Perceptions of light pollution and its impacts: Results of an Irish citizen science survey
Citation:
Coogan, A., Cleary-Gaffney, M., Finnegan, M., McMillan, G, Gonzalez, A., and Espey, B., Perceptions of light pollution and its impacts: Results of an Irish citizen science survey, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17, 15, 2020, 5628 - 5634Download Item:
ijerph-17-05628-v2.pdf (PDF) 1.140Mb
Abstract:
Background: Light pollution is increasingly an area of concern for health and quality of life research. Somewhat surprisingly, there are relatively few descriptions of perceptions of light pollution in the literature. The current study examined such perceptions in a Irish sample. Methods: A survey was circulated as part of a citizen science initiative of a national newspaper; the survey included questions regarding night sky brightness and the impact of light at night on sleep and animal behaviour. Complete responses from 462 respondents were analysed. Results: Urban location was, as anticipated, associated with reported brighter night skies, and public lighting was reported as the main source of light at night for urban settings, whilst neighbours’ domestic lighting was the most commonly reported source for rural settings. Respondents from rural settings were more likely to report that light at night impinged on sleep, whilst city dwellers were more likely to report recent changes in wildlife behaviour. Conclusions: Citizen science approaches may be useful in gathering data on public perceptions of light pollution and its impacts. In the current study, this perception was strongly influenced by location, highlighting the importance of assessing experiences and attitudes across a number of geographical settings.
Author's Homepage:
http://people.tcd.ie/espeybDescription:
PUBLISHEDhttps://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17155628
Author: Espey, Brian
Type of material:
Journal ArticleCollections:
Series/Report no:
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health17
15
Availability:
Full text availableKeywords:
Artificial light, Wildlife, Sleep, Public perceptions, Citizen scienceSubject (TCD):
Ageing , Cancer , Inclusive Society , Making Ireland , Smart & Sustainable Planet , Citizen Science , Conservation and wildlife biology , Light Pollution , Physics , Wildlife , articial light at night (ALAN) , sleep disruptionISSN:
1661-7827Licences: