Hong
Kong is famous for the lighting view, the colourful and bright lightings along the
streets have become a characteristic in Hong Kong. However, behind the
beautiful scenery, the lightings have threatened our life and environment,
causing light pollution. Light pollution means that the artificial outdoor
lightings were used excessively. Hong Kong government should legislate on
regulating the light pollution.[1]
(Hong Kong Night Sky Brightness Monitoring
Network(NSN), n.d.)
The
light pollution in Hong Kong is very serious so it should be regulated.
According to a research, Hong Kong urban night sky was 100 to 1000 times
brighter than the international dark sky standard. Hong Kong has become one of
the most light-polluted cities in the world.[2] (The University of Hong Kong, 2013)
The
other reasons for regulation are about the harmful effects of light pollution
on environment, economic and living things.
On
environment aspect, the direct effect was that the number of visible stars have
decreased because the light in urban area is too bright which cover the stars.[3] (Dr Chun Shing Jason Pun, Mr Chu Wing So, 2007) In addition, excessive lightings
lead to more energy is used. This will intensify the global warming due to more
emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.[4] (International Astronomical Union, n.d.)
The
effects on economic are correlated to the environmental effects. More energy
used which means the expenditure spending on lightings is higher.[5]
(International Astronomical Union, n.d.) When
the lightings still turn on at mid-night, the lightings for advertising are
ineffective because no one is on the street. This is wastage of money.
Furthermore, when the global warming is intensified, higher expenditure is
needed for easing the global warming.
There
are adverse effects of light pollution on living things which divided into two
types, animals and human.
For
animals, the excessive lightings affect the physiological cycles and the
movements of animals. For example, to the birds migrate at night, the lightings
will misleading their orientations of migration. The birds become trapped in
the lighted areas. The bright night also affect the animals exercise at night
such as frog, the high lighting intensity will cause the blind of the animals.[6]
(Hong Kong Night Sky Brightness Monitoring
Network(NSN), n.d.)
People
need to bear risk on physical and psychological health problem in the long term
because of light pollution. The sleeping quality is affected and people would
suffer from headache, increasing in stress and anxiety. [7] (Hong Kong Night Sky Brightness Monitoring Network(NSN),
n.d.) The influence
of light pollution to human can be reflected by the data from the Task force on
External lighting, set by the Environment Bureau of HKSARG. There were around
200 cases per year of complaints on external lighting form 2009 to 2012. The
major concern of complaints in 2012 was light nuisance.[8] (Task Force on External Lighting, 2012) The situation have no
improvement.
The
influences of light pollution on environment, economic and human will become
more serious unless the government legislate to regulate the pollution. What
measures should the government take?
The Task
force on External lighting suggested a method to regulate the external
lightings to ease light pollution. The artificial lightings should be turned
off at the specific time. The most suitable time is at 12a.m. The appointed
time for some areas is different. For the areas where most of the business
activities keep continuous after the designate time such as Mong Kok, the
appointed time will be later. The signboards of the shops on the ground floor
which work until midnight can have exemption. For upstairs’ shops the signboards
cannot be exempted as the lightings are close to residents. However, the
upstairs’ shops can put their signboards near the building exits in order to
attract customers at mid-night.[9] (TVB, 2013)
On top
of this method, the government should set the standard for the intensity for
the artificial lightings. The intensity should be regulated to a lower level.
There is no standard for the intensity for the lighting and most of the
lightings are too bright that make people’s eyes feel uncomfortable when
walking along the street. Setting the standard could not affect human’s eyes as
well as reduce the negative impacts on the environment.
Some
people against for the legislation on external lightings because there are
disadvantages after legislation. Tourism will be affected because Hong Kong is
popular for the lighting view at night. If external lightings are forced to
turn off, this will lower the attraction of Hong Kong. In addition, the
legislation also affect some of the business such as the shops working till the
mid-night and upstairs’ shops. It is difficult for them to be noticed to the
customers that they still working.[10] (TVB, 2013)
The
legislation only bring low degree of disadvantages to Hong Kong. In tourism, the
lighting views before 12 a.m. would not affected as the lightings can be still
turned on. Tourists could still appreciate wonderful night views. Furthermore,
fewer people would walk along the street at mid-night so the impact is low.
Furthermore, some tourists said that they were confused by the excessive
artificial lightings in the urban areas when staying on streets for long period
of time as the lightings were too bright to them.[11] (TVB, 2013) Lower the intensity of lightings could tackle this problem. The
lightings would not be too bright to make people feel more comfortable. Moreover,
the legislation would not affect the tourism as well as improving the tourism
in Hong Kong. Since the awareness on protecting the environment of people have
increased, legislation could develop the positive image that Hong Kong would
take the responsibility to improve the environment. People would like to come
to a more environmental friendly city.
For
those businesses, the exemption of the measures could ease the problems faced
by them. The exemption allowed the shops to keep the external lightings on and
the artificial lightings of upstairs’ shops could be put near the main exits of
the buildings. People can notice that the shops are still working and will not
affect their business.
To
conclude, light pollution influence our living environment and living standard
as well as the light pollution in Hong Kong is highly seriousness. It is
necessary and the time for the government to legislate on regulating the light
pollution in order to bear the responsibilities to help the environment and change
Hong Kong into an environmental friendly city.
(1002
words)
[1] Hong Kong
Night Sky Brightness Monitoring Network(NSN). (n.d.). What is Light
Pollution? Retrieved from Hong Kong Night Sky Brightness Monitoring Network(NSN):
http://nightsky.physics.hku.hk/what-is-light-pollution.php
[2] The University of Hong Kong. (2013, 5 19). The largest ever database on
night sky brightness HK urban night sky can be 1,000 times brighter than the
darkest standard. Retrieved from The University of Hong Kong:
http://www.hku.hk/press/press-releases/detail/9405.html
[3] Dr Chun
Shing Jason Pun, Mr Chu Wing So. (2007). Report of A Survey of Light
Pollution in Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Department of Physics, The University of
Hong Kong.
[4] International
Astronomical Union. (n.d.). The Environmental Cost. Retrieved from
International Astronomical Union:
http://www.britastro.org/dark-skies/environmental.html#environmenta
[5] International
Astronomical Union. (n.d.). The Economic Cost of light pollution.
Retrieved from International Astronomical Union:
http://www.britastro.org/dark-skies/economic.html
[6] Hong Kong Night Sky Brightness
Monitoring Network(NSN). (n.d.). Adverse Effects of Light Pollution on the
Environment and on Human. Retrieved from Hong Kong Night Sky Brightness
Monitoring Network(NSN):
http://nightsky.physics.hku.hk/adverse-effects-of-light-pollution-on-the-environment-and-on-human.php
[7] Hong Kong Night Sky Brightness
Monitoring Network(NSN). (n.d.). Adverse Effects of Light Pollution on the
Environment and on Human. Retrieved from Hong Kong Night Sky Brightness
Monitoring Network(NSN):
http://nightsky.physics.hku.hk/adverse-effects-of-light-pollution-on-the-environment-and-on-human.php
[8] Task Force on External Lighting. (2012). Document
for Engaging Stakeholders and the Public. Hong Kong: the Environment Bureau
of HKSARG.
[9] TVB. (2013, 8 12). Light Pollution . Retrieved
from TVB iNews :
http://news.tvb.com/programmes/closerlook/5209af426db28c9d4b000000
[10] TVB. (2013, 8 12). Light Pollution . Retrieved
from TVB iNews :
http://news.tvb.com/programmes/closerlook/5209af426db28c9d4b000000
[11] TVB. (2013, 8 12). Light Pollution . Retrieved
from TVB iNews :
http://news.tvb.com/programmes/closerlook/5209af426db28c9d4b000000
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