Light pollution

Light Polluti

on

PRIMARY SCHOOL "VASIL APRILOV" - RUSE

DIVE IN THE SKY

The Earth from de International Space Station

The sky from the Earth

LIGHT POLLUTION• Excessive and inappropriate use of artificial light

A town during the blackout

The same town after

The Blackout

Light pollution, also known as photopollution or luminous pollution, is excessive, misdirected, or obtrusive artificial light. Pollution is the adding-of/added light itself, in analogy to added sound, carbon dioxide, etc. Adverse consequences are multiple; some of them may not be known yet.

Scientific definitions thus include the following:

• Degradation of photic habitat by artificial light.

• Alteration of natural light levels in the outdoor environment owing to artificial light sources.

• Light pollution is the alteration of light levels in the outdoor environment (from those present naturally) due to man-made sources of light. Indoor light pollution is such alteration of light levels in the indoor environment due to sources of light, which compromises human health.

• Light pollution is the introduction by humans, directly or indirectly, of artificial light into the environment.

Light pollution is a side effect of industrial civilization. Its sources include building exterior and interior lighting, advertising, commercial properties, offices, factories, streetlights, and illuminated sporting venues. It is most severe in highly industrialized, densely populated areas of North America, Europe, and Japan and in major cities in the Middle East and North Africa like Tehran and Cairo, but even relatively small amounts of light can be noticed and create problems.

CAUSES

• Inadequate design of lamps and projectors.

• Incorrect installation of lamps and spotlights, emitting light far beyond its target or zone of influence, without any useful effect.

LIGHT TRESPASSLight trespass occurs when unwanted light enters one's property, for instance, by shining over a neighbor's fence. A common light trespass problem occurs when a strong light enters the window of one's home from the outside, causing problems such as sleep deprivation or the blocking of an evening view.

A number of cities in the U.S. have developed standards for outdoor lighting to protect the rights of their citizens against light trespass. To assist them, the International Dark-Sky Association has developed a set of model lighting ordinances

CONSEQUENCES

• Waste of energy

• Waste of money

• Air pollution

• Impact on living beings

• Obstacle to astronomical observations.

ECONOMIC AND ANVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

• Abuse of natural resources; • Excessive consumption of fossil fuels; • Excessive power consumption; • More air pollution: • Increased energy costs.

LIGHT POLLUTION AND WILDLIFE

• Os animais e as plantas vivem de acordo com o ciclo de 24 horas do nosso planeta (ritmo circadiano).

• Os humanos podem sentir uma alteração no seu ritmo circadiano quando viajam de avião entre zonas com diferentes fusos horários. Esta alteração é caracterizada por sonolência, letargia ou uma sensação geral de que algo não está bem.

LIGHT POLLUTION AND WILDLIFE• Animal behavior are also altered when exposed to too much

artificial light at night (light pollution).

• Behaviors affected by the duration of the night:

• migration;

• sleep;

• food search

LIGHT POLLUTION- BIRDS

• http://vimeo.com/54089280• Many species of birds migrate or hunt overnight.• This dependence of the darkness makes them extremely

vulnerable to bright lights in areas that are naturally dark. Birds can be attracted to the light sources and be fixed in the light beam.

LIGHT POLLUTION - BIRDS• Light pollution is a major threat to birds, especially seabirds at the time the juveniles

leave the nests.

• The birds are attracted by the lights, they are encandeadas and collide with buildings, power lines and vehicles, whose concentration is increasing in coastal areas due to urban and industrial development.

LIGHT POLLUTION - BIRDS• Die each year about 100 million birds in North America in collisions with lighted buildings

and towers;

• Not wanting to fly back to the dark areas, continue to fly toward the spotlight until they are exhausted, fall or find a predator;

• Artificial lights can still take migratory birds out of your route, not reaching its natural destination;

• Seabirds collide with the headlights, wind turbines and floating platforms at sea.

LIGHT POLLUTION - REPTILES

• Reptiles are strongly affected by light pollution.

• For example, sea turtles like to create their nests in remote and very dark beaches.

• Coastal lights interfere with your ability to find safe nesting areas for their eggs.

LIGHT POLLUTION- REPTILES

• The cubs creep instinctively toward the ocean safety due to light caused by the reflection of the moon and stars on the water.

• For centuries, this reflection was the brightest point of light from the beach.

• The chicks hatch when they are very vulnerable to all kinds of predators and have to walk to the sea as soon as possible.

LIGHT POLLUTION- REPTILES

• Artificial lights can confuse the young and bring them to crawl away from the ocean toward the roads or communities.

• If you do not find their way back to the ocean, can become exhausted or dehydrated and die.

SOCIAL AND HEALTH EFFECTS

• The light enters by the windows. It causes fatigue, insomnia and stress.

• Harms public safety, since the powerful light can cause temporary blindness for drivers of vehicles.

PREVENTION

LIGHT CORRECTION• http://www.need-less.org.uk/

• Each bulb or the projector could reflect down light that would go up, illuminating more with the same lamp.

• We could also illuminate the same area using a lower wattage bulb

• We can do even better, using more efficient reflector and energy bulbs, with even greater savings.

WE WANT TO SEE

THE STARS!!!

http://www.miguelclaro.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/MonsarazConvento-TheMoonMilkyWay-Label-net.jpg

DURING THE NIGHT... AND DURING THE DAY ...

Lamps in Ruse, Bulgaria

LINKS• http://www.slideshare.net/eufisica/palestra-sobre-poluio-luminosa-30356496#btnPrevious

• http://dsr.nuclio.pt/

• http://www.miguelclaro.com/wp/

• http://www.terramater.pt/?pag=148

• http://ambiente-legal.blogspot.com/2009/06/poluicao-luminosa_15.html

• http://pascal.iseg.utl.pt/~ncrato/Expresso/PoluicaoLuminosa.pdf

• http://ecosfera.publico.clix.pt/noticia.aspx?id=1388443

• http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLI15313320080819

• http://www.portalsaofrancisco.com.br/alfa/meio-ambiente-poluicao-luminosa/poluicao-luminosa-4.php