Light pollution

(MUSIC PLAYS)

(INSECTS BUZZ)

DESCRIPTION:

An animated video. A backyard at night. A floodlight above a window turns on, illuminating the silhouette of a man, who sits down in front of a television. A magpie lands on the windowsill and taps its beak on the window.

(MUFFLED TELEVISION SOUNDS)

(A MAGPIE SINGS)

(KNOCKING)

MAGGIE:

G’day, Nick. It’s me, Maggie from next door. Sorry to bother you, but the kids are trying to sleep, and that light is shining right in our home.

DESCRIPTION:

Maggie the magpie points to a nearby tree, where three tired magpie larks are huddled in a nest. Another magpie flies wearily, and wobbles as it lands on the edge of the nest. It shakes its head.

MAGGIE:

You know, when we fly in and out of home, the glare from your light makes it really hard for us to focus, let alone get a good night’s sleep. Did you know that light pollution can have serious consequences for all kinds of wildlife?

DESCRIPTION:

In a clearing amongst tall grass, two kangaroos meet. As they kiss, a spotlight catches them. They both look at the light, before one of the kangaroos hops away. The remaining kangaroo slumps and bows it head. Elsewhere, a possum carefully pokes its head out of a tree hollow. Light catches the tips of the surrounding leaves, and part of the possum’s face. It looks around, before retreating into its burrow.

MAGGIE:

Light spillage, like Nick’s floodlight can disrupt reproductive cycles and make it difficult or unsafe for wildlife to go out and search for food.

DESCRIPTION:

The façade of a well-lit home. Indoor and outdoor lights flicker. Fairy lights, hung from the eaves, flash. An owl lands awkwardly on a nearby branch.

MAGGIE:

Light clutter is distracting and confusing for wildlife.

DESCRIPTION:

On a hill overlooking a brightly lit cityscape, a bilby pokes its head out of a bush. The bilby looks around, then retreats into the bush. Above the city, two butterflies repeatedly bump into each other.

MAGGIE:

Skyglow is the distant light glow from a city, making it hard to hide from predators in the dark or see the stars that many of us need to navigate.

DESCRIPTION:

A car drives down a darkened, suburban street. As it passes, streetlights and the indoor lights of the houses turn on. More traffic passes.

MAGGIE:

Artificial light at night is increasing every year. And that means more dangerous impacts for me and my friends.

DESCRIPTION:

As Maggie stands outside, Nick closes a blind over the window. The magpies in the nest all fall asleep as the lights surrounding them go out.

MAGGIE:

Be a good neighbour. Play your part and help us switch off light pollution together. Thanks, Nick.

DESCRIPTION:

Text on screen reads: Let’s switch off light pollution together. The Commonwealth Coat of Arms Appears above the text: Australian Government - Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment. A URL on screen reads: awe.gov.au/light-pollution.

MAGGIE:

Follow the link, for helpful guidance on reducing light pollution and spread the word.

(GENTLE MUSIC PLAYS, CRICKETS CHIRP)

DESCRIPTION:

An animated video. At night, a colony of four bats flies past a darkened house, surrounded by greenery. A bilby walks amongst bushes. A possum descends a tree.

SPEAKER:

Most Australian mammals are nocturnal.

DESCRIPTION:

A floodlight attached to the house turns on, and shines over the yard. The possum falls out of the tree into a bush. The bilby freezes, then scurries away.

SPEAKER:

Artificial light at night can cause them harm.

DESCRIPTION:

The possum emerges from the bush, sniffs, then retreats. Elsewhere, a possum emerges at the opening of a tree hollow. The possum halts as an owl lands beside it. Two kangaroos meet in a clearing amongst tall grass. As they kiss, a spotlight catches them. They both look at the light, before one of the kangaroos hops away. The remaining kangaroo slumps and bows it head.

SPEAKER:

It can make them spend less time looking for food, make them more vulnerable to predators and confuse their reproductive cycles.

DESCRIPTION:

A bilby emerges from behind a bush. The indoor and exterior lights of a nearby two-storey house illuminate the area. The bilby stays low, and retreats behind the bush. 

SPEAKER:

Help Australia’s mammals by avoiding illuminating the area’s they rest, forage in, or travel through.

DESCRIPTION:

A man and a woman stand on the upstairs balcony of the house. Moths flutter in the beams of four exterior lights. All the lights turn off, except for one, which lowers in intensity. Many of the moths fly away, except for one, which stays under the now-lowered light.

SPEAKER:

Illuminate only what you really need and keep light intensity low.

DESCRIPTION:

The colour of the light changes to amber, and the final moth flies away. 

SPEAKER:

Choose amber to red-coloured lights which don’t disturb them as much.

DESCRIPTION:

The bilby emerges from the bush and approaches a butterfly, resting on a nearby leaf.

SPEAKER:

Play your part to help our mammals by reducing your light pollution.

DESCRIPTION:

A URL on screen:  awe.gov.au/light-pollution

SPEAKER:

Consult the National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife to find out more about how you can help.

DESCRIPTION:

Text on screen reads: Let’s switch off light pollution together. The Commonwealth Coat of Arms Appears above the text: Australian Government - Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment.

SPEAKER:

Let’s switch off light pollution together.

(MUSIC PLAYS)

(GENTLE MUSIC PLAYS)

DESCRIPTION:

An animated video. At night, a full moon shines over a beach. Beyond the beach, the bright lights of a house illuminate people seated on a deck. The light casts a white glow over the surrounding environment: tall trees, shrubs and grass. The light of the moon appears dimmer.

SPEAKER:

Artificial light is a high risk to our sea turtles’ reproduction and survival.

DESCRIPTION:

The artificial light catches on the surface of the water. A sea turtle floating nearby looks on contemptuously, then swims away.

SPEAKER:

Many females won’t lay their eggs on brightly lit beaches.

DESCRIPTION:

At another beach, the full light of the moon and stars bounces off the water. A small bale turtles crawl across the sand, guided by the light.

SPEAKER:

Baby sea turtles find the ocean using the reflection of the moon and stars on the water.

DESCRIPTION:

Artificial light radiates from nearby buildings and a pier to the right of the turtles. As they reach the water’s edge, one of the turtles’ changes course, and heads toward the pier. The weary turtle drags itself along the shoreline. A predatory bird screeches as it rears itself from behind a nearby sand mound.

SPEAKER:

Artificial light can disorient them and make them more vulnerable to predators and dehydration.

DESCRIPTION:

The exterior and interior lights of a beachside apartment complex cast a bright, white glow, over the surrounding environment. The lights dim. The external lights emit amber-coloured beams.

SPEAKER:

To help Australia’s sea turtles, avoid using lights near their nesting beaches.

DESCRIPTION:

Sand dunes, trees and bushes appear on the beach below. 

SPEAKER:

Maintain a dune or vegetation screen.

DESCRIPTION:

A boat shines a torchlight into the water below. A sea turtle, caught in the beam, swims toward the boat. The light turns off, and the turtle swims toward the moonlight.

SPEAKER:

Only use lights where you really need.

DESCRIPTION:

The bright interior lights of the boat’s cabin turn off. Two amber lights turn on. On land, the bright, white lights of a home turn off. A single, amber floodlight above the front door turns on. 

SPEAKER:

And use low intensity on land and water, and amber lights on land.

DESCRIPTION:

Guided by the moonlight, a bale of sea turtles crawl toward the water.

SPEAKER:

Play your part to help our sea turtles by reducing your light pollution.

DESCRIPTION:

A URL on screen:  awe.gov.au/light-pollution

SPEAKER:

Consult the National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife to find out more about how you can help.

DESCRIPTION:

Text on screen reads: Let’s switch off light pollution together. The Commonwealth Coat of Arms Appears above the text: Australian Government - Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment.

SPEAKER:

Let’s switch off light pollution together.

(MUSIC PLAYS)

(GENTLE MUSIC PLAYS)

DESCRIPTION:

An animated video. At night, two seabirds fly along a headland, toward a radiant full moon. As they round a cliff face, they change course and head toward artificial light emanating from buildings along a pier. A broken line measures the distance between the birds and the pier. Text: 15 km. 

SPEAKER:

Artificial light can be harmful to birds, particularly nocturnal seabirds and shorebirds, even from long distances.

DESCRIPTION:

The bright, white glow of artificial light flickers over three tired magpie larks, huddled in a nest. A seabird flies, guided by the moon. The light of a ship’s mast turns on. The bird collides with the mast.

SPEAKER:

It can disrupt their sleep, breeding, migration, and cause collisions.

DESCRIPTION:

Two birds sleep on the bank of a creek. Bright light pours out from the windows of a nearby home, startling the birds awake. A stalking cat emerges from the tall grass.

(BIRD CHIRPING)

SPEAKER:

It reduces their ability to forage and can make them vulnerable to predators, particularly fledglings.

DESCRIPTION:

A white glow illuminates a flock of flustered seagulls on a rocky outcrop. The seagulls become calm as the light dims.

SPEAKER:

To help Australia’s birds, avoid illuminating their feeding and resting areas, or migration pathways.

DESCRIPTION:

A flock of seabirds fret as they fly over of a brightly lit pier. The birds settle as the lights of the pier turn amber.

SPEAKER:

Reduce light during breeding and migration seasons.

DESCRIPTION:

A bird rests under a bright, white light on a ship’s mast. The light turns amber. The bird looks up, then flies toward the light of the moon.

SPEAKER:

Limit use of artificial light around jetties, wharves, marinas and at sea.

DESCRIPTION:

Two birds pass by an open gate. Beyond the gate, a floodlight above the front door of a home casts a bright, white glow. The floodlight runs off, and a series of low, amber coloured ground lights turn on.

SPEAKER:

And use low intensity, appropriate coloured light only where and when you really need.

DESCRIPTION:

The seagulls on the rocky outcrop sleep. Another flock of birds fly in the distance.

SPEAKER:

Play your part to help our birds by reducing your light pollution.

DESCRIPTION:

A URL on screen:  awe.gov.au/light-pollution

SPEAKER:

Consult the National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife to find out more about how you can help.

DESCRIPTION:

Text on screen reads: Let’s switch off light pollution together. The Commonwealth Coat of Arms Appears above the text: Australian Government - Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment.

SPEAKER:

Let’s switch off light pollution together.

(MUSIC PLAYS)

DESCRIPTION: An animated video. A darkened house at night, surrounded by greenery. A streetlight, indoor lights, and fairy lights hanging from the eaves turn on. A possum emerges from a bush in the front yard. A streetlight turns on and shines on the possum, which retreats into the bush.

SPEAKER: We all use artificial light at night, but our light pollution can create harmful consequences for wildlife.

DESCRIPTION: A woman in the house walks past the window. Text on screen reads: Six Best Practice Principles to Reduce Light Pollution.

SPEAKER: Fortunately, there are things you can do to help. To reduce light pollution and protect our wildlife, it is important to follow these six simple best-practice lighting principles.

DESCRIPTION: In a darkened driveway, a man exits a car. As he walks toward a house, low, amber-coloured ground lights along the pathway turn on, one by one, then turn off.

SPEAKER: First, start with natural darkness, consider your needs and add light for specific purposes.

DESCRIPTION: As the man approaches the front door, an amber-coloured sensor light turns on. Bright light pours out of the doorway as he opens the front door. He turns the dial of a dimmer switch, and the light intensity lowers.

SPEAKER: Use adaptive light controls, sensors and dimmers to manage light timing and intensity.

DESCRIPTION: In a brightly lit room, a woman closes a blind over a window. The artificial light illuminating the yard outside, including a family of magpies in a nest, dims then disappears. The magpies fall asleep.

SPEAKER: Only light the areas you really need and prevent light from spilling into areas it’s not needed.

DESCRIPTION: In a backyard, a man and woman, both holding a glass of red wine, stand around a table. The angle of the floodlight shining on them lowers, as does the intensity of the light. The light source drops closer to the ground. A bilby watches from behind a nearby bush. The people clink their glasses.

SPEAKER: Lights should be kept low in intensity and close to the ground.

DESCRIPTION: A flood light shines on a light-coloured external wall of a house. A ladder leans against the wall, alongside painting supplies. The wall is painted a darker colour. The intensity of the floodlight diminishes.

SPEAKER: Choose darker, non-reflective finishes for your home to prevent light from bouncing off into nature or the sky.

DESCRIPTION: The man and woman sit at the table in their backyard, illuminated by a floodlight and five ground lights. Moths flutter in the beam of the floodlight. The colour of the artificial light changes from bright, white to amber. The moths fly off into the night.

SPEAKER: And choose orange, red or amber coloured lights which reduce skyglow and that wildlife are generally less sensitive to.

DESCRIPTION: The surrounding wildlife - a possum in a tree hollow, the magpie family in the nest, and two small marsupials scurrying amongst bushes - are largely unimpacted by the amber light from of the backyard.

SPEAKER: Using these six simple principles will help you to be a better neighbour to your wildlife.

DESCRIPTION: A URL on screen: awe.gov.au/light-pollution.

SPEAKER: Follow the link for helpful guidance on reducing light pollution, and spread the word.

DESCRIPTION: Text on screen reads: Let’s switch off light pollution together. The Commonwealth Coat of Arms Appears above the text: Australian Government - Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment.

SPEAKER: Let’s switch off light pollution together.

(MUSIC PLAYS)