Question

A class holds a collegial discussion about light pollution and the ways a community can combat it. They begin the discussion by reviewing scientific studies that explain how light pollution harms nocturnal creatures.A member of the discussion group asks, “To what degree does our community need to worry about this considering we don’t live near a lot of wild animals?”QuestionUse the scenario to answer the question. Which response would best propel the discussion toward larger ideas? A. We should obviously do whatever we can to help the animals that are near us. B. That’s an interesting point of view, but let’s consider ways light pollution might impact our community, even with our limited animal population. C. Your concern seems to be that our efforts would be wasted because there are few animals near us. D. Considering how much we rely on creatures like bats to keep our insect populations down, that is a ridiculous question.

Answer 1

B.

It acknowledges the speaker, avoids dismissing their point, and redirects attention to broader community-level impacts of light pollution (human health, insects/pollination, energy use, night sky visibility, etc.), which invites further exploration and a more expansive discussion.