Life on earth has evolved in association with a daily cycle of daylight and darkness but artificial outdoor lighting has transformed the nocturnal face of the earth. Individual countries and large towns can be identified from space at night by their illumination. Astronomers have difficulties in carrying out their observations due to the increasing level of background illumination of the night sky. Electric lighting in some areas has increased nocturnal sky brightness up to 20-fold. Modification of the natural environment on such a dramatic scale is unlikely to be without significance to flora and fauna.
There is an increasing demand for artificial lighting for safety (road schemes etc.), crime prevention (security lighting), and for leisure activities (floodlighting of sports facilities) etc. Applications for floodlighting/ security lighting frequently appear in planning lists.
Floodlighting of sports facilities ranging from football to tennis and equestrian centres to dry ski slopes is becoming increasingly common. In urban areas this is probably not significant but in rural locations of high wildlife value it can pose problems.
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