Blinded by the Light - The Harms of Light Pollution
What is Light Pollution?
According to the United States National Park Service, light pollution is a term that refers to excess artificial light at night (or ALAN) that interferes with elements such as the environment (2025). Light pollution is a growing issue across the United States, including my hometown of Lebanon, Tennessee. Sitting right outside of Nashville, Lebanon has been noted as one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. Lebanon's 2026 light pollution measures at a 7.6 on the Bortle Scale (Cinzano & Lorenz, 2026). Class 1 on the scale represents the darkest skies, and Class 9 represents the brightest skies, meaning Lebanon rests on the brighter end of the scale.
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| Figure 1: Light Pollution in Lebanon, TN. Source: https://lightpollutionmap.app/?lat=36.208100&lng=-86.291100&zoom=12 |
Who Does it Affect?
Light pollution directly affects numerous plant and animal species in Lebanon. Tennessee is home to 16 species of bats, including the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) and the tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (n.d.). Moths and other flying insects are attracted to ALAN, and these insects are common prey for bats. Bats avoid bright lights, which means that they won't fly close enough to homes and buildings to find their prey. Bats are also exposed to predators, such as owls, when they approach artificial lights. These mammals are known for eating pest insects and even pollinating plants in some cases, so it is important that they are around to stay. Plants that bloom at night are also affected. As mentioned previously, moths are attracted to light and will spend much of their time at night flying around artificial lights. Moths are common pollinators for night-blooming plants. Lebanon's night-blooming plants include moonflower (Ipomoea alba) and evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), and evening primrose is especially common in the autumn months and identifiable by its brilliant yellow blooms (Sons, 2023). Lastly, migrating birds are more likely to collide with buildings and become exposed to predators when light pollution is abundant since many of these birds travel overnight and rest during the day.
Bats and birds are crucial to Lebanon's ecosystem as they reduce many "pest" insect populations when they feed, and they can even pollinate flowers and other blooming plants. As mentioned before, moths and other insects that travel at night also act as pollinators. Reductions of these insects due to light pollution can imbalance the food chains in Lebanon, and this can potentially lead to loss of key plant species, decreased waste decomposition, and loss of food sources for many beloved critters. In order to keep these amazing plants and animals around for good, humans must take some responsibility for this problem we have created.
What Can You Do?
There are many approaches you can take to limiting your impact on light pollution. One simple step you can take is turning off unnecessary lighting. Investing in outdoor lighting set on a timer that automatically turns off every night can reduce your impact on local light pollution. If you still wish to use lighting both indoors and outdoors, using bulbs such as LEDs and compact florescents (CFLs) can also reduce your impact as these lights are more environmentally friendly. It is important to note that warm lighting is much better for the environment and reducing light pollution than cool or blue lighting. If you choose to use LEDs or CFLs, make sure to buy warm bulbs. Additionally, outdoor lighting fixtures can be designed to block the light from shining upwards. These kinds of fixtures reduce sky glare at night and are safer for wildlife such as birds and bats. Business owners and city officials can invest in these types of lighting structures to reduce the city's impact on light pollution. One great benefit of using smart lighting choices is that residents, businesses, and cities can save money. Reducing the time a lightbulb spends turned on or reducing energy waste with non-LED and CFL bulbs cuts down on electric bills, and you still get to help the environment.
Reducing light pollution creates a stronger, healthier ecosystem for you and your loved ones to enjoy. Strong ecosystems also mean better agriculture, gardening, air quality, and water quality. If these benefits weren't enough, darker skies also lead to better night sky viewing. If we do not protect our night skies, our future generations might never get to enjoy the wonder, history, and cultural impact behind the amazing constellations in our skies.
More Resources
If you want to learn more about light pollution and what you can do to minimize your impact on the night sky, check out my video on effective lighting solutions here:
For more information on light pollution in Lebanon, check out my Podcast recording where I interview Interpretive Park Ranger Shauna Bridgers from Cedars of Lebanon State Park.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/73ESUGTl1zPuKBIypIq4bq?si=9lHAm0oTQGKNhYc94887ng
Lastly, check out the interactive quiz on light pollution titled "Test Your Knowledge on Light Pollution!" located on my blog page. To get the best score, try visiting my other resources (you can find answers within them)!
Thank you for reading!
References:
Cinzano, P., & Lorenz, D. (2026). Bortle Scale & Dark Sky (2026). Light Pollution Map. https://lightpollutionmap.app/
Sons, T. (2023, September 18). Discover enchanting autumn flowers that bloom at night. TN Nursery. https://www.tnnursery.net/blogs/garden-blog/flowers-that-only-grow-at-night-in-autumn#
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. (n.d.). Mammals bats | State of Tennessee, Wildlife Resources Agency. Mammals Bats. https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/mammals/mammals-bats.html
U.S. Department of the Interior. (2025, March 31). Light pollution. National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nightskies/lightpollution.htm
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