The Fight to Return Darkness to Taiwan's Light-Polluted Skies
Bright city lights do more than obscure starry skies. They also have an adverse impact on our health and on the ecology around us. The Taiwan Dark Sky Association hopes to illuminate the issue of light pollution through a series of nighttime workshops, and create more dark sky parks where people can enjoy nature free from blinding lights.
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00:00A sky full of stars. It's an increasingly rare sight in a fast-paced modern world. But
00:13in Taiwan, and across the globe, efforts are being made to protect the night sky, and the
00:18creatures that rely on it. For the Taiwan Dark Sky Association, a branch
00:27of Dark Sky International, those efforts begin where the lights are brightest – the
00:32city. Through regular excursions and workshops,
00:51a team of educators, including naturalists and lighting experts, aim to teach people
00:56about light pollution, and bring attention to the unnecessary amounts of light that flood
01:01cities after dark.
01:26And special sessions outside the city give
01:33attendees the chance to see some of Taiwan's unique scenery from a new perspective. Here
01:38at Yearlio Geopark on Taiwan's northeast coast, participants learn that less can be
01:42more when it comes to artificial light.
02:04The workshops bring people together from all walks of life, and seem to be leaving an impression.
02:12The
02:35Dark Sky Association does more than host workshops. After a successful campaign, Mount Hehuan
02:41became the country's first official dark sky park in 2019. They've continued pushing
02:47for more places to be recognised, including parts of the outlying islands of Penghu and
02:52Matsu.
03:12But reducing light pollution is about more than just stargazing. It's also about protecting
03:17the environment and its inhabitants.
03:47And humans can expect to benefit from dimming the lights too, as it brings us back closer
03:55to our natural circadian rhythms.
04:17By compiling evidence of excessive use of light, and its impact on the world around
04:24us, the Dark Sky Association wants cities to take more action to reduce light pollution.
04:31The hope is parts of the country can return to darkness, giving animals and people respite
04:36from the blinding lights, and a place to appreciate the night sky.
04:41Leon Lien and Rhys Ayres for Taiwan Plus.