VOA慢速英語:光污染，有多少燈光才算多？

Light Pollution. How Much Light is Too Much?

FILE - A study by the University of Hong Kong finds that Hong Kong, seen here in a 2013 file photo, has one of the worst light-pollution problems among cities around the world. (REUTERS/Bobby Yip )

光污染，多少光才算是很多？
Everyone who loves looking up at the night sky knows one thing: to see the most stars ... get away from a city.
每個夜晚喜歡抬頭看天空的人都知道：在城市里，大多數(shù)的星星已經(jīng)看不到了。
In cities, artificial light comes from street lamps, buildings, signs and cars. All this unnatural, man-made light blocks out any chance to see the stars.
城市中，到處都是街道的燈光、建筑物的燈光以及汽車燈光。所有這些人為造出來燈光阻礙了人們觀賞星星。
In Washington, D.C. a man named Jim Dougherty is fighting for darker skies. He and others want to turn down the lights in the city and not just to improve stargazing. They believe a darker night sky is good for the health of people and our planet.
華盛頓特區(qū)一位名叫吉姆·多爾蒂的人努力為更黑的夜空爭取。他和別人希望能夠關掉夜晚城市里的燈，不僅僅為了能夠眺望星星。他們認為更黑的夜晚對人體健康和我們的星球有益處。
What does Earth look like from space?
從太空中看，地球是個什么樣子的？
 The Earth appears to shine from space. What astronauts see as they circle the planet are the lights from our cities. This light creates a kind of orange cloud or haze that keeps us from seeing the stars.
從太空看，地球閃閃發(fā)光。宇航員繞地球轉時看到的就是城市的燈光。這些燈光會產(chǎn)生一種橘色的云或者一種薄霧讓我們無法看到星星。
Jim Dougherty is president of the International Dark Sky Association. He says the orange haze is light pollution.
吉姆·多爾蒂是國際黑暗夜空協(xié)會的主席，他說這種橘色的薄霧就是光污染。
"Light pollution is outdoor lighting that's not serving the task that it's designed for. In fact it is either wasted or, worse, has harmful, adverse effects."
“光污染就是室外的光，當初設計室外的燈是為了照明。實際上太多的燈光有點浪費，甚至有一些負面影響。”
Jim Dougherty says too much light is bad for your health. Studies find too much light disturbs our sleep, affects hormones and is linked to some cancers. He says light pollution is also bad for the planet.
吉姆·多爾蒂說太多的燈光對健康有害。研究表明太多的燈光打擾我們的睡眠，影響激素，甚至會跟某些癌癥有關聯(lián)。他說光污染對我們的地球也有害。
"There's a direct connection between the needless and harmful lighting and the excess generation. And it's also a big climate issue. We're worried about climate change. We're (are) just putting carbon dioxide up there. If we are burning natural gas or we're burning coal, we're causing global warming by sending light straight up into the sky."
“這些不必要又有害的光跟過度產(chǎn)生的光污染有直接的關系。這也是個氣候問題。我們擔心氣候的變化，釋放太多的二氧化碳，如果我們繼續(xù)燃燒天然氣或者煤炭，那就會把光直接傳送到天空，從而導致全球氣候變暖。”
Light pollution versus public safety
光污染對公眾安全影響
But how much light is too much?
有多少燈才算是很多？
Mr. Dougherty went to a popular Washington neighborhood called Capitol Hill. In this area, round or globe-shaped street lights shine in all directions. He says too much light is being produced. But some people who live on Capitol Hill disagree.
多爾蒂去華盛頓特區(qū)附近一個非常受歡迎的地方——國會山。這片區(qū)域，各個方向都有圓形的街燈閃耀。這片地區(qū)產(chǎn)生太多的光污染，但是一些住在國會山的人并不贊同。
VOA reporter Rosanne Skirble spoke with two people out for a casual, evening walk.
美國之音的記者羅珊·斯凱博采訪了兩位晚上偶爾出來散步的人。
"It makes me feel safe, and I definitely feel like I can see all around me. I know no one is going to, like, hurt me or anything like that. It's just comforting."
“這些燈光讓我感到安全，我可以看到身邊所有的事物。我知道不會有人傷害我，或發(fā)生傷害的案件，我感到很安心。”
"The area around here is nice. It's populated. So the lighting is a good amount. It's not too bright and it's just the right setting for a romantic mood."
“這附近的地方都很漂亮，居住著很多人，所以燈光也很多。這里不是非常的明亮，不過很有浪漫的氣氛。”
Jim Dougherty says he understands that Washington city officials want to make the sidewalks safe. But he says the city set up two times the number of street lamps than were necessary. And he says the lights are not designed well. They send light into the sky, where it is not needed. He says the street lamps are more for looks than safety.
吉姆·多爾蒂說他理解華盛頓市的官員想要讓人行道安全。但是他說城市街燈的數(shù)量超過所需的兩倍。而且燈設計的也不好，這些等直接將光線傳到空中——不需要燈光的地方。這些街燈更多的是為了觀賞而不是出于安全的考慮。
"The fact is the right amount of light is the right amount of light, and if you double it then you do not increase the public safety benefit, but you do increase the cost. You increase the energy use. You increase the climate impacts and the health effects. So, this is a classic example of over-lighting."
“實際上只要燈適量，數(shù)目足夠就可以；如果讓燈的數(shù)量加倍，不會增加公眾的安全利益，而是會增加成本。此外，還增加了能源的使用，對氣候影響和對健康的影響都在增加。這就是過度使用燈光的一個典型的例子。”
On their visit to the Capitol Hill, he and reporter Rosanne Skirble go to the grounds of a large apartment building. The grounds are lit by a combination of traditional lights that brighten, or illuminate, the grounds and walls. There are also more modern lamps that send light downward in one place where it is needed.
去國會山的參觀中，他和記者羅珊·斯凱博去一些大型公寓樓的空地參觀。地面上、墻上各種傳統(tǒng)的燈飾照明，而且還有更多現(xiàn)代的燈將燈光打到需要的地方。
In the recent past, the Capitol Hill neighborhood had its share of crime. It still has reports of robbery, home break-ins and murder.
過去一段時間，國會山附近有很多犯罪案件發(fā)生，現(xiàn)在還有搶劫、入室盜竊和謀殺案的發(fā)生。
Ways to light our cities without causing light pollution
照亮我們的城市而不會造成光污染
There are signs of new lighting on the wide streets near the United States Capitol building. Jim Dougherty says that soon streetlights will not be necessary. But he says efficient lighting for sidewalks provide safety without wasting energy or causing light pollution.
美國國會大廈附近寬闊的街道上有很多新的照明標志。吉姆·多爾蒂說很快街燈就不再需要了，但是他說人行道有效的照明還是會為路人提供安全，并不會浪費能源或者導致光污染。
"Pretty soon in streets now we are not going to need streetlights because car headlights have become so bright. They are so effective. We use illuminated systems, paint stripe markers and reflectors. So, we really don't need street lights. But we will need sidewalk lighting. They are lower. They are dimmer. They are more efficient, and they get the job done without wasting all that money and all that energy."
“很快在大街上，我們不再需要街燈，因為車前燈很明亮，效果很好。我們使用照明系統(tǒng)，尤其條紋標志和反光板。這樣就沒必要使用街燈。但是人行道必須亮著燈。人行道的燈更低一點，更昏暗，而且更有效用，它們能夠充分發(fā)揮作用不會白白浪費錢和能源。”
With knowledge comes action, he says. He explains that city officials are taking steps to stop wasteful spending and protect public health.
隨著行動越來越科學，他解釋說城市的官員正采取行動停止不必要的花費，保護公眾健康。
"In some communities, they are adopting new technologies that they dim the lights, after say 1 a.m., when people don't really need it. So that's an important way to save. There are also developing technologies now when you step into a park or when you drive your car down a street, the lights come on because they have motion sensors. Or they sense your cell phone. They come on when there is someone there and then they turn off."
“在一些社區(qū)，他們采取新技術可以在凌晨一點后人們不太需要的時候，讓燈光黯淡下來。因此這是節(jié)省能源和花費的一個重要的方式。他們現(xiàn)在還在研發(fā)新技術，當你走進公園或者駕駛車輛在路上時，燈光就會亮，因為這些燈有運動傳感器；或者能夠感應到你的手機。有人經(jīng)過的時候燈就會亮，然后就會熄滅。”
A motion sensor turns lights on or off by detecting motion. Motion sensors can reduce lighting by 90 percent and still be effective. Mr. Dougherty hopes more communities use energy-saving devices like this. He says he hopes that in the future, we humans can reclaim the night sky.
運動傳感器能夠檢測到運動的物體，讓后亮燈或者滅燈。運動傳感器可以減少90%的燈光，從而更有效利用能源。多爾蒂希望更多的社區(qū)使用節(jié)省能源裝備。他表示希望在未來，人類能夠重新看到夜晚的天空。
I'm Anna Matteo.
我是安娜·馬特奧。
What is the night sky like where you live? Are you lucky enough to see the stars? Or do you live in a city that has lots of light pollution? Let us know in the comments section.
你居住的地方夜晚的天空是什么樣子的？你能夠看到天上的星星嗎？還是你住的城市里有很多光污染？請在評論部分告訴我們。
"Blackout City" is a film from Nicholas Buer. The film shows what the night sky would look like without light in London.
《燈火熄滅后的城市》（"Blackout City"）是尼古拉斯·布爾的一部影片，電影展示的事倫敦沒有燈光后的夜空是什么樣子的。
Rosanne Skirble reported this story from Washington, D.C. Anna Matteo wrote it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
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Words in this Story
artificial – adj. not natural or real; made, produced, or done to seem like something natural
stargazing – n. the act of looking at or studying the stars
globe – n. a round object
illuminate – v. to supply (something) with light; to shine light on (something)
haze – n. dust, smoke, or mist that has filled the air so that you cannot see clearly
disturb – v. to upset the natural and especially the ecological balance or relations of something
reclaim – v. to get back (something that was lost or taken away)