sued by Sierra Club Over Coal-Fired Texas Power Plant's Pollution - Bloomberg
 KETK | Luminant Sued by Sierra Club Over Coal-Fired Texas Power Plant's Pollution Bloomberg Energy Future Holdings Corp. and its Luminant Generation unit were sued by the Sierra Club over pollution ... Sierra Club sues east Texas coal-fired power plant |
Bay 'pollution diet' moves forward - Annapolis Capital
 Lancaster Newspapers | Bay 'pollution diet' moves forward Annapolis Capital By PAMELA WOOD, Staff Writer The Chesapeake Bay's new pollution limits are set, and now states are planning the "diets" that ... Plan to clean up Chesapeake Bay released Va. misses deadline on filing plan to cut bay pollution Virginia to miss bay restoration strategy deadline |
Air pollution alert for fifth day - The News Journal
 EcoSeed (blog) | Air pollution alert for fifth day The News Journal State officials have issued a "Code Orange" air pollution alert for the fifth consecutive day. The statewide alert means air quality is expected to be ... EPA rejects pollution permit system TCEQ & The EPA: Feds Again Slam Texas' Pollution-Control Efforts EPA rejects Texas approach to setting new plant emissions |
Hood River Juice owner pleads guilty in high-profile pollution case - OregonLive.com
 KATU | Hood River Juice owner pleads guilty in high-profile pollution case OregonLive.com The owner of Hood River Juice has pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor pollution counts in a long-running case that also led to the resignation of Attorney ... Ore. juice company owner pleads in pollution case |
Mariner has had at least 12 Gulf incidents and was fined - Houston Chronicle
 Reuters | Mariner has had at least 12 Gulf incidents and was fined Houston Chronicle Mariner Energy has been involved in at least a dozen offshore accidents or pollution spills in Gulf waters that were investigated by federal ... Oil rig explodes in Gulf of Mexico All crew from burning oil platform accounted for Oil rig blast in Gulf of Mexico forces 13 workers into water |