Light Pollution

The Costs of Poorly Implemented Outdoor Lighting

Light Pollution

Purpose of LightingWhat is Light Pollution?Light Pollution’s Effects

How to Stop Light PollutionWhat’s Stopping Us?

Purposes of Lighting

• Safety• Security• Navigation• Decoration• Advertising

Light PollutionWhat is it?

Light Pollution—What is it?

• Glare• Uplight• Light Trespass• Overlighting• Inefficiency

Light Pollution is Glare

Light Pollution is Glare

Light Pollution is Uplight

Light Pollution is Uplight

Light Pollution is Trespass

Light Pollution is Trespass

Light Pollution is Overlighting

Light Pollution is Inefficiency

Light Pollution

Why is it bad?

Why is Light Pollution Bad?

• Safety• Security• Social• Waste• Pollution• Health Effects• Ecological Effects

Light Pollution—Safety

• Reduced visual acuity• Recovery time• Overlighting

Light Pollution—Security

• Reduces fear• Reduces crime ??

Light Pollution—Social

• Neighbor-neighbor tension• Resident complaints• Extreme behaviors

Light Pollution—Waste

• 30% of light wasted• $5,000,000,000+ per year wasted

Light Pollution—Pollution

• Every kilowatt used causes release of:– 1.3 pounds CO2

– 2 grams sulfur dioxide– 1.6 grams nitric oxide

selene-ny.org/lightcost.asp

• 62 billion kWh = 40 million tons of CO2

= 1.4 million tons SO2

= 1.1 million tons NO

Light Pollution—Human Health

• Air pollution related problems• Melatonin suppression• Sleep disruption

Light Pollution—Animals

• Birds• Amphibians• Fish• Insects

Light Pollution—Plants

• Water quality• Trees• Plants

Light Pollution

What can be done?

Light Pollution—What can we do?

• Technical Requirements• Implementation

Light Pollution—Technical

• Proper shielding

www.darkskysociety.org/handouts/blbn.pdf

• Proper shielding• Amount of light

Light Pollution—Technical

www.darksky.org/infoshts/is077.html

• Curfews• Lamp type• Don’t light

Light Pollution—Implementation

• Master plan• Zoning/Planning Board policy• Local law/ordinance• State law

Light Pollution

What’s holding us back?

Light Pollution—Impediments

• Lack of education• Vested and ulterior interests• “We’ve always done it that way”• Poorly written laws and policies

More information

• www.selene-ny.org• www.darksky.org• www.darkskysociety.org