Lights…
They are everywhere nowadays. In the city center, the suburban area, in the middle of the jungle…
From space, surely Earth, especially in North America, Europe and parts of Asia, light illuminates the lands. People would say it is the sign of civilization. The part of Earth, which is dark, is the part that is less develops and poor. It’s the third world country area. We should be proud that our night sky is lit with brilliant lights.
Those who agree with the above statement are nothing but fools. Light, yes, they are the sign of civilization and also the sign of pollution. Light pollution, what is the matter with light pollution? They aren’t causing any actual pollution. Why bother?
Well, light actually does a lot of damaging to the environment. But I’ll not argue from the scientific side and I do not hate the light. What I hate is excessive light. I hate the person who wants to switch on the light when he or she is going to sleep. Why must they switch on the light? Do they think that at least, in their dream, the dreamland will be a bit brighter? Do they afraid of the monster under their bed? Pathetic. Just switch it off and go to sleep. You don’t need the extra light when you are asleep. You are wasting Earth resources by switching on the light while you are sleeping. All the resources that you are using excessively can be used for other meaningful activities other than lighting the room up to prevent the monsters under your bed to creep up and eat your legs. Here is a fact.
If you are a female, sleeping with light on during the night can prevent your body to produce melatonin, a hormone that regulates the sleep pattern which in turn may affect the estrogen level, a hormone that stimulate breast tissue. An extra level of estrogen may cause breast cancer. How about that? Now, which will you choose, help to reduce the light pollution or suffer the rest of your days with breast cancer?
Another thing is that the local authority “I don’t care” mentality on the light pollution. Why must there be a tall lap post in the middle of the jungle? For the sake of modernization, must we lit all of the forest with lights? And, in the cities, why must we target the clouds with light? To help the birds to navigate because these flying creature can’t see in the dark? Just because it is just light, they do not regard light pollution as pollution. As a result, sky gazers like myself can’t even spot Betelgeuse or even Sirius in the sky. I even doubt I can spot Venus up in the sky in KL. Here is another fact. If you think it’s just light and nothing else, in Chicago, according to some reports, you can’t even spot the moon. Yeah, that big round thing in the night sky in case you don’t know what a moon is. Maybe, in a few hundred years, we will not be able to see the sun anymore at noon! Until then, sure, it’s only light…
Please, it’s Earth. It’s our home. Don’t regret when it is too late. If it is polluted, where are we going to move? Venus? O boy…exciting!!!
Hey, when your great-grandchild ask your grandchild “Have you ever seen a star father?”, don’t cry when your beloved grandchild say in return, “Nope son, but I’ve seen fireflies”.