Artificial Light is another form of Pollutant.
We generally think that burning of fossil fuels is what causes pollution. We also think that when we’re held up in a snarl-up the honking of horns adding to the cumulative noise is another form of pollutions–which we call noise pollution.
But could the light generated by lightbulbs, LEDs etc that we use to get rid of darkness in our homes and public streets be a kind of pollution? And, a pernicious one at that. How would one define pollution? I guess as something that disturbs the natural order of things, nature, ecology.
Then, when you think about it, it does seem quite obvious. We humans did not evolve with the help bright lights at out disposal when we were living in herds, in hunter-gatherer sort of way. These bright lights that we now take for granted are a recent addition to human civilization. Therefore, reading this article was an eye-opener. Scientists, it so happens, have urged the governments, individuals and institutions to treat the artificial light as just another form of pollutant.
It has a lot to do with the artificial illumination affecting certain plants and creatures in a not so salutary way. It can affect their sleep cycles.
Certain kinds of plants and animals are also thriving because of artificial lights—inasmuch as some plants are growing at a faster rate and bats are also thriving, but the effect largely is not beneficial for ecology around us.
There is an economic reason for such an increase this novel pollutant: the soft amber light which used to be expensive has now largely been replaced by cheaper bright white LEDs.
Scientists in the reports have said that it is biologically problematic because the whiter light has a wider spectrum, like sunlight.
Some of the observed effects are as follows:
- Scientists have found that a hormone called melatonin- a hormone that regulates sleep cycles-has been found to be in reduced levels in almost all animal species examined as a result of artificial light at night.
- Behavioural patterns has been disrupted in all creatures—both nocturnal and diurnal..
- Rodents, who mostly look for food during night, were active for shorter duration because of artificial light. (HARD TO SEE HOW THAT’S A BAD THING. I HATE RATS.)
- Even birds are getting fooled by all that ersatz light around them and have started singing rather early and have also begun their hunt for earthworms sooner than they ought to.
- Reduced pollination by insects, etc.
It would be unrealistic to wish artificial lights away. They are cheap and are kind of indispensable for night life. But, individuals, and institutions can start mitigating this new development by tempering the reckless and inordinate use of artificial light. Like simply switching off the light when it’s not needed. Imagine if everyone started doing that. The cumulative effect is going to be huge and would certainly make a big difference in a positive way.
This paper in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution gives in-depth meta-analysis of biological impacts of artificial light at night.
