Light Pollution in Hong Kong: An Environmental Nuisance

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Have you ever seen a starry night in Hong Kong?
According to a study by the faculty of science at the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong has become the most light-polluted city in the world, with its local urban night sky as much as 1,000 times brighter than the international dark sky standard.
Light pollution in Hong Kong not only affects the visibility of stars, but also leads to energy wastage and post negative effects on ecosystem and living standards; nevertheless, it is possible that technological control measures, education, legislation and can tackle the problem from its roots.
As a crowded metropolitan city, light pollution has become a severe environmental problem in Hong Kong.
There have been increasing public concerns about the problem of light nuisance. Since 2009, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has been receiving around 200 complaints against external lighting annually.
According to a survey conducted by the Department of Physics at the University of Hong Kong, the level of light pollution in Tsim Sha Tsui is 1200 times brighter than a normal dark sky, which is the worst reading in the world.
In the assessment of impacts on external lighting conducted by the task force on external lighting, the assessed values on glare, sign luminance, building façade luminance and light trespass level in Mongkok were all beyond suggested limit according to the International Commission on Illumination (CIE).
Corporations do not have enough awareness on energy conservation.
They have no incentive to control energy consumption as electricity price insignificant compared to production cost.
The government also imposes no laws to regulate excessive lighting currently. The existing guidelines for external lighting ins...

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...sk force on External Lighting, The Environmental Bureau of HKSARG. August 2013. Retrieved from: http://www.enb.gov.hk/bulbs/files/ExternalLightingEng.pdf
Ho, Tsz Wing. “HONG KONG- a city without starry night”. Retrieved from: http://hklawblog.com/2013/10/30/hong-kong-a-city-without-starry-nights/#more-2191 “The largest ever database on night sky brightness
HK urban night sky can be 1,000 times brighter than the darkest standard”. 13 August 2013. Press Release. The University of Hong Kong. Retrieved from: http://www.hku.hk/press/press-releases/detail/9405.html
Guidelines on Industry Best Practices for External Lighting Installations. Environment Bureau,
Environmental Protection Department, Electrical and Mechanical Services Department. January 2012. Retrieved from: http://www.enb.gov.hk/en/resources_publications/guidelines/files/guidelines_ex_lighting_install_eng.pdf

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