Light pollution is a global problem, and the Milky Way is no longer visible to a third of people.
You don’t need to be a stargazer or astronomer to care about light pollution, and we discussed the ways in which it affects stargazing, and harms people and wildlife in our recent post From Stars to Streetlights: Light Pollution’s Growing Challenge.
You can make a difference reducing it; read on and we’ll cover five things you can do to help make the Milky Way visible again.
Start with darkness
It might sound obvious, but sometimes an obvious solution is a good one. Ask yourself if you need a light?
The Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water says the starting point for all lighting designs should be natural darkness.
“Artificial light should only be added for specific and defined purposes, and only in the required location and for the specified duration of human use.”
Astrophysicist Kirsten Banks says “One way that people can get involved is just turning off lights that are unnecessary, like really bright floodlights on your backyard or your patio.”
Turning off unnecessary lights is a very easy way to make a quick difference with light pollution. When indoors, turn off lights when you leave the room, and turn out the lights when you leave the house or office. Another easy win is dimming your lights, and shutting your curtains, shutters and blinds at night.
Take the DarkSky International home lighting assessment and see how you can improve your home’s lighting.
Streetlights contribute up to 50% of a city’s light pollution and while many of us don’t have direct control over public lighting, you can use similar methods for reducing light pollution.
Western Power’s published Public Lighting Asset Management Strategy says “Glare shields are considered effective to reduce the intensity of light from the rear or side of the [light].”
Dr Brad Tucker, astrophysicist at Australian National University, explains “Instead of having an open light, flat lights or shielded lights that prevent spill upward are crucial. They direct light to the ground, and not up into the sky.”
The Australasian Dark Sky Alliance has listed a large range of night sensitive lights that have been certified by independent assessors. These lights meet full cut-off, warm colour temperature and minimal lighting for best practice.
Brad Tucker says warm-coloured lights are better for our eyes, sleep cycles, native animals – and for reducing light pollution.
Dr Ken Whishaw tells DarkSky International “for human eyes, orange is the optimal colour for outdoor lighting at night.”
“Red light was traditionally thought to be the best light to preserve dark adaptation, but this is not the case. Orange maximally stimulates our red and green cones, so less light overall is needed.”
Light pollution affects us all, and it’s up to all of us to do what we can to preserve our dark skies and view of the Milky Way.
An easy and quick thing you can do is to contact your local council, and the Australasian Dark Sky Alliance have made it incredibly simple for you and they have drafted a letter for you to send, expressing your support for the implementation of dark sky principles where you live.
The letter highlights the importance of preserving dark skies for environmental, cultural, and scientific reasons and encourages councils to adopt policies and measures to protect them for future generations.
Jay Chesters is a freelance journalist, feature writer, and award-winning author. With a particular passion for stargazing and astronomy, Jay enjoys any opportunity to share stories or pass on what they know.
Jay Chesters
Author
Become a light pollution warrior!
Join the Australasian Dark Sky Alliance and support the cause of reducing light pollution and protecting our night sky.
