The Issues

Urban Night Sky Project

What we are up against

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is causing a range of problems for human  health and wildlife wellbeing, producing surplus light, using more energy than necessary and costing more for electricity as a result. It doesn’t have to be this way.

For instance, in the case of wildlife, light pollution can mimic, mask or confuse natural light signals, which impacts the feeding, breeding and migratory behaviours and the ecosystem services they provide, especially pollination.

The challenge is to get on top of three primary artificial light issues:

  • Sky Glow
  • Sky Glare, and
  • Light Trespass

From bad to best

HERE IS what can be achieved when sound science and responsible artificial light at night (ROLAN) principles are applied to outdoor street lighting installations.

From a massive amount of light spilling in all directions (left), to an installation method that respects all the purposes for which light is required (right).  In other words, the best of all worlds is possible – is within reach. 

All that’s required is a change in mindset and a desire to be nature positive – in the knowledge that we are all nature.  That is, to be human and to express our human nature, will influence the lighting choices we make in keeping with this realisation.

To apply an indigenous perspective, let ecology inform culture: culture and ecology is one. (Ref: The Renewal of Naworo, David Hancock, COSMOS,  No.99).

When the lights go out, the stars come out

 A 2003 ELECTRICAL blackout in the Northeast of the the U.S. affected 55 million people. It also showed us what we’re missing in our normally light polluted environment (left side compared with the right). Credit: Todd Carlson

Current light pollution levels measured at Munibung Hill

The Figures below, of measurements of light pollution at Munibung Hill, shows how the situation has intensified over the last 10 years and they also give an idea of the current situation. Measurements taken on 4th October 2024. Credit Eddie Bernard.

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4

Figure 1: The radiance seen from Satilites namely ( Operational Linescan System of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) using the Visible Infrared Imaging Suite (VIIRS ) and Day Night Band (DNB). 
Figure 2:  Sky Brightness (or sky glow) of Munibung Hill over the last 10 years – it indicates an increase of 5.66% per year.

Figure 3: The radiance at the centre of Munibung Hill, a much smaller area which indicates the brightness level isn’t as bad as the total and broader area shown in figure 1.
Figure 4: Sky Brightness (or sky glow) on Munibung Hill over the 10 years. The increase is less at 4.66% per year compared to 5.66% per year.

Figure 5

 

 

 

 

Fig 5: Reading is for sky brightness on top of Munibung Hill

Figure 6

 

 

 

Fig 6: Reading is for sky brightness registered at downtown Newcastle

Comparing (Fig 5) Munibung Hill to downtown (Fig 6) Newcastle, they indicate artificial brightness in Newcastle is approaching a level nearly four times that of Munibung Hill – a situation hopefully to be avoided.  The knowledge and the technology we can apply over the coming years make this an achievable goal. 
Eddie Bernard, 5 Oct 2024

Beyond the impacts on people, wildlife are caught up in the glow and glare as well

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is causing a range of problems for human  health and wildlife wellbeing. For example: Light pollution harms wildlife and ecosystems

Light pollution can mimic, mask or confuse natural light signals, causing:

  • mistimed activity, growth or breeding
  • disturbed sleep and circadian rhythms
  • disorientation and poor navigation
  • attraction to artificial lights
  • encounters with new predators
  • reduced survival and reproduction.

Artificial lighting affects whole ecosystems by:

  • dividing and disconnecting suitable habitat
  • reducing pollination by nocturnal animals
  • disrupting food webs and nutrient webs
  • benefiting invasive species (cats, foxes and cane toads take advantage of artificial lights to feed).

Reducing and removing unneeded artificial lighting is one of the easiest actions people can take to protect animals, plants, ecosystems and habitats and our future.

Reference source: Friends of Berowra Valley – Dark Sky

REFERENCES FOR RESEARCH

Blinded by the Lights: The Impacts of Light Pollution
Dr Catriona Nguyen-Robertson MRSV, Senior Editor, Science Victoria, 3 September, 2024 –
In what should be the darkest hours of night, urban landscapes are increasingly illuminated. The stars, once clear and bright, are hidden amongst the glow of artificial light.
Blinded by the Lights: The Impacts of Light Pollution – The Royal Society of Victoria

Scientists Warn Light Pollution Could be Damaging Your Heart
https://www.victorchang.edu.au/news/light-pollution  4 July 2024
A two-article series from the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and a number of other prominent Institutes and universities around the world has highlighted the dangers of light pollution on heart health.
With Australians being exposed to almost twice the level of light pollution as people living in the UK and Germany, the Institute’s Director Professor Jason Kovacic says there needs to be more awareness of the health impacts of light pollution and strategies about how to combat it.

Light pollution affects human health
Research suggests that artificial light at night can negatively affect human health, increasing risks for obesity, depression, sleep disorders, diabetes, breast cancer and more.
https://darksky.org/resources/what-is-light-pollution/effects/human-health/

Light pollution affects coastal ecosystems too – this underwater ‘canary’ is warning of the impacts, The Conversation,  April 17, 2024

The Impact of Artificial Lights on Insects | International Dark Sky Week with Dr Avalon Owens, Harvard University – YouTube.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=txqgS48NXl4

The Human Values of Dark Skies: Light pollution as an emerging justice issue
https://www.nespsustainable.edu.au/sites/default/files/documents/DarkSkies_Report_Final4_doi.pdf

 

How light pollution disrupts plants’ senses, BBC 
https://www.bbc.com › future › article › 20230308-ho… 
8 Mar 2023 — Moths aren’t the only pollinators impacted by dazzling city lights. Bees are also feeling the effects, along with all the plants they pollinate.

Effects of street lighting technologies on the success and … , ESA Journals
https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com › doi › ecs2   by CJ Macgregor · 2019 · Cited by 68 — These results confirm that street lighting could affect plant reproduction through indirect effects mediated by nocturnal insects.

Street lights affect wildflower pollination,   Butterfly Conservation
https://butterfly-conservation.org › news-and-blog › stre… 
21 Jan 2019 — Street lighting operating all night can alter the natural pollination of a common wildflower, a study involving Butterfly Conservation (BC) …

Lights at Night Turn Nocturnal Pollinators Off,  DarkSky International 
https://darksky.org 
7 Aug 2017 — By setting up several ruderal meadows with LED street lamps, the scientists were able to compare the differences in numbers of pollinators.

To Protect Pollinators, We Need to Fight Light Pollution,   The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation 
https://www.xerces.org › blog › to-protect-pollinators-we…
6 June 2024 — Nighttime pollinators are not only widespread and important, but are facing a serious threat that daytime animals don’t have to worry about: artificial lights.

Street lights lure moths away from gardens, say scientists,  The Guardian 
https://www.theguardian.com › science › jun › street-lig…
2 June 2016 — Street lights don’t just lure moths, they may be helping to impoverish suburban gardens by causing them to fly too high to pollinate flowers.

Nocturnal pollinators go dark under street lamps,  Nature
https://www.nature.com › news 
2 Aug 2017 — Plants illuminated by artificial lights see a drop in the number of insects that move pollen at night.

Dim the lights for pollinators and plants at night,  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (.gov)  https://www.fws.gov › story › dim-lights-pollinators-and… 
31 July 2023 — The studies that have been conducted show artificial lighting can drastically affect the behavior of insects and pollinators.

Street light switch-off benefits night-time pollinators,  University of York
https://www.york.ac.uk › news › research › street-light-… 
21 Jan 2019 — Night-lighting disrupts nocturnal pollination by attracting moths upwards, away from the fields and hedgerows so they spend less time feeding …

Mitigating the impacts of street lighting on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, Darren M Evans 1,
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10613540/