Lighting for Health – Environmental Concerns (Part 5 of a 7 Part Series)
Welcome back to our Lighting for Health series! Today, we discuss environmental concerns relating to lighting.
Light Pollution
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Light pollution is a consequence of outdoor lighting and includes effects such as sky glow, light trespass, and glare
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Often caused by the way light is emitted from lighting equipment
Light Trespass
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Light that is being cast where it is not wanted or needed
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EXAMPLE: Light from a streetlight or a floodlight that illuminates a neighbor’s bedroom at night
Sky Glow
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Electric light that is either emitted directly upward or reflected from the ground is scattered by dust and gas molecules into the atmosphere
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Reduces the ability for humans to view the stars
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In urban areas, the zenith point in the sky can be up to 50 times brighter than the natural background due to light pollution