While many people might scoff at the very concept, light pollution is fast becoming a serious problem. light pollution most commonly occurs when the beam of a high-wattage fixture is aimed toward the sky. when a spotlight is used to illuminate statues or buildings, for example, some of the light falls on its intended target, while the rest of the light beam is left to scatter into thin air. the result is an effect called urban sky glow, which is essentially a giant shroud of misdirected light that hangs over a city in the night sky. while some may find this phenomenon picturesque when seen from an airplane, it is the reason why only the very brightest stars are visible to citizens of urban environments. as light pollution continues to increase, it is entirely possible that future generations of city dwellers will not be able to see any stars at all.

humans are not the only victims of light pollution; some wildlife species are adversely affected as well. nocturnal animals such as owls and bats are driven from their own habitats when excessively bright lighting is introduced to these areas. as the growing amount of light pollution causes the habitats of nocturnal creatures to shrink, they will have a more difficult time finding food and breeding successfully. this will inevitably result in a serious population decline unless something is done to keep light pollution in check.

light pollution is a prime example of how most humans habitually consume energy without any consideration of the consequences. it is time that we stop turning a blind eye to the state of the world around us. working to reduce light pollution is the perfect place to start. is it truly necessary to have 50 spotlights illuminating trees on a corporate lawn? is it essential for a restaurant that closes at midnight to have a flashing neon sign operating around the clock? was the new outlet mall's grand opening only a success because of the 2-megawatt searchlights that hurtled their beams at the stars? nothing is gained from such blatant waste of light energy.

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