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GREETINGS FROM about dark skies and light pollution. The International Dark-Sky
Association works to protect the night skies for present and future
KENYA For hundreds of millions of years, the web of life on land has been
generations. https://www.darksky.org/

dependent on, and determined by, day and night, light and dark.
Photosynthesis, the process by which plants grow, depends on light

Chats with Simon Murungi and dark. And all animals depend on plants for their survival.
One of the less frequently reported impacts of human activity on
the environment is the presence of artificial light. Lighting disrupts
photosynthesis and the activities of insects, birds and other animals.
Editor’s Comment: Below is an article sent on by Simon. Please visit A recent study, Light pollution is a driver of insect declines, says
the websites linked in this article. If you are in the least interested habitat loss, pesticide use, invasive species and climate change have
in the Dark Skies ideas, there is good information here. We’ll keep all played a role in insect declines globally, but that artificial light at
promoting Simon’s content – in our small way we can help spread night is another important—but often overlooked—cause. The light
the word of the needs in Africa in general and Kenya in particular. I affects insect movement, foraging, reproduction and predation, says
will note too… there could be items mentioned in the linked articles the study which, however, suggests that insect biodiversity loss can
that do not fit my thought processes but we are adult here – so, be mitigated with better informed lighting practices.
never shoot the messenger.
“Artificial light at night is unique among anthropogenic habitat
Simon has been selected as the Dark Skies representative Kenya disturbances in that it is fairly easy to ameliorate and leaves behind
under International Dark Skies Association. Here is much more no residual effects. Greater recognition of the ways in which

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