Severe Decrease In Darkness By Paul Bogard Summary

Paul Bogard wrote an article about the ways in which the world has seen a severe decrease in darkness, as well as a severe increase in of artificial light, at night. He begins by telling the reader of the world of darkness he used to know. He goes over how darkness is beneficial, even necessary, to earth’s ecology. After going over the wats darkness is helpful, he explains the balance of bright day and dark night that the world has, until recently, always known, and how we’re disrupting that natural balance. He then provides examples of ways to save energy, money, and the darkness. By telling the reader his story of the dark nights by the lake in Minnesota, Paul establishes an emotional connection to darkness, one that would likely earn darkness …show more content…
By removing the natural darkness of night, he says that we are interrupting the natural patterns of not just humans, but also the natural patterns of all other life on earth. He writes of predators who cannot hunt without darkness. He tells the reader of all the little animals who can only hide properly if it is dark. He goes over all the benefits of darkness, then continues. Paul explains the balanced cycle of day and night that the world has always known. The balance between light and dark has meant the survival of almost all remaining species on earth. This is to try to convince the reader that darkness plays a big, important role in ecology and that by removing it we are threatening that balance. He criticizes society’s habit of reaching for the light switch as soon as we see that it’s getting dark. Throughout his article, Paul Bogard tries to convince the reader of the importance of darkness and the side effects of light pollution. Essentially, all his arguments serve to create an emotional desire for, or at least a sense of responsibility for, darkness as a whole. With memories of his childhood, longing for the inspiring beauty of space, and even financial responsibility, Paul constructs an argument both for darkness and against so much artificial