Light pollution harms wildlife and ecosystems

For billions of years, all life has relied on Earth’s predictable rhythm of day and night. It’s encoded in the DNA of all plants and animals but unfortunately us humans have radically disrupted this cycle by lighting up the night. The majority of plants and animals depend on Earth’s daily cycle of light and dark to guide their life-sustaining behaviours like reproduction, feeding, sleep and protection from predators etc. Mounting scientific evidence suggests that artificial light at night also known as ‘ALAN’ has negative and deadly effects on many organisms including amphibians, birds, mammals, insects and plants. For example, animals that are nocturnal are active at night and sleep during the day. Their nighttime surroundings are drastically changed by ALAN, which turns night into day. Artificial light glare can affect wetland ecosystems that support amphibians like frogs and toads, whose croaking at night is a part of their mating ritual. ALAN interferes with their mating, lowering population numbers by disturbing this nocturnal activity. Although they hatch on beaches at night, sea turtles primarily live in the ocean. By spotting the bright horizon above the water, hatchlings can locate the ocean. However, nowadays they are often drawn away from the ocean by ALAN. Sadly millions of hatchlings perish in this manner each year. Get involved, be more mindful and protect the natural nighttime environment!

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