Revealed: the worst offenders for light pollution as new research highlights common sources
Private windows were the biggest source of light, meaning a policy as simple as encouraging householders to use curtains after dark could have a major impact.
Street lamps were the second most common source of light, followed by commercial premises.
But sources of light are numerous, and include traffic lights; information signs; advertisements; footlights and floodlights on monuments; screens on ATMs; illuminated house numbers; and doorbells, security lights, garden lights and decorative lights.
The problem is that many of these sources remain on well after midnight, creating unnecessary 'light spill' and 'skyglow' that are disruptive to urban dwellers and wildlife.
Animals, birds, insects and even plants have their natural patterns upset when night skies are brighter than they evolved to cope with, while residents report difficulty relaxing and sleeping in the constant brightness.
There is currently no national legislation or policy on the issue in Ireland
The study, published in Nature Cities, collected data from citizen scientists in Germany, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, Turkey, England and the US.
They used the specially developed Nachtlichter (NightLights) app to record all the light sources in assigned areas over a specific period.
University of Galway researcher Georgia MacMillan coordinated surveys in multiple locations around counties Mayo and Galway.
She said the insights from the study could be very helpful. The EU requires member states to address light pollution in nature restoration plans, but there is currently no national legislation or policy on the issue in Ireland.
'Using the NightLights application to conduct pilot surveys for this project helped us to consider the different sources of light pollution,' she said.
'This is something we need to do on a larger scale in Ireland, and we hope to use the application for future studies in collaboration with other Irish university campuses and community groups.'
The study found that motion-activated lights, light-dimming policies and 'shielding' of lights so that they illuminated vital spaces for people while preventing light escaping upwards could all help reduce the impact of light at night.
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