동아 영어(이병민) 4과

COCOS 어학원&입시컨설팅

수업용 자료 update 2018. 11. 4.

동아 영어(이병민) 4과

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The Dark Side of Light

What images come to mind when you think of pollution? Skies filled with smoke? Plastic bottles floating in the ocean? Maybe chemicals buried in the ocean? We are all familiar with environmental problems such as air, water and land pollution. But there is another type of pollution that has been ignored by many because of its seemingly harmless nature. It goes by the name of light pollution. Light pollution is generally defined as the misuse or overuse of artificial lighting. To put it simply, when too much light is used or pointed up to the sky, it comes in contact with the dust, water and clouds in the

atmosphere. The light bounces off them and is scattered all over the sky, creating a glow.

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COCOS 어학원&입시컨설팅

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Some people may innocently wonder, "What’s the big deal? The glow makes it easier to see at night." No one could argue with the fact that light allows people to see better in the dark. But what they fail to realize is that the glow actually robs them of their stars.

The glow increases the brightness of the dark areas of the sky, which reduces the

contrast of stars against the dark sky. When was the last time you saw a sky full of bright stars? In the past, about 2,500 stars were visible to the naked human eye. Nowadays, the number has shrunk to less than 300, and that’s in less populated areas. In big cities, you would be lucky if you could see even one or two stars, since artificial lighting is very intense in urban areas. In fact, scientists estimate that only 10% of the world can enjoy truly dark skies at night.

'Not only does light pollution take away the beauty of the night, but it also harms the environment and the creatures living in it. For example, birds that are active at night have difficulty navigating the night skies because of light pollution. These birds depend on light from the moon and the stars to find the right direction. Artificial lighting confuses these birds and they either end up crashing into buildings or flying in circles until they drop from exhaustion. Sea turtles are also threatened by light pollution. They live in the ocean but hatch on the beach at night. Newly hatched sea turtles find the ocean by following the bright horizon. Millions of baby turtles die every year because artificial lighting keeps them from finding the ocean.

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Plants are also victims of light pollution. Plants use light from the sun for photosynthesis, but they also need darkness to rest and create the chemicals necessary for their daily functioning. Artificial lighting reduces the production of these chemicals and alters the flowering cycle. Ultimately, it hurts their chances of reproduction. If you think that only animals and plants are affected by light pollution, you are in for a big surprise. More and more scientists are claiming that light pollution is harmful for human beings, too. For example, many people today have trouble sleeping at night. The human body creates hormones at night, which help the body sleep in order to recover and prepare for the following day. Studies have shown that getting a good night's sleep helps fight

depression and even cancer. In the presence of artificial lighting at night, however, the human body is tricked into thinking that it is day, and produces less of the beneficial hormones.

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Today, governments around the world recommend that we join hands in an effort to reduce light pollution. In a global movement called “Earth Hour,” people all around the world turn off unnecessary lights for one hour from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on a day in March. But you don't have to wait for Earth Hour. You can do things every day like turning off lights that are not in use. You can also change the way you live to become more active during the day and less active at night. Remember that the darkest nights produce the brightest stars. So, do your best to help the next generation see a sky full of stars. Let's turn off the lights and turn on the stars!

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