Light pollution awareness at annual "Night of the Night"

During the night from Saturday to Sunday, the Nature and Environment Federation will be drawing attention to light pollution and energy waste in the Netherlands for the twentieth time. During the Night of Nights, hundreds of companies and municipalities will switch off the lights of buildings and advertising lights. In addition, events are organized in the dark throughout the country. “Let the darkness be dark and discover how beautiful the night is,” is the call from the federation.

"Light pollution has recently been recognized in the scientific community as a possible main cause of global species extinction," says Annie van de Pas, director of the Nature and Environment Federation. "The urgency of action is still not sufficiently recognized, while we really need to turn the tide now." According to the federation, the Netherlands is one of the areas in Europe with the most light pollution.

Darkness is not only essential for animals but also important for humans. “Artificial light disrupts our biological clock, which can lead to sleep disorders, depression, obesity, increased stress, and breast cancer,” says the organization. “Without dark nights, we lose our balance.”

For instance, birds can become disoriented and fly into buildings or die of exhaustion. During bird migration, millions of birds die each year due to light pollution from cities, oil platforms, and large business clusters, Nature and Environment Federations explains. “Especially now that the UN biodiversity summit is taking place in Colombia, it is important to address the major impact of light pollution on nature and give it the place in policy that it deserves,” according to the organization.

Nighttime activities are organized throughout the Netherlands on Saturday night, such as canoe and boat trips in the dark with explanations about nocturnal nature, climbing in a dark forest, night painting, and lectures at local observatories.