Once upon a time, if Mars and Saturn and Jupiter were lined up in the sky, we set our alarms and marched up to the terrace to catch the show. All we had to hope for were clear skies.
Now we also pray for a power cut. Our neighbours’ houses, once shuttered traditional structures, are now spot-lit, glassy boxes. Five or six streetlights illuminate the roads nearby and the semi-legal factory across the road keeps four lights burning till morning. In all that glare, the Milky Way doesn’t stand a chance.
When a petition went round for yet another streetlight in our neighbourhood, we signed it and helped deliver it to the unconcerned authorities. But we heaved a sigh of relief when it was refused. Certainly there are wild animals in these parts, and may be there are still yam thieves, but are a few yams really worth the kilowatts we radiate out into space?
They say birds and animals lose sleep in overly lit areas because they are awakened by what looks like the sky at dawn. Humans, who perpetrate all this light pollution, are not any different.
A recent study says children sleep a little less on full moon nights. But how can they tell the difference when everyone leaves on a security lamp that shines right through the bedroom blinds?
There’s a new term for light that reaches where it is not needed or even where it is a nuisance — light invasion. But the problem is one we’ve always known, whether with a roommate working late or on a train berth that puts our face smack in the beam of the corridor light. Among the bright ideas of the Guantanamo R&D Wing, which has apparently travelled on night trains, is the use of glaring lights to torture prisoners.
Passing laws against over-illumination is a dim prospect. After all, every lawmaker in India studied for exams under a streetlight, and they naturally rejoice in the radioactive night-time glow of our cities.
And in a country where so many still struggle without electricity, environmentalists hesitate to campaign against light pollution. But just like concrete, hand-held devices, and other triumphs of civilization, artificial light is best enjoyed in moderation. We’ll all sleep better for it.
But seriously...
Focus security lamps specifically where they are needed
Minimise ornamental lighting outdoors
Use the lowest wattage that will serve the purpose
