The darkness we need

During a recent visit to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, I found myself standing before an exhibit of darkness. It showed how the natural night sky, once scattered with stars and galaxies, is vanishing under the steady glare of artificial light. In Pakistan, this issue rarely enters public discourse.

We worry about electricity shortages, rising bills and climate change — but we seldom pause to consider how light itself, when misused, becomes pollution.

Yet, in cities like Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi, the stars have all but disappeared. What we once took for granted such as seeing constellations from a rooftop or watching a shooting star is now a fading memory, especially for children growing up under the sodium glow of streetlamps.

Light pollution is more than a loss of wonder. It has measurable and growing impacts. Studies around the world show that excessive artificial light disrupts ecosystems by confusing migratory birds, insects and nocturnal animals.

It alters feeding and breeding cycles and can even lead to species decline. For humans, the consequences are subtler but significant: overexposure to night-time lighting disturbs sleep, suppresses melatonin and contributes to increased rates of anxiety, fatigue and chronic illness.

Then there is the energy question. Pakistan already struggles to meet its power demand. In this context, the sight of government buildings lit up through the night, of empty roads aglow at 3am, or of high-wattage billboards bathing intersections in harsh white light, is not just inefficient — it is irresponsible. Every unnecessary bulb draws from a grid under pressure, burns fuel and adds to carbon emissions.

But this is not a hopeless story. Unlike other forms of pollution that linger in the air or water for years, light pollution is reversible — almost instantly. Cities can begin by adopting time-based lighting policies. Shops, billboards and public buildings do not need to be illuminated through the night.

Smart lighting systems used in countries like the Netherlands dim streetlights in low-traffic areas after peak hours. This reduces energy usage and restores a semblance of night. Likewise, replacing current flood lights and streetlamps with shielded fixtures that direct light downward — not outward or upward — can dramatically reduce skyglow.

Local governments can also reconsider how they retrofit cities with LED lighting. While LEDs are promoted for efficiency, their widespread, high-intensity use has worsened glare and disrupted the sleep cycles of both humans and animals.

The solution isn't to reject LEDs but to use them wisely: warmer tones (below 3000K) should be prioritised, and installation must be coupled with shielding and dimming controls.

Pakistan's natural landscape offers an incredible opportunity as well. Remote regions like Skardu, Hunza and Cholistan Desert already enjoy dark skies — these could be declared Dark Sky Reserves under international guidelines. Protected from over-illumination, these zones could foster astro tourism and conservation education, while showcasing the natural night sky to a global audience.

Public awareness is perhaps the most powerful tool. School science programmes can introduce students to the science of stars and the need to preserve them. National campaigns, led by institutions like the Pakistan Science Foundation or SUPARCO, could highlight the connection between energy saving and sky restoration. Even small acts such as turning off garden lights or switching off billboard lights after hours make a difference when multiplied across a city.

When I left the Smithsonian that day, I thought about my own country — and how a return to darkness might be, paradoxically, an act of light. In our drive toward progress, we often equate more light with more development. But maybe it's time to challenge that assumption.

Not all darkness is backward, and not all light is good.

Some light blinds. Some darkness reveals.

In rediscovering the stars, we might just rediscover a more thoughtful, balanced way of living.