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Observing the Impact of WWF Earth Hour on Urban Light Pollution: A Case Study in Berlin 2018 Using Differential Photometry

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  • Andreas Jechow

    (Leibniz Instute for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany
    GFZ German Centre for Geosciences, 14473 Potsdam, Germany)

Abstract

Earth Hour is one of the most successful coordinated mass efforts worldwide to raise awareness of environmental issues, with excessive energy consumption being one driver of climate change. The campaign, first organized by the World Wildlife Fund in Australia in 2007, has grown across borders and cultures and was celebrated in 188 countries in 2018. It calls for voluntarily reduction of electricity consumption for a single hour of one day each year. Switching off non-essential electric lights is a central theme and resulted in 17,900 landmarks going dark in 2018. This switch-off of lights during Earth Hour also leads to reduction of light pollution for this specific period. In principle, Earth Hour allows the study of light pollution and the linkage to electricity consumption of lighting. However, quantitative analysis of the impact of Earth Hour on light pollution (and electricity consumption) are sparse, with only a few studies published showing no clear impact or the reverse, suffering from residual twilight and unstable weather conditions. In this work, light pollution measurements during Earth Hour 2018 in an urban park (Tiergarten) in Berlin, Germany, are reported. A novel light measurement method using differential photometry with calibrated digital cameras enables tracking of the switching off and switching back on of the lights of Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate and the buildings of Potsdamer Platz adjacent to the park. Light pollution reduction during the event was measurable, despite the presence of moonlight. Strategies for future work on light pollution using such events are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Andreas Jechow, 2019. "Observing the Impact of WWF Earth Hour on Urban Light Pollution: A Case Study in Berlin 2018 Using Differential Photometry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-16, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:3:p:750-:d:202387
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tim Edensor, 2015. "The gloomy city: Rethinking the relationship between light and dark," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 52(3), pages 422-438, February.
    2. Eva Knop & Leana Zoller & Remo Ryser & Christopher Gerpe & Maurin Hörler & Colin Fontaine, 2017. "Artificial light at night as a new threat to pollination," Nature, Nature, vol. 548(7666), pages 206-209, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hoi-Wing Chan & Vivien Pong & Kim-Pong Tam, 2020. "Explaining participation in Earth Hour: the identity perspective and the theory of planned behavior," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 158(3), pages 309-325, February.
    2. Andreas Papalambrou & Lambros T. Doulos, 2019. "Identifying, Examining, and Planning Areas Protected from Light Pollution. The Case Study of Planning the First National Dark Sky Park in Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-24, October.
    3. Kountouris, Yiannis, 2022. "Awareness days and environmental attitudes: The case of the “Earth Hour”," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    4. Karolina M. Zielińska-Dabkowska & Kyra Xavia & Katarzyna Bobkowska, 2020. "Assessment of Citizens’ Actions against Light Pollution with Guidelines for Future Initiatives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-32, June.
    5. Salvador Bará & Raul C. Lima & Jaime Zamorano, 2019. "Monitoring Long-Term Trends in the Anthropogenic Night Sky Brightness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-14, May.
    6. Tanya Kaur Bedi & Kshama Puntambekar & Sonal Singh, 2021. "Light pollution in India: appraisal of artificial night sky brightness of cities," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(12), pages 18582-18597, December.

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    Keywords

    light pollution; earth hour;

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