Are you afraid of the dark?

During last week's lecture on light I was most interested, and most disturbed, by what Dr. Mallory-Hill described as light pollution or light trespass. I have been reflecting a lot about this issue as I have recently moved into a new condo which does not yet have blinds! The past weeks lecture enlightened me (excuse the pun!) to how intrusive light can be, and I now realize that my sleepless nights are likely the result of the blaring lights of Osborne Village trespassing into my bedroom. Light emitted during the night serves many different purposes. The light flooding my unprotected windows comes from the advertisements of businesses, but also from the street lamps that help drivers navigate the winding street. On one hand night lighting seems necessary for security, on the other it is harming the circadian rhythms of animals. Birds are chirping throughout the night in the anticipation of the dawn that artificial lighting makes them believe is on its way, and I can't sleep. Suburban flood lamps and downtown eatery signs are drowning out the milky way. Rome is one city that has taken the initiative to dim its lights in an attempt to reduce light pollution, and to save energy. In a new era of sustainability we have to consider the issues around everything that effects human and natural systems, which I am beginning to learn is EVERYTHING. The necessity of night lighting is something I cannot deny, but I would like to continue to investigate this issue in the hopes of learning about solutions that can bridge the gap between the security night lights provide, and the harm that they cause.

Read this article by Sarah Rich, it examines the issues and debates around light pollution, and includes photos by photographer David Allee who is trying to make the most of light tresspass by turning the suburban night-scape into art. However cool these photos I am still not convinced they replace the stars they are over-shining.