The Effects of Lighting

(The City Dark)

Cheney states that "seeing the stars is like seeing the earth from space. You suddenly realize that the uniqueness and the fragility of life on the planet, which is a reminder, as well that it's more than just humans who are losing the night" (City Dark). Cheney is pointing out multiple things with the true statement. We as human beings aren't the only ones being affected by losing the night. Cheney is also including how animals suffer from losing the night. For an example with the sea turtles. When sea turtles are born, they follow the brightest star which is suppose to lead them to the sea. With all of our lights going on, it distracts the baby sea turtles into thinking that our buildings are the brightest star to them. This is why too many of them die, due to not making it to the ocean. They only have a certain amount of time to get to the water, but with our lights, makes it way more complicated for them then what it needs to be. Cheney also uses birds, and how their death rate is increasing due to too much light activity. He points out how birds uses the stars in the night sky to guide themselves, but with these bright buildings that confuse the sea turtles as well confuses the birds just as much. Another point Cheney throws out is we go about our day not even noticing the night sky. Our day is always busy and on the move that we take the night sky for granted. We don't take the time out of our busy lives just to take one minute and look up. For instance, in the movie when the boys go camping, one of the boys explains how it makes time go by much slower. He explains how you get to really relax and grasp life.



(The City Dark)

Ann Druyan states, " I worry that our lack of contact with the sky is doing something to us that's very subtle." (qtd. in City Dark). Ann is saying that we're not being involved with the sky as we should be, and that it is so delicate, it's difficult to describe or make out exactly what it is. Most of us are always on the go, busy, and in need of some sort of light. It can be so subtle, that it may even change humankind entirely. We take the night sky for granted, especially where we live. Our sky is so light polluted and high humidity, we can't see the stars. Being on the go constantly doesn't help the situation much. We know of stars and know what they look like, but soon it's like we'll forget that we can even still see them. Cities are getting bigger, which means more light. The more lights, the more light pollution is in effect. It's too sublte that we really can't pin point the main problem. The lack of contact with night skies is making us less caring, more selfish, more demanding in need of light? There are many issues that can relate to this topic, but due to being so subtle makes if difficult to get the exact reason on why or how.

(The City Dark)