Saving the Night: How Light Pollution Is Harming Life on Earth
Saving the Night: How Light Pollution Is Harming Life on Earth
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Publisher's Hardcover ©2023--
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Orca Books
Just the Series: Orca Footprints   

Series and Publisher: Orca Footprints   

Annotation: This nonfiction book introduces middle-grade readers to the effects of light pollution. Illustrated with photos throughout, it examines why darkness is important for plants, animals and people, and the practical things we can do to protect the night sky for all ecosystems on the planet.
Genre: [Government]
 
Reviews: 2
Catalog Number: #350727
Format: Publisher's Hardcover
Common Core/STEAM: STEAM STEAM
Publisher: Orca Books
Copyright Date: 2023
Edition Date: 2023 Release Date: 03/14/23
Pages: 48 pages
ISBN: 1-459-83107-1
ISBN 13: 978-1-459-83107-0
Dewey: 363.7
LCCN: 2022935255
Dimensions: 25 cm.
Language: English
Reviews:
ALA Booklist (Tue Feb 28 00:00:00 CST 2023)

This informative addition to the Footprints series discusses the environmental consequences of light pollution. A biologist and science writer, Aitken points out that plants and animals on Earth evolved over millions of years in an environment with dark nights. For some species, darkness is vital to survival. But over the last century, electric lighting has brightened the nights in many areas and eroded the darkness. Animals rely on darkness for safety from predators when foraging, mating, and building their homes. Trees in brightly lit cities have longer growing seasons, making them more vulnerable to frost damage. Artificial light affects people as well, disrupting the circadian rhythm and interfering with sleep. One of Aitken's strong points is his ability to make statements about broad concerns and back them up with several pertinent examples, showing how particular animals or plants are threatened by artificial lighting in specific ways. Well-chosen color photos appear throughout the book. One of the few children's books focused on light pollution, this organized, involving book will fill a gap in many library collections.

Kirkus Reviews

An overview of the effects of artificial light on nature and us.Aitken notes that many wild creatures are confused by increased levels of nighttime illumination-after all, as he states, half of all invertebrates, 3 out of 4 mammals, and nearly all amphibians are nocturnal. At times, he gets a bit off message, allowing that many bats enjoy the "all-you-can-eat bugfest" around streetlights; he also discusses how 3 out of 4 sea creatures naturally glow in the dark and that miners have used fireflies and dried fish skins for light. However, his laments for the loss of unobstructed views of the night sky and the deaths of millions of bird colliding with lit windows, his warnings about the effects of blue (but not yellow) LED lights on our levels of melatonin, and his reports on how brighter security lights cause crime levels to rise-and vice versa-are well taken, and he does close with a sensible invitation to young nature lovers to flick the switches off and "take a walk on the dark side." Color photos supply views of densely starry skies, lit up cityscapes, wildlife, and diverse sets of human observers.Veers off course occasionally but flashes on a too often unconsidered sort of environmental pollution. (resource lists, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 9-12)

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ALA Booklist (Tue Feb 28 00:00:00 CST 2023)
Kirkus Reviews
Bibliography Index/Note: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Reading Level: 5.0
Interest Level: 4-7
Lexile: 1090L
Guided Reading Level: X
Fountas & Pinnell: X

Light pollution threatens the survival of every living species on our planet, including people.

It started when Thomas Edison invented the first light bulb more than 150 years ago. Then, as electric light became more common, light pollution began to take over cities and towns. Today, in urban centers all over the world, the stars in the sky aren't visible. Millions of people have never seen the Milky Way. In Saving the Night, we discover how plants and animals have adapted over millions of years to survive and thrive in the dark, and how artificial light can upset the balance of entire ecosystems. But there are ways we can take back the night for animals, plants and us. It starts with the flick of a switch.


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