How lighting pollution affects our society

 “The sun, the moon and the stars would have disappeared long ago . . . had they happened to be within the reach of predatory human hands.” — Havelock Ellis, The Dance of Life, 1923.

Source:  National Geographic

A good introduction about the light pollution subject proposed by Dark-Sky Association:

“Less than 100 years ago, everyone could look up and see a spectacular starry night sky. Now, millions of children across the globe will never experience the Milky Way where they live. The increased and widespread use of artificial light at night is not only impairing our view of the universe, it is adversely affecting our environment, our safety, our energy consumption and our health.”

Source:  Dark Sky Association – Light Pollution

An overview of how the French Ministry for environment, ecology and solidarity transition (Ministere de la Transition ecologique et solidaire) approaches the national issue of light pollution:

“Les conséquences de l’excès d’éclairage artificiel ne se limitent pas à la privation de l’observation du ciel étoilé. Elles sont aussi une source de perturbations pour les écosystèmes (modification du système proie-prédateur, perturbation des cycles de reproduction, perturbation des migrations…) et représentent un gaspillage énergétique considérable.”

Source:  https://www.ecologique-solidaire.gouv.fr/pollution-lumineuse#e4

The International  Astronomical Union and its issue on Controlling Light Pollution:

“The IAU Commission B7 does not only work to safeguard professional astronomical sites, though this is its main concern. The Commission 50 Controlling Light Pollution Working Group is strongly seeking the means to restrict light pollution, through legislation, regulations and other methods at all levels of governance from national bodies to regional and local organisations.”

Source:  https://www.iau.org/public/themes/light_pollution/

Picture source: Image courtesy of the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center