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Night light -

If you’ve ever been on an airplane at night, you’ll be familiar with the sight of cities ablaze with street lights, apartment window lights, and billboards.

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Light up your life -

Often it is not until we view cities from a distance that we really notice how much artificial light they come alive with at night.

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A cracking invention -

Light bulbs are great. They took off quickly after they were invented in the 19th century and they have, of course, become commonplace.

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Indispensable -

Artificial light allows us to extend the day into the night and, quite simply, to get more done. Imagine how limited you’d be in winter without your light switches.

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Nothing comes for free -

But it has recently come to the attention of scientists that this lit-up life comes at a price, and that price is sadly the welfare of our planet’s beloved wildlife.

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The original watch -

To understand the way in which artificial light messes with wildlife, you should think of the Sun as being like a huge, very hot clock.

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Natural clock - The reliable rhythm of night and day that it produces is essential for plants and animals, as it gives them signals for the natural cycles of feeding, mating, migrating, and navigating.

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Disrupted rhythms -

Flooding the planet with artificial light serves to disrupt this natural rhythm in a way that can be very harmful towards the wildlife that relies on it.

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Number crunch -

Birds in particular are known to suffer from the effects of light pollution. It is estimated that between 100 million and one billion birds die each year in the US from flying into buildings.

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Pain in Pennsylvania -

In October 2020, the issue came to public attention when Stephen Maciejewski posted a picture to social media of dozens of glorious, colorful birds dead after a mass collision.

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Mass collision -

The birds were flying low that night due to poor conditions and, already disoriented, they were drawn off course by the lights in the city and flew straight into glass buildings.

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A myriad of species -

And it’s not just birds who are suffering at the hands of light pollution; in fact, there are many species that are feeling the same impact.

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Insects -

A study from 2019 shows that artificial light, no matter its source, is a key driver in what experts refer to as the “insect apocalypse.” This refers to the declining global population of creepy crawlies.

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Insects -

If you’ve ever been in a lit room in the countryside at night, you’ll know that insects have a tendency to lurk around light bulbs, where they often get eaten by predators or die of exhaustion.

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Insects -

But light pollution affects insects in other ways too. For example, light pollution impacts the foraging behavior of insects, which makes it harder for them to find food.

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Fish -

Fish are affected by artificial light because it suppresses melatonin, the hormone that they rely on for their sleep patterns and their internal clock for reproduction and growth.

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Turtles -

Turtles find their nesting behavior disrupted by artificial light. Sometimes newly-hatched marine turtles are even drawn away from the ocean, making it less likely they’ll ever reach water.

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Bats -

For certain species of bat, light means that a predator is present. These species can find themselves in cities where they have nowhere to go.

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A universal problem -

According to the executive director of the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), "Every single creature that has been studied in terms of the relationship between light and those creatures' habits has found detrimental impacts."

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Close to home -

Even humans aren’t off the hook: artificial light disturbs our natural circadian rhythms, and exposure at night has been linked to diabetes, mood disorders, and certain cancers.

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Theory vs. practice -

So what can we do about all this? In theory, the solution is simple: we should not use artificial light. In practice, of course, this is complicated. Modern life requires lighting.

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A happy medium -

It seems that our best bet would be to continue to use artificial light, but to do so in a responsible way that minimizes use wherever possible.

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Legislation -

Some countries have already introduced legislation aimed at tackling the problem. In 2007, Slovenia passed a law that requires outdoor lighting to be shaded and not exceed a certain brightness.

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Legislation -

In 2019, France introduced similar laws on outdoor lighting, and so far the country has seen a 6% decrease in light pollution.

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Legislation -

In the UK, politicians have formed an all-parliamentary group for dark skies protection. The group has released a policy plan to reduce light pollution and support dark sky places.

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At home -

There are ways we can all help on an individual level, too. It’s not all about billboards, street lights and huge, lit commercial buildings.

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At home -

Things that we can do as individuals include closing our curtains at night, lighting only what needs to be lit, and making sure that security lights are carefully focused.

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No mean feat -

Of course, persuading people to make these changes is easier said than done, and it’s not only because it requires a conscious effort.

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A theory -

Megan Eaves, who is a delegate for the IDA, has argued that our reluctance to embrace darkness stems from its association with evil. That could be a real stumbling block on the path to change.

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Looking ahead -

The link between light pollution and struggling wildlife is only now becoming clear. Only time will tell the best way for artificial light and wildlife to exist in harmony.

Sources: (BBC)

See also: How noise pollution is harming your health

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