Light pollution is the misuse of light that causes disruptive effects on the routine life cycles of living things. It is a problem as dan...
Light pollution is the misuse of light that causes disruptive effects on the routine life cycles of living things. It is a problem as dangerous as air and water pollution and requires precautions to be taken by all humanity
Change in the ecosystem directly affects living things and shakes the ecological balance . Creatures living in every region adapt to the physical conditions of that region. Physical changes in the region negatively affect the creatures living there
Excessive illumination of illuminated areas , illumination of the sky due to improper direction of the light emitted from lighting elements , and reflected lights day and night due to the selection of floor and exterior materials with high reflection coefficients are the main causes of light pollution.
Excessive, misdirected, colorful lighting that only focuses on aesthetic concerns and is not directed downwards from a sufficient distance is never correct lighting and is essentially a source of great harm to both humans and other living things .
It is clear that the misuse of artificial lights has a huge impact on light pollution . In addition , natural light can cause light pollution when reflected from surfaces such as marble, glass and shiny metals with high reflection coefficients.
The natural light source that meets the vital needs of living things on Earth is the sun. Natural light helps living creatures living in different geographies and altitudes on earth to organize their life activities and establish their life cycles with the light it creates on the earth and in the sky at different times of the day.
While sunlight reaches the earth from the atmospheric layer, some light filters and reaches living things. The layers that act as filters in the atmosphere are damaged due to human activities on earth . For this reason , harmful wavelengths of sunlight, which must reach living things without harming them, can be carried to the earth.
As people begin to rapidly urbanize to create living spaces for themselves around the world , the ecological balance and ecosystem are seriously affected. Disruption of ecological balance affects all living beings within the system and can negatively affect all living beings in a chain manner, with the decrease or extinction of some species . Ecosystem refers to the interaction of living things with air, soil, water and sun. On the other hand, light sources that are not shielded due to the structure of the luminaire unnecessarily illuminate the sky, causing waste of electrical energy.
Migratory birds that change their locations during migration seasons cannot complete their migration maps due to light pollution, and many deaths occur every year around the world.
The growth and spawning regularity of fish varies depending on the variety. Hours that should be reflective or dark are affected by light pollution due to the brightness in the sky
While some species of insects have difficulty developing in light, some species can develop under light. The change in the light duration received also changes this balance.
Plants need light energy for photosynthesis. Plants develop and orient themselves according to the amount of light, angle of incidence and duration.
For mammals and reptiles, the amount of light, whether more or less, is important depending on the time of day. Sea turtles, which move according to the light difference between the sea and the land and the glare in the sea, can lose their orientation due to light pollution and die because they are outside their habitat.
When the effect of light pollution on humans is examined, it is seen that it is the trigger and cause of serious health problems such as psychological disorders and cancer due to hormonal reasons
The chain change in the psychological and physical development, reproduction and life cycles of all animals in the wildlife in the ecosystem due to the effect of light pollution opens the door to dangers that cannot be compensated for in a short time due to the domino effect.
To be protected from the negative effects of light pollution, especially outdoors ; It is necessary to be careful in choosing exterior materials and floor coverings according to urban and intercity roads, streets, parks, gardens, building exteriors, billboards, high tower lighting designs and reflection coefficient .
No comments