segunda-feira, 23 de fevereiro de 2015

98. Light pollution

     

 Light Pollution

Everyone who loves looking up at the night sky1 knows one thing2: to see the most stars … get away from3 a city. In cities, artificial light comes from street lamps4, buildings5, signs6 and cars. All this unnatural, man-made light blocks out any chance to see the stars.

In Washington, D.C. a man named Jim Dougherty is fighting for darker7 skies. He and others want to turn down the lights8 in the city and not just to improve9 stargazing10. They believe a darker night sky is good for the health11 of people and our planet.
What does Earth look like from space?12

The Earth appears to shine13 from space. What astronauts see as they circle the planet are the lights from our cities. This light creates a kind of orange cloud14 or haze15 that keeps us from seeing16 the stars.

Jim Dougherty is president of the International Dark Sky Association. He says the orange haze is light pollution. “Light pollution is outdoor lighting17 that’s not serving the task18 that it's designed for19. In fact20 it is either wasted or21, worse, has harmful22, adverse effects.”

Jim Dougherty says too much23 light is bad for your health. Studies find too much light disturbs24 our sleep, affects hormones and is linked to25 some cancers. He says light pollution is also bad for the planet.

“There’s a direct connection between the needless26 and harmful lighting and the excess generation. And it's also a big climate issue27. We’re worried about28 climate change. We're (are) just putting29 carbon dioxide up there30. If we are burning natural gas or we’re burning coal31, we’re causing global warming32 by sending light straight up33 into the sky.”

But how much light is too much? Mr. Dougherty went to a popular Washington neighborhood34 called Capitol Hill. In this area, round35 or globe-shaped36 street lights shine in all directions. He says too much light is being produced37. But some people who live on Capitol Hill disagree38.

VOA reporter Rosanne Skirble spoke with two people out for a casual, evening walk39.
“It makes me feel safe40, and I definitely feel like I can see all around me. I know no one41 is going to, like, hurt42 me or anything like that43. It’s just comforting.”
“The area around here is nice. It’s populated. So the lighting is a good amount44. It’s not too bright45 and it’s just the right setting46 for a romantic mood47.”

Jim Dougherty says he understands that Washington city officials want to make the sidewalks48 safe49. But he says the city set up50 two times the number of streetlamps than were necessary. And he says the lights are not designed well. They send light into the sky, where it is not needed. He says the street lamps are more for looks than safety51.

“The fact is the right amount52 of light is the right amount of light, and if you double it then you do not increase53 the public safety benefit, but you do increase the cost. You increase the energy use. You increase the climate impacts and the health effects. So, this is a classic example of over-lighting54.”

On their visit to the Capitol Hill, he and reporter Rosanne Skirble go to the grounds55 of a large apartment building. The grounds are lit by56 a combination of traditional lights that brighten57, or illuminate, the grounds and walls. There are also58 more modern lamps that send light downward59 in one place where it is needed.

In the recent past, the Capitol Hill neighborhood had its share60 of crime. It still has reports of robbery61, home break-ins62 and murder63.
Ways to light our cities without causing light pollution
There are signs of new lighting on the wide streets near the United States Capitol building. Jim Dougherty says that soon streetlights will not be necessary. But he says efficient lighting for sidewalks provide65 safety without wasting energy66 or causing light pollution.

Pretty soon67 in streets now we are not going to need streetlights because car headlights68 have become so bright. They are so effective. We use illuminated systems, paint stripe markers69 and reflectors. So, we really don’t need street lights. But we will need sidewalk lighting. They are lower70. They are dimmer71. They are more efficient, and they get the job done72 without wasting all that money and all that energy.”

With knowledge73 comes action, he says. He explains that city officials are taking steps74 to stop wasteful spending75 and protect public health.
“In some communities, they are adopting new technologies that they dim76 the lights, after say 1 a.m.,when people don’t really need it. So that's an important way to save77. There are also developing technologies now when you step into a park or when you drive your car down a street, the lights come on78 because they have motion sensors. Or they sense79 your cell phone. They come on when there is someone there and then they turn off80.”

A motion sensor81 turns lights on or off by detecting motion. Motion sensors can reduce lighting by 90 percent and still be effective. Mr. Dougherty hopes more communities use energy-saving devices like this82. He says he hopes that in the future, we humans can reclaim83 the night sky. I’m Anna Matteo. What is the night sky like where you live?84 Are you lucky enough to see the stars? Or do you live in a city that has lots of light pollution? Let us know in the comments section.

Vocabulary
1.      night sky = céu noturno
2.      knows one thing = sabe uma coisa
3.      get away from= fuja de
4.      street lamps = lâmpadas de rua
5.      buildings  = prédio
6.      signs = placas
7.      darker = mais escuro
8.      turn down the lights = apagar as luzes
9.      improve = melhorar
10.   stargazing = observação de estrelas
11.   health = saúde
12.   What does Earth look like from space? = Como a Terra se parece do espaço
13.   appears to shine = parece brilhar
14.   orange cloud  = nuvem laranja
15.   haze = névoa
16.   keeps us from seeing = nos impede de ver
17.   outdoor lighting = iluminação externa
18.   task = tarefa
19.   that it's designed for = para a qual foi designada
20.   In fact = na verdade
21.   either wasted or = ou desperdiçada ou
22.   harmful = prejudicial
23.   too much = demais
24.   disturbs = perturba
25.   is linked to = está ligado a
26.   needless = desnecessário
27.   climate issue= questão climática
28.   worried about= preocupado sobre
29.   putting = colocando
30.   up there = lá em cima
31.   coal = carvão
32.   global warming = aquecimento global
33.   straight up = direto lá para cima
34.   neighborhood = bairro
35.   round = Redondo(a)
36.   globe-shaped = em forma de globo
37.   is being produced = esta sendo produzido(a)
38.   disagree = discordar
39.   evening walk = caminhada noturna
40.   feel safe = sentir-se seguro
41.   no one = ninguem
42.   hurt = magoar, machucar
43.   anything like that = qualquer coisa assim
44.   amount = quantia
45.   too bright = brilhante demais
46.   setting = cenário
47.   romantic mood = clima romantic
48.   sidewalks = calçadas
49.   safe = seguro(a)
50.   set up = instalou
51.   safety = segurança
52.   right amount = quantia certa
53.   increase = aumentar
54.   over-lighting = excesso de iluminação
55.   grounds = terrenos, áreas
56.   lit by = iluminado por
57.   brighten = clarear
58.   There are also = existem também
59.   Downward = para baixo, descendente
60.   Share = cota
61.   Robbery = roubo
62.   home break-ins = invasão de residencies
63.   murder = assassinato
64.   wide streets = ruas largas
65.   provide = fornecer
66.   without wasting energy = sem desperdiçar energia
67.   Pretty soon = muito em breve
68.   car headlights = farois de carros
69.   stripe markers = marcadores de faixas
70.   lower = mais baixo(a)
71.   dimmer = escuro(a)
72.   get the job done = fazem o trabalho
73.   knowledge = conhecimento
74.   taking steps = tomando medidas
75.   wasteful spending = gastos desnecessários
76.   dim = diminuir (luzes)
77.   save = economizar
78.   the lights come on = as luzes se acendem
79.   sense = captar, perceber
80.   turn off = apagar
81.   motion sensor = sensor de movimento
82.   devices like this = dispositivos como estes
83.   reclaim = recuperar
84.   What is the night sky like where you live? = Como é o céu onde voce mora