No LP LIGHT More than Greets the Eye R. Dick, Lake Links Workshop, October 25, 2008 www.starlight-theatre.ca/LT-POLLUTION.HTM Pollution knows no borders What Is Light Pollution? LP is too much of a good thing! - air pollution - water pollution To Astronomers → Sky Glow - light pollution To Other Citizens: 97% of all Canadians Glare, Light Trespass, live under light pollution Over Illumination, Visual Clutter, Distracting Signage Workshop - Why is this this a problem? Astronomers: the “canaries” for the Energy Lost to Space night environment - Light Pollution has regional impact City - Mwh/km2 Calgary - 32.1 - action MUST Edmonton - 28.5 be local Ottawa - 14.8* Montreal - 25.2* Seattle - 7.3 Toronto - 23.1* Vancouver - 4.6 Victoria - 2.3 * adjusted from Dr. Isobe’s data R. Borba, P.Cinzano, MapQuest P. Cinzano 1 Sources of Light Pollution Examples of Bad Lighting Municipal lighting - street lights, sports fields Commercial lighting - signage, parking lots, indoor light Residential lighting - curb-side light, door and yard lights Luminaires - Not all Alike Light Trespass more than a Nuisance Humans evolved with day and night 1% - 2% up-light 0% up-light Day - activity Night - rest - fatigue, damage - repair of tissue 30% up-light , 50% glare <<1% up-light - cluttered memories - file and compress Light and dark cycle → circadian rhythm - becoming increasingly confused - cycle of hormone release corrupted 20% up-light, 50% glare 10% up-light 1% up-light, glare - health compromised How We (and Animals) See Biology of Night - Scotobiology Young Eye at night Old Eye in Darkness Ebb and flow of hormones follow cycle → Old Eye with Glare Circadian Rhythm - Rhythm > approximately 24 hours - Kept synchronized by day/night contrast - Melatonin prepares body for rest - Other hormones rejuvenate body during rest Insipient Cataract 2 Light / Dark and Biology Animal Behaviour Pineal Gland - perceives seasonal changes in day length - secrets melatonin - Foraging patterns - “Common sense” behaviour Melatonin - Predator and Prey balance - Melatonin chemistry present in many species (animal and plant) - provides diurnal and seasonal cues for - Matting patterns Length of - reproduction - Preparation for winter Night - metabolism cycle of foetus - pollen release, leafing of trees, etc. Shoreline Glare Shoreline Glare - Navigation hazard - Navigation hazard - Feeding / foraging - Nuisance - Nuisance - Diurnal (vertical) - Affects land / aquatic - Affects land / aquatic migration environment environment - Predation - Seasonal preparation (matting, migration, hibernation) Typical Studies of Light on Fish Photopic - Scotopic Behaviour - Light intensity (brightness) After Dark - Spectra (colour) - day-active fish become quiescent, and - Comparison of behaviour between species - nocturnal fish (scotopic) become active (Chech and Moyle 1982) Conclusions - results vary between species - reef fish respond VERY rapidly to changes - results applicable to efficient harvesting in light levels (solar eclipse) (aquaculture) (Journal of Fish Biology, (1998) 53, 683-686, Article No. jb980720) 3 What is Known? Aquatic Life Signs of healthy stable ecosystem - Commercial fishery (aquaculture) - successful indigenous species - Sport fishery (visibility of lures) - healthy food chain - Temperature variations over seasons - stable water quality Unstable ecosystem - Disruption of habitat - Research of opportunity (“clinical studies”) Leprieur F. 2008 - Physics of light penetration Nikolsky 1963 - Physiology of fish eyes “Invasion” related to Gross Domestic Product, not to natural processes! Why? PLoS Biol 6(2): e28.doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0060028 Fish - Reproduction, Metabolism and Maturation Fish - Predation - Most studies based on the effect of light (photobiology) Sky Glow and Shoreline Lighting - Only recent studies address effect of - extends advantage to vision oriented darkness (scotobiology) predators - extends zone depth of vision oriented - Species optimized for their historical predators natural environment - shaded zone under docks creates - Altered lighting affects health and “blind” similar to aquatic vegetation reproduction of species Nikolsky 1963 Typical Lake Front Property Much Better! 4 Some Solutions See Handout Some More Solutions http://theglarebuster.com/ The good and Bad Cobras 15 watt incandescent bulb http://store.starrynightlights.com/hub-skycap.htm l 12 watt bulb 8 watt incandescent bulb incandescent www.pappilighting.com/ www.darksky.org - Best Choice Lighting → Fixture Seal of Approval 5.