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Other forms of pollution are worse, but light pollution does harm animals. When baby turtles hatch they instinctively look for bright lights lower on the horizo
by squeaky-clean 4y ago
Other forms of pollution are worse, but light pollution does harm animals. When baby turtles hatch they instinctively look for bright lights lower on the horizon and go towards it. Because naturally, that will be the moon reflecting off the ocean. Bright beachfront buildings are even brighter than the reflection of the moon leading them to wander away from the ocean
Moths and frogs are also attracted to lights. Migratory birds rely on seasonal cues such as changes in the amount of light. The OP article also mentions in the intro that it is reducing bat populations in areas.
- Gigachad 4y agoNo doubt there are some benefits to reducing light pollution, but I find it interesting how this topic gets HN in almost universal agreement that we need to ban street lighting and mandate people turn their home and office lights off, while suggesting that maybe we do something to slow the trend of mega SUVs or maybe mandating particulate filters on diesel vehicles is some kind of horrific authoritarian overreach.
- YourDadVPN 4y agoMy guess is it's someone else's lights vs. my (future) car, that makes the difference.