The Problem of Light Pollution

Fill in the Blank

What is the name for the object formed when sunlight is refracted in the sky by raindrops?

Multiple Choice

True or False? Light always travels in wavy lines.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What is refraction?

• The bending of pencils when placed in sugary water

• The reflection of light in a glass of water

• The changing of direction of light as it passes
  from one medium to another.

• The reflection of light inside a periscope or other device involving mirrors

Fill in the Blank

An 'invertebrate' is an animal without a ______.

What is the main difference between these light sources?

Open Ended

What is the main difference between the Sun, and a street light?

The Sun is a source of natural light whereas streetlights

are a source of artificial light.

What is the main difference between these light sources?

What other sources of artificial light can you name?

Categorize

Options (16)

The Sun

Stars

Moonlight

Bioluminescent organisms

Fireflies

Glowworms

Volcanic eruptions

Auroras

Incandescent light bulbs

LED lights

Neon signs

Halogen lamps

Fluorescent tubes

Laser beams

Streetlights

Candles

Organize these light sources into the right categories

Natural light sources

Artificial light sources

There are some unwanted effects of artificial light.

Artificial light is useful as it allows us to see when it is dark.

There are some unwanted effects of artificial light.

Artificial light is useful as it allows us to see when it is dark.

These effects are known as light pollution.

One type of light pollution is skyglow.

Skyglow often occurs around busy cities where there

are lots of streetlights and buildings.

Categorize

Options (15)

Skyglow from towns and cities

Glare from streetlights

Light trespass from neighboring properties

Over-illumination of public spaces

Artificial light disrupting wildlife habitats

Increased energy consumption due to inefficient lighting

Impaired visibility of celestial objects

Health risks associated with exposure to artificial light at night

Natural darkness in rural areas

Stargazing in remote locations

Protection of nocturnal animals

Preservation of animals' natural rhythms rhythms

Reduced light pollution in national parks

Use of shielded outdoor lighting fixtures

Dark Sky Areas

Organize these options into the right categories

Light Pollution

Not Light Pollution

Reorder

Put these places in order of light pollution (5 = most light pollution, 1 = least)

• Central Hanoi

• Outskirts of Hanoi

• Ba Vi

• Hà Giang

• Sahara Desert

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Glare is a type of light pollution caused by brightness

from car or vehicle headlights.

How do you think glare can affect animals?

Multiple Select

How do you think glare from car headlights can affect animals?

• Animals' natural behaviours during the night can be disrupted

• Animals can be attracted to the artificial light.

• Animals might be happy to be able to see at nighttime

• Animals can be scared by the lights

Trespass = to enter an area without permission, e.g. 'He was trespassing by entering the farmer's field'.
'Light Trespass' means when light enters an area without it being wanted, e.g. from a neighbour's house...

'Light Trespass'

Home

Open in new tab

Copy link

Turtle hatchlings move towards the brightest source of light.

In areas where light pollution is high, hatchlings will move

towards the artificial light rather than the sea.

Seabird migration can be disrupted by light pollution.

Seabirds follow the light and can crash into objects on their

journey.

Home

Open in new tab

Copy link

The Problem of Light Pollution

You probably know about pollution – stuff like chemicals or oil spills that are really bad for the environment. But have you heard of light pollution? It's when there's too much artificial light around, and it can be surprisingly harmful! It's a big problem, especially with brighter, cheaper LED lights becoming more common. Even though we might not notice it much, light pollution can mess with animals and people too. Let's find out more!

So, What IS Light Pollution?

Ever looked up at the night sky and seen hardly any stars? That's partly because of light pollution. The International Dark-Sky Association (cool name, right?) says light pollution is any unnecessary or overly bright man-made light. It can be glaring, make the whole sky glow, shine where it's not meant to, or just be a big jumbled mess! Sadly, most people in the world live with light pollution. In the last 25 years, the amount of light we can see from space has gone up by a whopping 49% - that means things are getting worse.

Animals in a Muddle

Animals rely on natural light and darkness for all sorts of things. Sadly, artificial light can confuse them a lot! Take baby sea turtles. When they hatch, they're supposed to head towards the brightest light – normally, that's the moon over the sea. But lights along the beach can trick them, making them go the wrong way, where they could be in danger.

It's not just sea turtles! Moths, fireflies, even fish can be affected. Some animals that hunt at night, like bats, might have a harder time with too much light around.

Bad for Us, Too

Humans aren't immune to light pollution either. That glow in the sky? It messes with something in our bodies called melatonin, which helps us sleep and keeps us healthy. Too much light at night can make people more likely to get ill. Some studies even say it could be linked to things like heart problems.

What Can We Do?

We need some lights – streetlights help make us safe at night! So, we can't get rid of them all, but there are ways to be smarter about how we use them:

Careful Design: Lighting experts have special rules about how much light can be used and where it can shine. It means fewer lights annoying people and animals!

Buildings That Love Daylight: Big windows and clever design can let in more sunlight during the day. That means fewer electric lights are needed, and it's healthier for us too!

Light is an amazing invention, but too much of it in the wrong places is a real problem. We need to use lights carefully, so we can protect ourselves, the animals we share the planet with, and those gorgeous starry skies!

Match

Match the following definitions with the correct word:

• brightening of the night sky caused by streetlights and other artificial sources

• seasonal movement of animals from one place to another

• a type of light pollution that is caused by brightness from car or vehicle headlights

• the brightening of the sky at night

• a type of light pollution that is caused by light shining in areas it is not intended to

light pollution

migration

glare

skyglow

light trespass

• light pollution

• migration

• glare

• skyglow

• light trespass

Next Lesson:

How to tackle light pollution

We'll learn about different ways light pollution can be reduced, and come up with an action plan for our school and local neighbourhood.