Another kind of pollution

We are all familiar with the dangers of pollution. The subject has been in the forefront of our news and impacts daily life. There is another kind of pollution that has not received a lot of attention, that is light pollution.

With the expansion of urban communities across the globe it is now getting harder and harder to see the stars in the night sky. Some may say, "so what". But evidence is suggesting this lack of dark is having harmful effects on humans, wild life and I would even say the testimony of GOD.

In days gone by it was not uncommon for someone to look up in the sky and see it covered with stars. The night would be black and dark, with stars providing a glorious canopy. Urban and city growth has changed all that. I can remember growing up in London and only seeing a few stars in the night sky. These handful of stars barely stood out over the city glare.

Solid scientific research is now being carried out using military satellites that demonstrates much of the world is engulfed by light. Whole portions of this nation no longer see a true dark and many growing up have no idea of what that really is.

There are apparent effects. As much as we have tried to create a 24 hour society with everything on the move at all times, humans don't seem to be adjusting. Harvard Medical school epidemiologist Eva Schernhammer reports that nurses working regular night shift have higher incidence of colorectal cancer.

Itai Kloog at Haifa University Israel, has been studying breast cancer and noted an interesting phenomenon. Women who live in well lit neighborhoods had a  73% high occurrence than those living in dark areas.

We are also seeing effects on wild life that are not used to the continual stream of light. Daily activities, and  migration patterns are all being influenced.

The Iinternational Dark Sky Association  as been encouraging reforms for some time. Common sense actions that will save energy, reduce light pollution and bring a little more balance back to our planet.

I mentioned growing up in London and seeing few stars. I once had the pleasure to visit Australia. It is a marvelous country with great vistas. One night I went into the back garden of the place I was staying at. It was dark and I mean dark. I lay on the ground and looked up at the stars. I have never seen anything like it. The sky was drenched in stars. Running through the sky was what appeared to be a wispy cloud. I was later informed that this cloud was the spiral arm of our galaxy. I spent some time there just soaking it in. Then a thought popped into my mind, "this could not happen by accident". The vast array of the cosmos with all it's wonders is beyond mathematical reason for accidental appearance. At the time I was not a disciple of Jesus and the thought scared me. It scared me so much I got up and went inside.

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

Comments

[Mark R]

Man made light is finite it will oneday cease to exist, it's power needs to be created, generated but the Light of the world will iluminate for eternity, it's power source is God.

[Paul]

Good post. I've heard that both Belgium and the Netherlands are clearly visible from space during the night , because of all the lights we are using...
It is interesting that Genesis tells us about the moon as light for the night. Isn't it fantastic to look at the night skies during a clear, dark night - somewhere in an area where there is no artificial light? Yes, we are spoiling so many good things!

http://www.answers.com/topic/light-pollution

"Inspection of the area surrounding Madrid reveals that the effects of light pollution caused by a single large conglomeration can be felt up to 100 km away from the center. Global effects of light pollution are also made obvious. The entire area consisting of southern England, Netherlands, Belgium, west Germany, and northern France have a sky brightness of at least 2 to 4 times above normal (see above right). The only place in continental Europe where the sky can attain its natural darkness is in northern Scandinavia.
In North America the situation is comparable. From the east coast to west Texas up to the Canadian border there is very significant global light pollution."

[nancy]

very good sharing on the qualties of different light and what it could mean in the way we look at Christ and God in our life.

[John]

One of the great joys of leaving the urban madness of Atlanta and entering the sanity of "Mayberry" was and is the night sky I enjoy from the hillside that is my backyard. One of my favorite activities when we have guests from "the big city" is to take lawn chairs, a pitcher of sweet tea, and insect repellent and wow them with the view.

Good post. Thanks for the reminder.

BTW - one of my all time favorite photos is called the world at night. You can find it here...

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap001127.html

[Vicki]

Great post, Mike. I remember as a child walking outside at night and being able to see the Milky Way. It was fascinating to imagine how many uncountable stars comprised the galaxy arm that was visible to us, not to mention the parts of the universe that were beyond our view. Now, we see so few stars. It's almost impossible to find a place to go to view a meteor shower.

Realizing how extensive our universe really is amazes me. Knowing that God is bigger than all of that, and created the known and unknown is overwhelming. All I can add is that He is awesome!

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