Green Action – Limit Light Pollution

Be more green!
You can make a difference today!
Make many small changes to make one big change!
And you’ll save a lot!
Take action now!
Here’s one idea.
Limit Light Pollution
Did you know that we could save electricity,live healthier and save wildlife by just flicking a switch?
New studies have suggested that light pollution has started changing the behavior of many nocturnal animals.  Many birds not only navigate by the magnetic north but they also find their way by following the night stars during their nocturnal migrations.  Unfortunately with so much outdoor lighting in any of the worlds countries – these bird groups are  becoming increasingly confused and flying into tall buildings and towers. in   In 1981,the light drenched smokestacks at the Hydrox Generating plant in Ontario, Canada. caused the deaths of 10,000.00 birds.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that 4 million to 5 million birds die this way every year.
This environmental danger is not just restricted to wildlife.  It has been discovered that many people  suffering with sleep disorders, depression, insomnia, cardiovascular disease, and cancers stem developed their diseases from the alteration of the circadian clock caused by night-time lighting.  Other studies including two that were done in Israel have concluded that there is a correlation between breast cancer and outdoor lighting. these showed that women living in highly lite areas had a 73% higher risk of developing cancer then women from living in less outdoor artificial lighting areas.
So what happens when we start limiting our outdoor lighting?  Starting this July the French Government will become the world leader in preventing light pollution. With the hope of saving approximately two terawatt/hours of electricity per year the country will be mandating all commercial interior lighting to be turned off one hour after the last worker leaves. This, in conjunction with the turning off of all storefront and window lighting by 1am should save enough of electricity to light 750,000 homes.
Read more about the health effects of light Pollution here.
Read more about the wildlife toll of light pollution here.
Find more resources that will help you take action now here.
Find environmental organizations to support here.