The Dark Side of Outdoor Light

About our topic

The Dark Side of Outdoor Light: Light Pollution and Its Effects on the Environment and Human Health

Learn about the harmful effects of light pollution on wildlife and human health, and what you and your local government can do to reduce the impacts.

Life on Earth evolved in conditions subject to only natural sources of light and is adapted to these natural lighting sources and cycles. Many plants and animals depend on natural cycles of light and darkness for optimal health and even survival. Evidence is mounting that artificial light at night (ALAN) affects the behavior, health, and abundance of various living creatures, thereby disrupting natural ecological processes. This presentation discusses how unwanted ALAN—light pollution—harms wildlife and affects human health and well-being. Best management practices for reducing negative impacts of ALAN are also presented.

About the speaker

Robert Sullivan is a retired environmental scientist (Argonne National Laboratory), horticulturist, landscape architect, and naturalist. He currently manages a rooftop native pollinator garden at the Center on Halsted in Chicago and administers the Northern Illinois Native Plant Gardeners Facebook group. While at Argonne, Bob wrote a comprehensive guide to light pollution impacts and prevention. Bob also co-authored a guide to invasive plants of the Chicago region and writes profiles of Chicago region’s native plants and pollinators for use in social media. He grows and distributes free native plants and seeds to Chicago area schools, community gardens and individuals. Bob is an Illinois Master Naturalist and volunteers at the Chicago Botanic Garden and other locations in the Cook County Forest Preserves.

Natural Habitat Evanston, a program of Climate Action Evanston, is an all-volunteer community group of about 900 members, spreading the word on creating habitat for insects, birds, and other wildlife. We aim to change the culture of lawns: leaving your leaves is the simplest first step; the second step is adding a native shrub or tree to shrink your lawn. We show how to transition from turf with low-cost cardboard methods, which keystone native plants to choose for year-round forage, that insects chewing on leaves is a ‘win’ (rather than cause to reach for pesticide), how turning off unnecessary lights saves insect and birds (and human health), and how to make your windows bird-friendly (because if you are going to invite birds to your yard, let them visit safely). We plant a lot of native trees and shrubs, especially at schools and in the 5th Ward.

We encourage people to think outside the lawn with No Mow May. Our Pollinator Pledge is a central focus of all our outreach and education, and a great way to spread the word to your neighbors.

We encourage people to think outside the lawn with No Mow May. Our Pollinator Pledge is a central focus of all our outreach and education, and a great way to spread the word to your neighbors.