Light Pollution
By Aiden Ham
Embedded Files
What is light pollution?
What is light pollution?
When most people think about pollution, they imagine smoke in the air or plastic in the ocean. But there is another type of pollution that many people overlook: light pollution. This happens when too much artificial light from cities, billboards, and street lamps brightens the night sky. While it might seem harmless, light pollution has serious effects on animals, humans, and even our connection to the universe.
Wildlife at risk
Many creatures rely on darkness to survive. Sea turtle hatchlings, for example, follow the light of the moon to find the ocean. But city lights often lead them the wrong way, causing many to die. Birds that migrate at night also get disoriented by artificial light. Insects, which are crucial for ecosystems, are particularly vulnerable. This shows how light pollution can destabilize nature’s balance.
Strange animal behaviors
Pollution, including light, can cause what scientists call pollutant-induced abnormal behavior. This means animals may change the way they eat, hide, or mate, which makes survival harder
Harm to human health
For humans, too much light at night disrupts our circadian rhythms, the natural cycle that tells us when to sleep and wake. Bright lights suppress melatonin, a hormone that helps us rest. Over time, this can lead to stress, insomnia, and even higher risks of heart disease or depression.
Loss of the night sky
Perhaps the saddest effect is cultural. In many big cities, people can no longer see the Milky Way or even a handful of stars. This cosmic disconnect takes away a sense of wonder and curiosity that humanity has cherished for centuries. Recent research even shows that air pollution makes light pollution worse, because dust and smoke scatter city lights, creating an even brighter glow in the sky
What We Can Do
What We Can Do
The good news is that solutions exist:
Use lamps that shine downward instead of upward.
Turn off unnecessary lights late at night.
Choose warmer-colored bulbs that reduce glare.
Protect natural “dark sky” parks for stargazing.
Encourage laws that make cities more light-efficient.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Light pollution may not fill our lungs with smoke or oceans with trash, but it quietly erases the stars, harms wildlife, and interrupts human health. It is a subtle yet dangerous form of pollution. By learning how to control and reduce it, we can protect the night sky, improve our wellbeing, and restore a connection to the universe.
Citations:
Bará, S. and Fabio Falchi (2023). Artificial light at night: a global disruptor of the night-time environment. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, [online] 378(1892). doi:https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2022.0352.
Novoselov (2024). How to dim the consequences of global light pollution. [online] Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA. Available at: https://www.ioes.ucla.edu/article/how-to-dim-the-consequences-of-global-light-pollution/ [Accessed 1 Oct. 2025].
DarkSky International. (2024). Light pollution harms wildlife and ecosystems. [online] Available at: https://darksky.org/resources/what-is-light-pollution/effects/wildlife-ecosystems/ [Accessed 1 Oct. 2025].
Adrián Cordellat (2024). Light pollution is a risk factor for various illnesses: ‘We’re facing a global threat’. [online] EL PAÍS English. Available at: https://english.elpais.com/health/2024-05-04/light-pollution-is-a-risk-factor-for-various-illnesses-were-facing-a-global-threat.html [Accessed 1 Oct. 2025].
Space. (2014). Light Pollution. [online] Available at: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/space/article/light-pollution [Accessed 1 Oct. 2025].
Diskin, E. (2022). Light Pollution Solutions: Easy Ways to See More Stars, From the International Dark Sky Association. [online] Matador Network. Available at: https://matadornetwork.com/read/light-pollution-solutions-easy-ways-see-stars-international-dark-sky-association/ [Accessed 1 Oct. 2025].
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse