In this passage, Paul Bogard claims that natural darkness is highly important and that it should be preserved. Moreover, he brings attention to the often ignored issue of light pollution. He does this by using factual and logical arguments, as well as personal experience.
Bogard starts by retelling his past, reminiscing times gone by in his childhood, and paints a vivid scenery with his words. He does this all the while stressing the impact natural darkness had on him earlier on. This gives the fragment an interpersonal and nostalgic coloration, which makes the reader feel more at ease and comfortable while going through the text.
The writer immediately follows with a myriad of factual information. Bogard puts emphasis on the fact that natural darkness is important spiritually, but also environmentally. He expresses his worry for the loss of darkness by stating that 8 of 10 children born in the United States will never see a sky dark enough to be able to make out the Milky Way. Also, Bogard says that, as with most environmental problems, we will only realize the worth of what we currently have
…show more content…
He states that the World Health Organization classifies working the night shift as a probably human carcinogen. Additionally, the American Medical Association has made it clear that it is trying to reduce light pollution. Bogard goes on to say that we, as humans, need darkness to produce melatonin, keep cancers from developing, and sleep, He also links the ever-growing use of artificial light to sleep disorders. Not only that, but sleep disorders themselves can be linked to many other better-known health complications, such as diabetes, depression and cardiovascular disease. Bogard also emphasizes the importance of darkness in natural habitats. However, he stresses that this is not well-known data. Although, Bogard wholeheartedly says that without darkness, Earth's ecology would