The Effects of Light Pollution on Birds and Sea Turtles

The desired goal for my research paper is to discuss the effects of light pollution on birds and sea turtles and the volunteer efforts to protect and save animals from this unaware problem.  I have chosen this specific topic for my research paper simply from watching the documentary film The City Dark. Immediately after watching the film my heart felt for those poor birds that are threaten by excessive city lights and the disorientation of hatching sea turtles. It reminds us as humans how big of an impact light pollution has on these creatures.  In addition to writing about the effects on light pollution on birds and sea turtles, I hope that I would be able to publicize this life threatening issue.

In order for my point to get across to the reader’s, I’m going to include rhetorical appeals which will help demonstrate the aim of my paper. I plan to use pathos to persuade readers with emotions providing them the knowledge of what’s really happening to these poor innocent creatures. As well as, kairos considering that effects of light pollution on animal are becoming more of an issue each year.

 

The information I intend to incorporate from the documentary film The City Dark involves Ian Cheney and his crew by showing the dead birds that have had a deadly collision from buildings all along the ground and also when they were on the beach watching how the newly born sea turtles became disorientated, struggling to make it into the water. I think by incorporating these two sections of the documentary film into my research paper, it would help grasp my reader’s attention emotionally, to the point they feel that they have to help prevent the birds and sea turtles from losing their lives due to the excessive light pollution.  

The sources that I have found will help me provide the information about the effects of light pollution on birds and sea turtles. Also, what we as people can do to help save the lives of birds and sea turtles. In my research paper I plan to first discuss how birds use the bright stars in the sky to determine their route and how the city lights interfere with their view, causing the birds to become confused and disoriented. In addition, it causes some birds to give in to deadly collisions with buildings and other objects in the sky that may be difficult to see when "blinded by the light".  Secondly,I will discuss how light pollution is at the heart of the decline of sea turtles. It impacts their nesting habits and the ability of young hatchlings to survive, as seen in the film. With the excess light pollution in the cities, birds and sea turtles will eventually become distracted with the city lights and as a result, lose their lives. As I provide this information in my paper, the readers can obviously see that it is very important for light pollution to be solved in order for the birds and sea turtles not to be deceived by light pollution but instead use the stars and moonlight as their guide.   

With all things considered, my goal for this research paper is to give knowledge and understanding to the readers about this issue in hopes that individuals will become more aware of the situation and prevent it from happening. Instead of the number of poor innocent birds and turtles death rate increasing, I hope that it would take a turn and decrease.