What is Light Pollution?
Light pollution is excessive or inappropriate use of artificial lighting at night.
Light pollution results in energy waste and negative impacts to human health and safety, wildlife and ecosystems, and our view of the night sky.
Light pollution commonly occurs as:
♦ sky glow - the brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas, for example, the "light dome" you see in the distance
as you drive toward a town at night;
♦ glare - excessive brightness that causes visual discomfort and reduced visibility, for example, a roadside light shining
in your eyes as you drive past;
♦ light trespass - light falling where it is not intended, needed, or wanted, for example, your neighbor's yard light
shining in your bedroom window;
♦ visual clutter - a confusing concentration of bright lights, for example, a typical city street in a commercial district.
A light dome in New Mexico
Bad lighting practices that contribute to light pollution include use of:
♦ unshielded lights
♦ poorly aimed lights
♦ excessively bright lights
♦ too many lights
♦ dusk-to-dawn lights
♦ digital billboards
Next Section: Bad Lighting
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