Artificial light is disruptive. The truth of this statement is, I think, pretty obvious. In fact, disruption is more or less the point of lighting up the night. From time immemorial, humanity has feared the dark and things that go bump in the night - and often for good reason! So, with that in mind, I'm not sure it's helpful or useful to suggest that we abandon certain types of lighting, as some of my colleagues have done. Instead, I think the focus should be on two things: 1. Reducing the amount of lighting we use. This can mean dimmer lights, fewer lights, or both. It can also mean lights that are not turned on whenever they're not in use. 2. Using technology to detect when a light is needed. Some technologies in this category have been in use for decades - we all know about street lights that come on at dusk and blink out at dawn. But there are other technologies that, while in use in some places, are not widely employed. For instance, the use of motion detectors could be employed more widely. Both of these suggestions have the effect of reducing light levels while still maintaining our security. And they save money! Finally, it's important to realize that artificial nightime light does, indeed, have a negative effect on ecosystems and the creation of dark sky preserves and corridors is necessary to safeguard biodiversity. #biodiversity #nature #conservation #ecology #naturalhistory #energymanagement
A new collection of studies finds that artificial light at night disrupts ecosystems, even at low levels 💡🌆 🔗: https://lnkd.in/dZPPqf3S