An illustrated talk at Shaftesbury Town Hall this October promises to offer illuminating solutions to the problem of unnatural light at night

Light pollution was first identified as a problem by astronomers unable to see the stars in the night sky, but its consequences go much further.
Artificial light at night, especially bright white light, can disrupt our internal clocks and have profoundly negative effects on our mental and physical health, but this is just the tip of an iceberg of harm. Artificial light also disrupts the natural patterns of wildlife with devastating consequences from losing the ability to find prey and navigate. It is leading directly to the death of millions of birds each year and is the major driver of the insect apocalypse (studies suggest that 40% of insects will be extinct within the next few decades). What’s more, excessive light means wasted energy, contributing to our carbon emissions and climate change.
Shaftesbury has a track record of seeking to conserve biodiversity. Being close to the International Dark Sky Reserve on Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the town also has one of the best stargazing spots in the world on its doorstep. Light pollution is a concern for the town’s people and businesses. We must act now before it is too late. What can you do?

Simple fixes
Steve Tonkin, astronomy author, educator and local Dark Skies Advisor, says: “The solutions are at hand, are simple to implement, will have a net saving (of money, energy use and carbon emissions) and will not compromise security or our ability to safely work, travel and play at night.”
Steve is giving his illustrated talk, ‘The Right Light at Night’ at Shaftesbury Town Hall on Thursday 6 October, starting
at 7.30pm (doors open from 7.15pm). Admission is free.
Find out more about this
and other Planet Shaftesbury projects at
www.planetshaftesbury.org.