Light pollution hazards within ecosystems and mitigation strategies for the future

Update Item Information
Publication Type honors thesis
School or College College of Social & Behavioral Science
Department Environmental & Sustainability Studies
Faculty Mentor Stephen Goldsmith
Creator Foott, Bettymaya
Title Light pollution hazards within ecosystems and mitigation strategies for the future
Year graduated 2015
Date 2015-05
Description Light Pollution is a phenomenon caused by poor lighting design, and is increasing globally. Only recently are scientists beginning to fully understand how light pollution affects humans and the environment. Birds, which play an important role in our ecosystem, are vulnerable to light pollution effects through fatal light attraction. Nocturnal migrants are especially vulnerable, as they use celestial cues as part of their navigation. It is estimated that over a billion birds die from collisions with buildings each year in North America. Lighting design is an important factor in bird mortality at human built structures. The transnational migration of birds provides a global context for the wide reaching effects of light pollution. And although a global issue, local municipal policy initiatives have been the most effective toward decreasing light pollution and increasing awareness of the issue. Continued advocacy, technological advances, and community organizing will be necessary to address this problem.
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
Subject Light pollution Lighting -- Environmental aspects
Language eng
Rights Management Copyright © Bettymaya Foott 2015
Format Medium application/pdf
Format Extent 818,225 bytes
Identifier etd3/id/3574
Permissions Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/details?id=1255609
ARK ark:/87278/s6w69v1v
Setname ir_htoa
ID 197126
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6w69v1v
Back to Search Results