Light Pollution
AP English Literature
11 April 2012
Introduction
Light Pollution
Imagine. You’ve just reached home after a long day at work. You take off your shoes, place them neatly against the wall, change into loungewear and sink into the couch. Your eyes are weary so you dim the lights and turn on the television. Time passes by and you remain unmoved . Your skin seems attached to the fabric of the couch, the TV is low, creating a soft rumble to sleep to, accompanied by a faint glow in the darkening room. You’re fading in and out, your eyelids are beginning to fall to the modesty of the screen, and then as you’re about to fall asle GUESS WHAT YELLOW!! A commercial comes on flashing bright yellow! Your eyelids clasp tightly together, straining to hide from the light. You’re awake again, uncomfortable, and in pain. That’s light pollution. Or maybe you remember that one conversation where your friend bombarded you with talk of nature and how it’s better than the city? They went on and on about the hustle and bustle of city life and its inferiority to the nice quiet life of the forest and country. Before writing them off as weird, think about it. Was what they were saying really strange? Remember visiting that place devoid of skyscrapers and lights, and what they said: “smell the fresh air, feel that breeze, listen. Look at the stars. You don’t see that in the city, do you?” Whether or not they’re weird is up to you, but they were definitely on to something. Do you really see all those stars in the city? No. Why? Light pollution.
Have you ever been on vacation to a nice sunny place, with beautiful weather? You’re down south, walking down the beach boardwalk, enjoying yourself when you stumble upon a sea turtle belly up at your feet. It can’t be any older than a few days, yet it lies there unmoving. Its skin scorched by the sun and scathed by the sand. The turtle, newborn and unaware, headed out for the ocean following that bright light meant to guide it
11 April 2012
Introduction
Light Pollution
Imagine. You’ve just reached home after a long day at work. You take off your shoes, place them neatly against the wall, change into loungewear and sink into the couch. Your eyes are weary so you dim the lights and turn on the television. Time passes by and you remain unmoved . Your skin seems attached to the fabric of the couch, the TV is low, creating a soft rumble to sleep to, accompanied by a faint glow in the darkening room. You’re fading in and out, your eyelids are beginning to fall to the modesty of the screen, and then as you’re about to fall asle GUESS WHAT YELLOW!! A commercial comes on flashing bright yellow! Your eyelids clasp tightly together, straining to hide from the light. You’re awake again, uncomfortable, and in pain. That’s light pollution. Or maybe you remember that one conversation where your friend bombarded you with talk of nature and how it’s better than the city? They went on and on about the hustle and bustle of city life and its inferiority to the nice quiet life of the forest and country. Before writing them off as weird, think about it. Was what they were saying really strange? Remember visiting that place devoid of skyscrapers and lights, and what they said: “smell the fresh air, feel that breeze, listen. Look at the stars. You don’t see that in the city, do you?” Whether or not they’re weird is up to you, but they were definitely on to something. Do you really see all those stars in the city? No. Why? Light pollution.
Have you ever been on vacation to a nice sunny place, with beautiful weather? You’re down south, walking down the beach boardwalk, enjoying yourself when you stumble upon a sea turtle belly up at your feet. It can’t be any older than a few days, yet it lies there unmoving. Its skin scorched by the sun and scathed by the sand. The turtle, newborn and unaware, headed out for the ocean following that bright light meant to guide it