Night light is killing us too... slowly

I am not sure when I became such an obstructionist, but I find I agree with almost no one on anything. And most of what I think no one understands or agrees with. I do agree with this story in Des Speigel (a german magazine somewhat like our Time or New Yorker) about the pollution of light, invading our night. I was in my 40's before I saw the TRUE night sky. I was floored by the number of stars I saw. Here is central Florida we are blasted by millions of mega watts of light while everyone sleeps. I imagine too many people would be scared for their lives in the true dark, but I wouldn't be. I would love it.

 

I know most people would scoff at the effect it has on people and animals, but they would be scoffing and showing their ignorance. Insects, birds and other animals are designed (by God or evolution) thrive in the darkness and once again man is thoughtless interfering. From what I understand you don't spit into the wind, mess with mother nature or screw with God's laws.

 

Billions of insects die on streetlights each year or in the webs of the spiders that live on these lights in unnaturally large quantities. Many birds flying at night become confused by the light smog and collide with brightly lit high-rise buildings. Light-sensitive frogs stop their mating activity, thereby producing fewer or no offspring. Freshly hatched sea turtles crawl toward the light on streets instead of into the ocean. Salamanders remain hidden longer than usual, because of insufficient darkness, which deprives them of the time they need to search for food

 

For thousands of years, the stars served mankind as a natural navigation system. They were also the inspiration for calendars, stories, legends, myths and religions. The changing night sky was always part of the landscape and at the same time part of culture. But then industrialized society pushed a button, and the firmament was switched off. The 24-hour day had arrived, and the night sky disintegrated like a coral reef destroyed by tourists.

read the entire story at

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,608417,00.html