The Future’s Too Bright

Greenwich and Westport turn off the lights

Not many people remember the one-hit wonders, Timbuk 3, but many people remember their big hit, “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades.” Nearly 40 years ago, they could not have known how true that sentiment would be – that the future is so bright, that we need to do something about it. Both Westport and Greenwich are embarking on plans to deal with what is known as light pollution in our towns and cities.

What is light pollution? National Geographic says that like the pollution we get from burning fossil fuels and creating non-organic materials (e.g. plastics), light pollution is “the excessive or inappropriate use of outdoor artificial light, affecting human health, wildlife behavior, and our ability to observe stars and other celestial objects.” Many people will be familiar with nighttime overhead photographs of famous locations, where you can make out large urban centers simply by their glow.

What most people don’t know is that this is not only incredibly harmful to sleep regulation, but can have far reaching negative health impacts. According to the National Geographic site, light pollution can inhibit melatonin production which can result in “sleep deprivation, fatigue, headaches, stress, anxiety, and other health problems,” most concerning is a link between reduced melatonin levels and cancer.

But it’s not just humans. Birds and insects are often confused by artificial light, causing problems with migration. While it may be hard to see the immediate impacts of moths being drawn to a light, these issues have far reaching effects that can end up interfering with our ability to sleep (birds waking up earlier) or eat (less pollinators like birds and bees means less food). So towns and cities like Westport and Greenwich are starting to react. It starts with regulation of lights on buildings. The state has implemented regulations of lights on state buildings, and Westport would begin by prohibiting certain kinds of lights, while Greenwich wants to use technology to enforce when lights are on. IN an article from the Greenwich Time, Planning Director Patrick Larow said that “A big part of this regulation is to use technology — light sensors, motion sensors, that type of technology — so lights aren’t on all night.”

As we draw closer and closer to the 150th anniversary of the electric lightbulb, we must ask ourselves how much light is too much light. Without the lightbulb, we might not have had so much technological advancement as we have seen in a century and a half – can you imagine a space flight without them – but if we are seeing health drawbacks, we can also ask what simple changes can be made to help. As Westport and Greenwich have shown, sometimes it’s a few simple things to start, see what works and what doesn’t, so our children won’t have to be like that other 80s one-hit wonder, Corey Hart, and wear their sunglasses at night.