Light Pollution

There are signs that India longs for the dark sky they have lost to light pollution. Many are frustrated as the constellations are being replaced by the reddish glow of light pollution. Their sentiments are described in an article posted in The Week by Malayala Manorama Publications Kochi, Kerala. Jayshree Menon dislikes the excessive light encroaching on Dehli. She misses the mystery and sounds of the night, and the once exquisite view of the stars. Discontented at the pervasive light that invades her apartment even beyond heavy drapes, Jayshree is aggravated enough to do her part to reclaim the night. So is Anita Sharma, who can no longer teach her boys about the constellations because they are no longer visible.

In as little as a generation, the stars have faded due to excessive light. Couples can no longer enjoy a romantic evening stargazing. Glow-in-the-dark stars pasted on a ceiling may be the closest thing that the people of today’s India can come to experiencing the stars. According to Anita, the stars she arranged in constellation formations on her children’s bedroom ceiling may be the only way they have to recognize the stars. Anita doesn’t feel confident they will ever see the genuine stars beyond the simulated light that has caused the night to become indiscernible from the day.

The light has spilled onto other issues as well, affecting human health. It throws off the natural circadian rhythm that the body relies on for sleep and eating cycles. Changing lifestyles may be influencing light pollution levels. At one time, few worked the graveyard shift in India. This has changed with economic expansion and outsourcing opportunities. With so many staying awake at night, the circadian rhythm is disturbed. Fatigue and decreased immunities is a result. This creates problems with Growth Hormone (GH) and melatonin levels. These changes can influence the effects of aging and cancer prevention. Cortisol also plays an important role in the circadian rhythm. The disturbance of Cortisol can cause stress, high blood pressure and weight changes. These issues indicate that light pollution not only causes the sky to fade, but it is causing India to get steadily unhealthier.

One of the reasons for excess light is security, which has since become counterproductive. While the experts try to learn all that they can about the damage of light pollution, India’s youth are counting stars. This movement, known as Taare Sadak Par, began a year ago in response to the dismay of amateur astronomers over a vanishing night sky. As they network to document the skies for later analysis, the damages of light pollution continues.

Many in India see optimism beyond the reddish haze of light pollution, since it is the most reversible form of all types of pollution. It can be reduced simply by turning off the excess lights. Shielding light fixtures and closing the drapes are ways that homeowners can reduce light pollution. According to Bharat Adur of Akash Ganga Astronomical Association, a 60 watt bulb can reduce dark sky visibility by roughly three degrees. It is clear that astronomers require night sky clarity to study the constellations, and obvious that the body requires it. In addition, the children of India are dissatisfied by just listening to legends of the night sky from their parents. Children enjoy stories, but at some point, they want to experience it for themselves.

Replacing existing lights with lower watt, energy efficient bulbs are an excellent place to start. A general rule of thumb is to make sure that lights are pointed downward. Making sure that light fixtures have a shield over them to avoid unnecessary light shining upwards is very important, because light aimed at the sky obstructs the view of the night sky.

As homeowners and business owners we have choices about outdoor lighting. When you are ready to purchase outdoor lighting and/or replace your current fixtures you’ve now got an amazing selection of dark sky lighting fixtures to choose from. Light trespass occurs when lights from a neighboring property enters another household or back yard. This is disturbing and stressful to your neighbors. To keep the lights on only when needed you can install a motion detector on your outdoor lights, in addition to using a timer on lights. The goal is preventing excess light from disturbing the natural night sky and the well-being of others. Switching off lights at a decent hour is considerate, and an obvious way to avoid light trespass. By using these simple measures, not only is light pollution reduced, but light trespass is also avoided.

By: Cheryl Marland

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