Coogan, Andrew and Cleary-Gaffney, Michael and Finnegan, Megan and McMillan, Georgia and Gonzalez, Ainhoa and Espey, Brian (2020) Perceptions of Light Pollution and its Impacts: Results of an Irish Citizen Science Survey. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 (5628). ISSN 1661-7827

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Abstract

Background: Light pollution is increasingly an area of concern for health and quality of life research. Somewhat surprisingly, there are relatively few descriptions of perceptions of light pollution in the literature. The current study examined such perceptions in a Irish sample. Methods: A survey was circulated as part of a citizen science initiative of a national newspaper; the survey included questions regarding night sky brightness and the impact of light at night on sleep and animal behaviour. Complete responses from 462 respondents were analysed. Results: Urban location was, as anticipated, associated with reported brighter night skies, and public lighting was reported as the main source of light at night for urban settings, whilst neighbours’ domestic lighting was the most commonly reported source for rural settings. Respondents from rural settings were more likely to report that light at night impinged on sleep, whilst city dwellers were more likely to report recent changes in wildlife behaviour. Conclusions: Citizen science approaches may be useful in gathering data on public perceptions of light pollution and its impacts. In the current study, this perception was strongly influenced by location, highlighting the importance of assessing experiences and attitudes across a number of geographical settings.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: Coogan, A.N.; Cleary-Gaffney, M.; Finnegan, M.; McMillan, G.; González, A.; Espey, B. Perceptions of Light Pollution and its Impacts: Results of an Irish Citizen Science Survey. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 5628. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17155628
Keywords:	artificial light; wildlife; sleep; public perceptions; citizen science;
Academic Unit:	Assisting Living & Learning,ALL institute Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology Faculty of Science and Engineering > Research Institutes > Human Health Institute
Item ID:	15053
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17155628
Depositing User:	Dr. Andrew Coogan
Date Deposited:	22 Nov 2021 17:25
Journal or Publication Title:	International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Publisher:	MDPI
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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