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Croft, T. A. (1973). Burning Waste Gas in Oil Fields. Nature, 245(5425), 375–376.
Abstract: I WAS recently amazed by some night-time spacecraft photographs, exemplified by Fig. 1, that present graphic evidence of waste and pollution. These were obtained by the United States Air Force DAPP system which has sensors in the visible 0.4 to 1.1 µm band and an infrared imaging system in the 8 to 13 µm band (ref. 1 and J. L. McLucas, personal communication). The visible band sensor is Capable of responding to very dim light with a controllable threshold (T. O. Haig, personal communication) and it provided these pictures. The lights of cities are clearly visible, as are the aurora, surface features illuminated by moonlight, and fires such as those caused by burning gas from oil fields and refineries. Much power is evidently being generated to light the cities of the world since at the inhabited areas are clearly outlined. It is also apparent that, in the process of extracting liquid petroleum from beneath the surface of the Earth, abundant gas supply has been discovered but is not used. Being unable to contain the gas or to transport it to a user, it is simply burnt.
Keywords: Remote Sensing
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Pulgar, J., Zeballos, D., Vargas, J., Aldana, M., Manriquez, P., Manriquez, K., et al. (2018). Endogenous cycles, activity patterns and energy expenditure of an intertidal fish is modified by artificial light pollution at night (ALAN). Environ Pollut, 244, 361–366.
Abstract: The increase of global light emissions in recent years has highlighted the need for urgent evaluation of their impacts on the behaviour, ecology and physiology of organisms. Numerous species exhibit daily cycles or strong scototaxic behaviours that could potentially be influenced if natural lighting conditions or cycles are disrupted. Artificial Light Pollution at Night (ALAN) stands for situations where artificial light alters natural light-dark cycles, as well as light intensities and wavelengths. ALAN is increasingly recognized as a potential threat to biodiversity, mainly because a growing number of studies are demonstrating its influence on animal behaviour, migration, reproduction and biological interactions. Most of these studies have focused on terrestrial organisms and ecosystems with studies on the effects of ALAN on marine ecosystems being more occasional. However, with the increasing human use and development of the coastal zone, organisms that inhabit shallow coastal or intertidal systems could be at increasing risk from ALAN. In this study we measured the levels of artificial light intensity in the field and used these levels to conduct experimental trials to determine the impact of ALAN on an intertidal fish. Specifically, we measured ALAN effects on physiological performance (oxygen consumption) and behaviour (activity patterns) of “Baunco” the rockfish Girella laevifrons, one of the most abundant and ecologically important intertidal fish in the Southeastern Pacific littoral. Our results indicated that individuals exposed to ALAN exhibited increased oxygen consumption and activity when compared with control animals. Moreover, those fish exposed to ALAN stopped displaying the natural (circatidal and circadian) activity cycles that were observed in control fish throughout the experiment. These changes in physiological function and behaviour could have serious implications for the long-term sustainability of fish populations and indirect impacts on intertidal communities in areas affected by ALAN.
Keywords: Animals
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Ardavani, O., Zerefos, S., & Doulos, L. T. (2020). Redesigning the exterior lighting as part of the urban landscape: The role of transgenic bioluminescent plants in mediterranean urban and suburban lighting environments. Journal of Cleaner Production, 242, 118477.
Abstract: This research discusses the feasibility of replacing or supporting artificial lighting with Transgenic Bioluminescent Plants (TBP), as a means of minimizing light pollution, reducing electrical energy consumption and de-carbonizing urban and suburban outdoor environments, creating sustainable conditions and enriching the quality of life. Until now, no information is given about the light output of any TBPs and the question “Are the TBPs capable of producing the necessary lighting levels for exterior lighting?” is unanswered. For this reason, a new methodology is proposed for selecting and analyzing the lighting output potential of transgenic plants ted for specific climatic conditions. This methodology considers growth and reduction factors, as well as a formulae for estimating the plants’ luminous output by performing light measurements. Results show that transgenic plants in medium growth can emit a median luminous flux of up to 57 lm, a value that can definitely support low lighting requirements when used in large numbers of plants. From the lighting measurements and calculations performed in this research, the light output of the TBPs for a typical road with 5m width was found equal to 2lx. The amount of plants required was 40 at each side of the road for every 30m of streets with P6 road class. The results show that the use of bioluminescent plants can actually contribute to the reduction of energy consumption, concerning only the lighting criterium, thus creating an enormous opportunity for a new state-of- the-art market and research that could potentially minimize CO2 emissions and light pollution, improve urban and suburban microclimate, mitigate the effects of climate change, as well as provide an alternative means of lighting affecting both outdoor lighting design and landscape planning in suburban and urban settings. Moreover, further research should be applied considering also other possible ecological impacts before applying TBPs for exterior lighting applications.
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Lao, S., Robertson, B. A., Anderson, A. W., Blair, R. B., Eckles, J. W., Turner, R. J., et al. (2020). The influence of artificial night at night and polarized light on bird-building collisions. Biological Conservation, 241, 108358.
Abstract: Collisions with buildings annually kill up to 1 billion birds in the United States. Bird-building collisions primarily occur at glass surfaces: birds often fail to perceive glass as a barrier and appear to be attracted to artificial light emitted from windows. However, some aspects of avian vision are poorly understood, including how bird responses to different types of light influence building collisions. Some evidence suggests birds can detect polarized light, which may serve as a cue to assist with migration orientation and/or detect water bodies. Dark, reflective surfaces, including glass, reflect high degrees of polarized light, causing polarized light pollution (PLP). However, no studies have analyzed the relationship between bird collisions and PLP reflected from buildings. Additionally, while artificial light at night (ALAN) is frequently implicated as a major factor influencing bird-building collisions, few studies have analyzed this relationship. We investigated both types of light pollution—PLP and ALAN—and their association with bird collisions at 48 façades of 13 buildings in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. We found that the area of glass emitting ALAN was the most important factor influencing collisions, and that this effect of ALAN was independent of overall glass area; this result provides strong support for turning off lights at night to reduce bird-building collisions. Although we found no relationship between PLP and collisions, additional research is needed to better understand bird responses to polarized light. Fully understanding how different aspects of light influence bird-building collisions can inform conservation efforts to reduce this major threat to birds.
Keywords: Animals
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McMahon, D. M. (2018). Illuminating the Enlightenment: Public Lighting Practices in the Siècle Des Lumières*. Past & Present, 240(1), 119–159.
Abstract: This article explores the relationship between the Enlightenment as a cultural and intellectual phenomenon and actual illumination in the long 18th century. Focused on street lighting in Paris, it nonetheless seeks to situate the French case in the broader context of developments in public lighting in the French provinces, Europe, and the Atlantic World. In the concerted effort to illuminate dark streets, the Enlightenment was operationalized in ways that bore fundamentally on commerce, sociability, and perceptions of progress, enlightened government, and enlightened space. At the same time, the attempt to illuminate formerly dark spaces generated reactions. A ‘dialectic of illumination’ was the counterpart to the dialectic of Enlightenment, fostering resistance to the new regime of light and its efforts to impose, through human ingenuity and instrumental reason, greater security and social control.
Keywords: History; Psychology
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