God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light 'day', and the darkness he called 'night' - and humans came along and left lights switched on all night, illuminating the world like a Christmas tree, 24 hours a day.
France has taken action against this unnecessary 24-hour lighting by prohibiting retail, commercial and facade lighting during the hours of darkness - a policy which 61 per cent of Lux Magazine readers believe we should adopt across the Channel.
For the billions of years of Earth's existence, there has been a distinction between the light of day and the dark of night. Ecosystems have evolved within this framework and the world and environment around us relies on this differentiation.
However, leaving lights on all night upsets this equilibrium and can therefore have a hugely detrimental impact on local ecosystems. Migratory species have been set off-course due to light pollution confusing their sense of direction; sea turtles have been seen heading inland as they try to find the sea, as they rely on complete darkness to navigate them to the water.
Michael Mesure, executive director of the Fatal Light Awareness Program, told National Geographic how in 1954 50,000 birds died within just two nights after they blindly followed lights into the ground at Warner Robins Air Force Base in Georgia.
Leaving lights on at night and causing light pollution in this way is not only a problem for local ecosystems - it is a total waste of energy and therefore producing unnecessary emissions, which damages the wider environment.
Nigel Harvey, chief executive at Recolight, told Lux Magazine: "The unnecessary use of energy has a direct impact on global climate. I agree that our job as an industry is to educate users and make lower energy solutions available."
Anybody with glaring nighttime outdoor lighting, which is guzzling power and creating unnecessary light pollution, may therefore like to consider a new solution, which would be better for the environment.
