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Glare and reflective pavement Piet Zijlstra/PolyCiviel 160325

Piet Zijlstra
Piet Zijlstra

The document discusses the negative impacts of light pollution from artificial lights on ecosystems and the environment. It notes that artificial lights disrupt natural day-night cycles that many plants and animals depend on. Nocturnal animals are particularly impacted as artificial lights turn night into day. Many birds and sea turtles are also negatively affected as they can become disoriented or attracted to lights. The document advocates using reflective pavements which provide better nighttime visibility while reducing lighting requirements.

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Op alle offertes, werkzaamheden van en overeenkomsten met PolyCiviel zijn de RVOI 2001 voorwaarden van toepassing, gedeponeerd ter griffie van de Arrondissementsrechtbank te Den Haag op 2 juli 2001 onder nummer 84, welke voorwaarden u op eerste verzoek kosteloos worden toegezonden. 25 MAART 2016 The Natural Night Sky Inspires Until recently, for all of human history, our ancestors experienced a sky brimming with stars a night sky that inspired science, religion, philosophy, art and literature, including some of Shakespeares most famous sonnets. The natural night sky is our common and universal heritage, yet is rapidly becoming unknown to the newest generations. For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream. Vincent van Gogh Van Gogh painted his famous Starry Night in Saint Remy, France, in 1889. Now, the Milky Way can no longer be seen from there. If he were alive today, would he still be inspired to paint Starry Night? Experiencing the night sky provides perspective, inspiration, and leads us to reflect on our humanity and place in the universe. The history of scientific discovery and even human curiosity itself is indebted to the natural night sky. PolyCiviel Kalkoven 3 9351 NP Leek M. (+31) 6 467 15 859 info@polyciviel.nl www.polyciviel.nl
Pagina 2 All life has relied on Earths predictable rhythm of day and night. Its encoded in the DNA of all plants and animals. Humans have radically disrupted this cycle by lighting up the night. Plants and animals depend on Earths daily cycle of light and dark rhythm to govern life-sustaining behaviors such as reproduction, nourishment, sleep and protection from predators. Scientific evidence suggests that artificial light at night has negative and deadly effects on many creatures including amphibians, birds, mammals, insects and plants. Artificial Lights Disrupt the Worlds Ecosystems Nocturnal animals sleep during the day and are active at night. Light pollution radically alters their nighttime environment by turning night into day. According to research scientist Christopher Kyba, for nocturnal animals, the introduction of artificial light probably represents the most drastic change human beings have made to their environment. Predators use light to hunt, and prey species use darkness as cover, Kyba explains Near cities, cloudy skies are now hundreds, or even thousands of times brighter than they were 200 years ago. We are only beginning to learn what a drastic effect this has had on nocturnal ecology. Glare from artificial lights can also impact wetland habitats that are home to amphibians such as frogs and toads, whose nighttime croaking is part of the breeding ritual. Artificial lights disrupt this nocturnal activity, interfering with reproduction and reducing populations. Artificial Lights Can Lead Baby Sea turtles to their Demise Sea turtles live in the ocean but hatch at night on the beach. Hatchlings find the sea by detecting the bright horizon over the ocean. Artificial lights draw them away from the ocean. In Florida alone, millions of hatchlings die this way every year. Artificial Lights have Devastating Effects on Many Bird Species
Pagina 3 Birds that migrate or hunt at night navigate by moonlight and starlight. Artificial light can cause them to wander off course and toward the dangerous nighttime landscapes of cities. Every year millions of birds die colliding with needlessly illuminated buildings and towers. Migratory birds depend on cues from properly timed seasonal schedules. Artificial lights can cause them to migrate too early or too late and miss ideal climate conditions for nesting, foraging and other behaviors. Ecosystems: Everything is Connected Many insects are drawn to light, but artificial lights can create a fatal attraction. Declining insect populations negatively impact all species that rely on insects for food or pollination. Some predators exploit this attraction to their advantage, affecting food webs in unanticipated ways. This is why reflective pavements can help in (dark sky) parks. Even when there is only moonlight people can find their way because of the reflective pavements. Unfortunately, municipalities enticed by substantial cost savings continue to rush into LED conversions without doing their homework. Often, this leads cities to accept various myths regarding LED street lighting, including claims that LEDs reduce light pollution while increasing safety and decreasing crime. Understandably, policymakers are under ever-increasing pressure to save energy, reduce costs and lower taxes, all while continuing to make their cities safer and more attractive. Although joining the LED streetlight revolution seems like a great solution, this seemingly good short-term answer often comes with misinformation, creating potential longterm negative effects on the environment and human health.
Pagina 4 In Europe therefore we started using reflective pavements such as reflective concrete and reflectve asphalt. Reflective pavements provide better nighttime illumination. Reflective pavements can enhance visibility at night, potentially reducing lighting requirements and saving money and energy. In the Netherlands road designers more often take pavement color into account when planning lighting. Its upcoming and many communities reduce light pollution and glare by less or even no lighting. Escpecially in the parks and outside the built-up area reflective pavement can do well because there is no light and the toplayer of the asphalt of concrete is only reflecting when there are bycyclists or cars.
Pagina 5 Reflective pavements may provide additional benefits, such as: comfort improvements. Using reflective or permeable pavements where people congregate or children play can provide localized comfort benefits through lower surface and near-surface air temperatures. Permeable roadway pavements can enhance safety because better water drainage reduces water spray from moving vehicles, increases traction, and may improve visibility by draining water that increases glare. Reducing pavement surface temperatures can reduce the risk of premature failure of asphalt pavements by rutting (depressions in the wheelpaths) where the combination of slow heavy trucks or buses and hot temperatures make this a concern. Bronnen: International Dark Sky Association, Dr. John Barentine , PolyCiviel-Piet Zijlstra.

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Glare and reflective pavement Piet Zijlstra/PolyCiviel 160325