Cities Combat Light Pollution With Smart Solutions to Protect Wildlife
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📰 The quick summary: Cities are exploring innovative solutions to reduce light pollution, helping preserve natural darkness that’s essential for wildlife survival and human health.
📈 One key stat: 83% of people globally live under light-polluted skies, highlighting the urgent need for cities to implement darkness preservation strategies.
💬 One key quote: “Cities at night are ideal laboratories to responsibly explore our relationships with light and dark – for the benefit not only of people, but the countless species we share Earth with.”
1️⃣ The big picture: Artificial light at night has disrupted Earth’s natural rhythm of day and night that life has depended on for billions of years. This disruption affects wildlife by disturbing migratory bird orientation, making insects easier prey, and causing health consequences in humans. Light pollution has become so widespread that 83% of people globally and 99% in the UK, Europe and North America live under light-polluted skies. Cities are now exploring innovative ways to maintain necessary illumination while protecting biodiversity through motion-sensing systems, species-friendly lighting, and even bioluminescent alternatives.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: Several urban areas have successfully implemented solutions that balance human needs with wildlife protection. The Bahnstadt district in Germany uses infrared sensors along a cycle path that keeps lights dimmed when not in use. Lille’s Parc de la Citadelle in France created a nocturnal corridor with adaptive lighting that mimics natural patterns throughout the year. A Dutch town even installed bat-friendly red streetlights that don’t interfere with bats’ internal compasses while still providing illumination for people. These innovations show that cities can maintain safety and functionality while significantly reducing harm to ecosystems.
3️⃣ What’s next: Cities should focus on determining where and when illumination is truly needed rather than defaulting to constant brightness everywhere. Biophilic lighting that aligns with seasonal changes offers a promising approach. Experiments with alternative light sources like bioluminescent bacteria could open new possibilities for urban illumination that doesn’t require electrical grid connection.
Read the full story here: The Conversation – ‘Darkening’ cities is as important for wildlife as greening them
