Interesting - Does lighting pollution pose risk?

**Jasonian069** · 09-11-2012, 09:18 AM

Does lighting pollution pose risk?

September 11, 2012

A panel of world experts discussed "Light Pollution and its Ecophysiological Consequences" and shed light on the extent of the dangers and harm that night-time artificial lighting causes, emphasizing that it is the short wavelength illumination that we have come to know as "eco-friendly illumination" that is causing the most harm (primarily LED lighting). "The most important thing for us is to raise awareness of the dangers of artificial light at night and we have already come a long way now that the American Medical Association (AMA) recently announced its new policy recognizing adverse health effects of exposure to light at night and encouraging further research into the matter," said Prof. Abraham Haim, a leading authority on light pollution, who coordinated the 21st International Congress of Zoology (ICZ) that was held last week at the University of Haifa, Israel. The participants were in full agreement that exposure to light at night affects circadian rhythms in nature – humans, animals and plants - which when thrown off can result in various illnesses and adverse symptoms. Prof. Haim presented one of his studies showing the adverse effects of exposure to light at night – particularly short wavelength blue LED - in the blind mole rat and in seeing rats, both of which showed varying levels of damage to their metabolic rates, hormone production, body mass, and oxygen consumption following exposure to LAN, as well as suppressed levels of melatonin production, which is responsible for tumor growth. "We expect to find similar results of damage from human exposure to LED lighting," Prof. Abraham concluded, and pointed out that "Western youngsters are typically surrounded by this sort of lighting in the confines of their own bedroom: from the smartphone, computer screen, and television." "Street lights in populated areas are responsible for 60 percent of LAN pollution, which is intensified under cloudy conditions when the light is reflected back down to the ground," said Dr. Franz Hölker of the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Germany, who chaired the panel with Noam Leader of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. Others pointed out the excessive levels of light pollution found in industrial areas, greatly endangering surrounding wildlife.

http://phys.org/news/2012-09-pollution-poses.html

**dtp5150** · 09-11-2012, 08:00 PM

I am totally for the abolishment of dawn to dusk street lights/ security lights/ etc. It affects our own circadian rhythms and those of the other creatures we share the planet with. It has at least been proven that circadian rhythm disruption can lead to breast cancer. Light pollution also clouds up the night view of the most infinite thing we can look at, the universe up above and the stars. It is not natural.

**Jasonian069** · 09-12-2012, 08:19 AM

I'm wondering if it has any effect on our plants, or if it isn't considered 'pollution' if the artificial light is the primary source.

**Red1966** · 09-14-2012, 07:49 PM

Can fuck up an outdoor grow.

**Harrekin** · 09-15-2012, 07:26 AM

Originally Posted by Red1966

Can fuck up an outdoor grow.

What sorta light pollution do you have? Spotlights in the sky?!

Indirect, low-level light at night doesn't effect plants... To Stormfront, go back you should. (Yoda 2012)

**cannabineer** · 09-16-2012, 11:30 AM

Can we please contain the vitriol to Paulitics?
My take on light pollution comes from a different direction ... I am an amateur astronomer, and I lament the loss of much of our night skies ... right where people live. This means we have to make a special effort to even see the night sky. Boo. cn

**Dr Kynes** · 09-16-2012, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by Jasonian069

I'm wondering if it has any effect on our plants, or if it isn't considered 'pollution' if the artificial light is the primary source.

the article you cited did not condemn artificial lights as pollution, it is lights at night when the natural world has evolved for darkness during those periods. birds, plants insects and other critters do not like having artificial lights when its supposed to be dark outside. thats the problem they are discussing, not the nature of the light but it's presence in areas that need darkness when the sun goes down.

if you never give your dope darkness you will never get dope. likewise many night pollenators,, night hunters and roosting critters need DARKNESS for their downtime.

example: birds, wild and domestic all need darkness to sleep. if you keep a bird under lights 24/7 it will die. with the constant in inescapable illumination from 24 hour car dealerships, flashing neon signs, streetlights, etc, many critters simply cannot survive or reproduce.

out on highway 80 towards the bay area theres a town with tons of car dealerships, each one with lights that illuminate the area like a summer day 24 hours a day 365 days a year. all around these car lots the trees and plants are dead. no critters live there and the area is becoming a desert all in the course of a few years due to their abominable lighting which destroys the natural life around them. before the car dealers came it was oak scrub, with wild turkeys, some farms and a few small businesses, and the natural critters did great. even had a good population of blacktail deer and pheasants. now the hills around are dying, becoming as lifeless as the industrial park thats killing them.

long story short, artificial lights aint the problem, its artificial lights where the lights are detrimental.

its the same with people. graveyard shift workers need blackout curtains or they just waste away, and swing shift is the worst shift possible, since you never get a night and a day, only pieces of each.