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Taken by Ed Lu (UH - IFA) Astronaut on ISS for 6 months -2003 Light Pollution – Hawai’ian Islands 2003
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Quantifying Light Pollution Worldwide Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) USAF Satellite and ground based observations. P. Cinzano, F. Falchi, C. D. Elvidge U of Padova Dept of Astronomy
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66% of the US population and 20% of the world’s population can no longer see the Milky way.
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99% of the population in the lower 48 and the EU live in areas where the night sky is above threshold set for polluted status. X
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Light Pollution Outdoor lighting currently stands as one of the most inefficient uses of energy today. 30 to 50% of all light pollution is produced by roadway lighting that shines wasted light upwards and outwards. X
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Light Pollution Glare Light trespass Sky glow Energy waste Clutter
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Toronto 2003 – Sky Glow & Glare During Blackout After Blackout
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Skyglow Honolulu, HI Can it be fixed? Yes. How? With ordinances & one light at a time. Courtesy M Donohue
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Sky glow over Haleakala. Note Hnl lights in NW & darkness in SE Ranks as 5 th best observatory in the world
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The Cost of Throwing Away Electricity The Cost of Throwing Away Electricity The USA spends over $2 billion per year in energy costs from wasted light at night. Waste: = 6 million tons of coal or = 23 million barrels of oil per year Greenhouse gasses produced add to global warming.
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55% from coal 22% from nuclear 10% from natural gas 10% from hydropower 2% from oil (Hawai’i 90%) 1% from other sources US Power Sources
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Newly found circadian Photoreceptors in RGC Pineal Gland Makes melatonin from serotonin and tryptophan Melatonin production responds to light-dark cycle
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Light & Human health Circadian rhythms Melatonin and the pineal gland Newly discovered RGC’s (Berson-2002) Blue light sensitive 464 – 480 nm Trigger SCN – clock center – non visual Rat studies (Blask – Basset Research Center, Cooperstown, NY) LAN reduces mlt. and increases growth rates of human breast cancer cells implanted in rats Darkness at night – high mlt.; low cancer growth rates Human studies (Blask – 2004) Blood from humans exposed to LAN – low mlt; high cancer cell growth Blood from humans exposed to darkness – high mlt; low ca growth Epidemiology – cancers in shift workers (Harvard nurses health study) (Stevens, Schernhammer) Higher rates of breast and colorectal cancers in shift workers
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Paper summarizing current literature linking LAN to breast and colorectal cancer. Medical Hypotheses Oct. 2004
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Effects of Artificial Light at Night on Ecosystems (photopollution)
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Paper summarizing current literature linking LAN to breast and colorectal cancer. Medical Hypotheses Oct. 2004
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Lighting and Crime Most crimes take place during the day Two congressional crime task forces (1979 & 1997) found no relationship between lighting and crime. The studies that say there is a relationship are not controlled studies “There are simply no good scientific studies that convincingly show the relationship between lighting and crime.” - (Ref - IDA information sheet 42; 4/98)
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In defense of low pressure sodium lights on Maui Good for astronomers Good for human health – no mlt. Suppression Good for ecosystems
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Good FCO Lighting In All Places
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Recessed canopy lights Yes. Big Oil can do these canopies
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1550watt hps lamps 10 ft high, 4000 lumens each, 21 ft apart. 60,000 lumens of light surrounding the bldg. Overkill
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Good FCO Lights
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Opaque cover diffuses light better
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Everybody Wins With Good Lighting Less glare, light trespass & sky glow Restores dark skies for stargazing Good for human health & ecosystems Prevents the pervasive spread of light pollution Preserves the night skies for our children
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Everybody Wins With Good Lighting Important to human health to sleep in darkness. Important to health of ecosystems to minimize exposure of plants and animals to light at night.
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Light pollution is the easiest kind of pollution to fix. Reduce it, shield It, & shine it down. Light the subject & hide the source. Follow IESNA rec. levels. Use IESNA mins as maximums when can. Design for low impact lighting.
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