In large urban centers it has become increasingly difficult to see the stars, even on clear nights. This phenomenon is due to so-called light pollution, which affects many cities around the world.
Light pollution also compromises the quality of life of workers in manufacturing environments, besides making processes unsafe. In this sense, having efficient lighting solutions is essential to avoid the problem.
In this content, we will explain more about the phenomenon of light pollution, what are the negative impacts involved, and how your industry can combat this problem with the help of intelligent lighting systems. Let's go!
What is light pollution?
Among the various types of existing pollution, light pollution refers to the excess of luminosity in certain situations. This phenomenon is usually caused by the large number of artificial lights installed in urban centers, threatening plant and animal species, including humans.
Generally speaking, light pollution is any type of light emitted in an excessive or inappropriate manner for the situation. The impacts range from imbalance in the environmental ecosystems to visual discomfort for humans, which can considerably hinder the performance of work activities.
What are the types of light pollution?
The National Astrophysical Laboratory describes three types of light pollution:
sky glow
It happens when there are lights directed upwards, whose beams are accentuated by the polluting gases in the atmosphere - giving the sky an orange or whitish hue - and by the materials in the composition of some types of lamps. These materials are usually sodium vapor and mercury.
Glare
The phenomenon of light pollution characterized as glare occurs when light is emitted in an excessive way that can even cause momentary blindness. A practical example of this situation is the beams emitted by the headlights of vehicles on highways.
Intrusive light (trespass)
So-called intrusive light occurs when the beams are poorly positioned, thus invading other spaces that do not need this lighting. A common example is residential rooms that are never completely dark due to the light from a streetlamp outside the house.
Why does this phenomenon occur?
In the vast majority of cases, light pollution occurs due to a lack of urban and strategic planning. In the case of the industrial segment, this problem is also related to the inadequate configuration of the factory lighting systems.
Many managers still have the mistaken idea that a well-lit warehouse is one that is full of lamps. However, with an intelligent daylighting system, it is entirely possible to maintain a well-lit factory without having to resort to artificial lamps during most of the workday. We will talk more about this throughout the content.
What are the impacts caused by light pollution?
In places with exaggerated lighting it is common for situations to occur that are harmful to the environment, to humans, and to the ecosystem as a whole, since excessive light can affect the migratory cycles of animals, as well as the feeding and reproductive habits of various species. We detail these impacts below.
Affects employee health
Excessive night light causes changes in human physiological and behavioral cycles, influencing sleep patterns, temperature, and hormone production, which directly impacts an individual's cardiovascular system.
Another harmful consequence of light pollution is the overmanufacturing of artificial lamps, whose improper disposal can be considerably detrimental to the environment and people's health, because they contain toxic elements such as mercury and lead.
Generates environmental impact
In addition to threatening the life cycle of nocturnal invertebrates, artificial light also affects plants and microorganisms. In general, these are the impacts on animal and plant species:
Animals
In the case of birds, for example, light pollution can confuse the animals and anticipate their reproductive period. The birds' migratory route is also affected, causing them to migrate earlier, causing an imbalance in the animal chain.
Many nocturnal migrant species have their orientation mechanisms compromised when crossing brightly lit areas. This interference leaves the birds disoriented and causes them to crash into buildings, the ground, or even each other.
Some spiders use the attraction exerted by lighting to capture insects, building webs near artificial light sources and compromising the entire balance of an ecosystem.
There are species of turtles that usually make their nests in the sand on the beach. The reflection of the moonlight and the stars guides the hatchlings toward the sea. However, the excessive lighting of the streets and seaside hotels can confuse the newborn turtles, which end up going in the opposite direction and dying, either by dehydration, predator attacks, or even being run over by a car.
Plants
Plants are also affected by light pollution. In some cases, excessive light can force them to perform photosynthesis and cause them to grow abnormally. There are plant species that do not flower if the length of the night is shorter, while others end up flowering prematurely.
The disorientation of the bees also has a negative impact on the development of the flora, since plant pollination is compromised.
Impairs quality of life
As far as humans are concerned, light pollution is capable of affecting our quality of life and also our professional lives. The excess of light from the exterior ends up influencing the light comfort inside the houses, especially during the resting period, causing sleep disturbance and attracting insects that, besides generating discomfort, can also be carriers of diseases.
In addition, nighttime lighting is capable of confusing what is commonly called the "biological clock", which regulates the functioning of our body. In this sense, the changes caused by light pollution can trigger a series of sleep-related disorders, such as depression, obesity, and mood disorders.
Increases electric power consumption
One of the immediate results of excessive lighting that causes light pollution is an increase in energy bills. Especially in the industrial segment, this can be reason enough to destabilize the company's budget control, since we are talking about large environments with production lines that remain in operation all day long.
Is natural lighting a solution to combat light pollution?
Yes. As we said before, the search for intelligent systems - such as daylighting designs with linear domes - has been increasingly urgent among plant managers.
In view of the worrying impacts we have talked about, it is important to avoid the excessive use of artificial lighting, in order to preserve the quality of life in the work environment and also the environmental ecosystems.
Investing in daylighting systems is currently the most efficient and economical way to combat light pollution, because it is a sustainable project and at the same time works with maximum performance.
Is it really worth investing in a sustainable project? Learn all about this subject and find out why most people prefer to buy from sustainable companies!
We also highlight that the use of lighting systems with linear domes is emphasized during the daytime shift. As for the night shift, this alternative requires a complement, such as LED lamps, which are also a highlight when it comes to industrial sustainability.
The combination of daylight domes with LED lamps is therefore the ideal system to avoid light pollution and set up a healthy and safe working environment in the factory. Thus, employees gain in visual comfort, while the factory gains in energy savings, since the domes do not consume electricity to operate.
The MB Group, for example, also offers an intelligent control center - the MB Smart - capable of automatically controlling all light resources in the warehouse. The intention is to combine maximum energy savings with efficient lighting during all shifts of the production line.
The MB Group also specializes in the manufacture of blinds for industrial ventilation focused on the use of natural light, in order to favor internal lighting in warehouses. So, if you want to combat light pollution and become a reference in sustainability in the industry, you already know which solutions to invest in.
Get to know our complete catalog of intelligent systems for natural lighting and ventilation and take your factory to a more modern and sustainable level!
