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What is light pollution?
It is defined as an increase in artificial lighting for a bad lighting or poorly addressed. Light pollution includes in its definition only when the beam of streetlights is not sent down but towards the sky. Although the increase of light has effects in the nature is in the direction that is.
Type of exterior lighting and light pollution
We consider three types of outdoor lighting as per as the beam to project:
- Good: Light falls only towards the ground, it is also more efficient because all the generated power is used for its purpose.
- Bad: Light, still in the direction of the soil, a part of it is sent up, not only produces light pollution also requires more consumption.
- Bad: The light is sent in all directions a part can incise to the ground or sometimes own mast top the light towards the bottom.
Types of light pollution
- Dispersion towards the sky: is an effect produced by the refraction of the light with them particles of the air towards the sky, this increases by the use or the humidity, say that in Barcelona arrives to 200 km of height.
- Light intrusion: this type of light pollution is one that passes the Street towards our homes. It can be really hard to avoid it 100% but street lights or spotlights pointed directly to windows and facades can be removed.
- Dazzling: It is produced by an excess of light from an artificial source directly on the eye.
Effects of light pollution
Light pollution and animals
Below are some examples of the effects of light pollution on animals.
- In birds:
- In offshore seabirds rotate in circles around the flames of gas to come and die burned.
- The birds are guided by the stars to move light pollution can be desorientaras of course.
- Increase of fattening since light pollution makes it look that the day is longer.
- Insects: the famous «flight towards the light» that causes leave their habitats or towards bright to death spotlights.
- Turtles: The glow of the horizon makes turtles to sea after putting eggs on land, the light can make its course opposite.
- In general: erratic behaviors, changes of customs in the confusion of the hours of the day.
Light pollution effects on health
There are too many studies linking light pollution effects on health, so it is possible that in addition to those exposed are no more.
- Sleep disorders: due to the inability to «differentiate» the evening of the day.
- In babies could damage the development of the rimo heart according to a study by Vanderbilt University.
- Workers with rotating night shifts have shown an increase in breast cancer risk.
Pollution light and CO2
A bad or inefficient lighting is an indirect increase of CO2 to the atmosphere, use required minimum light to every moment, place and time with well targeted and efficient lighting means a reduction of these emissions.
Light pollution and astronomy
No doubt a negative effect of light pollution is the observation of the stars, is becoming increasingly more difficult to observe the milky way especially in nearby cities. There are curious and troubling data on the impossible which is to see the sky. As the need to travel 100 km to see the stars. For knowing more curiosities in biography «10 data shocking about the pollution light».
Solutions to light pollution
There are ways to fix the light pollution:
- Use of more efficient lighting to reduce consumption.
- Correct addressing of the lampposts to the ground.
- Remote management and intelligent control of outdoor lighting to reduce light when needed. Example of platform for intelligent management of lighting and SmartCity
More information about light pollution
10 shocking facts about light pollution
http://astrogea.org/celfosc/contaminacio_luminica.htm
http://sipse.com/mundo/contaminacion-luminica-afecta-vision-via-lactea-espacio-210205.html