Light Pollution

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Light pollution is the excessive or even inappropriate use of artificial light.

Components of light pollution include:
• Skyglow – brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas
• Clutter – bright, confusing and excessive groupings of light sources
• Glare – excessive brightness that causes visual discomfort
• Light trespass – light falling where it is not intended or needed

Like atmospheric pollution, light pollution is a side effect of the industrial revolution of our civilization. Its sources include building lighting both exterior and interior, commercial properties, offices, factories, streetlights, advertising hoardings and illuminated sporting venues. The downside is that much outdoor lighting used at night is extremely inefficient, too bright, often improperly shielded, and, in a lot of cases completely unnecessary. The light and the electricity used to create it, is just being wasted because it is illuminating the night sky rather than it being focused on to the areas that need illuminating.

Light pollution is proven to be disrupting the natural day-night pattern and is having serious environmental consequences for ourselves, other wildlife and our climate.
It has become so bad it is estimated that 80 percent of the World’s population and 99% of Europe lives under skyglow. If you live in a built-up area all you have to do to see this type of pollution is go outside at night and look up at the sky.

To see the light pollution where you live use this interactivve map -