ARE YOU DOING YOUR PART TO PROMOTE SAFE AND HEALTHY OUTDOOR LIGHTING IN YOUR COMMUNITY?
SAFE, LOW ECO-IMPACT LIGHTING DOES NOT PRODUCE:
Glare: light that shines horizontally and directly into a person’s eyes.
Light trespass: light from floodlights, security lights, streetlights that spills onto property which otherwise would be dark.
Over-illumination: lights brighter than needed and on longer than required.
Harm to wildlife, energy waste or excessive carbon emissions.
Sky glow: bright halo over urban and suburban areas at night.
HELP ENSURE SAFE AND ENVIONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY LIGHTING IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD:
If you really need outdoor lights – Select the best type of full-cut-off fixture(s) for each location; direct light down to the ground. Turn on only when light is needed. Use motion sensors (make sure they are aimed down correctly!).
Don’t want to replace bad fixtures? Install shield around bad fixture to prevent glare and light trespass. No need to buy: make your own shade from cardboard, plastic, or metal and paint with outdoor paint .
See below for illustrations and specifications for good lights and fixtures.
GOOD NEIGHBOUR OUTDOOR LIGHTING
• IS ATTRACTIVE & ENHANCES NEIGHBOURHOOD APPEARANCE
• MINIMIZES THE ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS OF LIGHT POLLUTION
• PROTECTS EVERYONE’S SAFETY ON PRIVATE & PUBLIC PROPERTY
• PREVENTS LIGHT TRESSPASS
• RESPECTS THE RIGHTS OF NEIGHBOURS
• SAVES ENERGY, MONEY, AND THE ENVIRONMENT
• KEEPS THE NIGHT SKY UNPOLLUTED
WHITE LIGHT AT NIGHT HARMS OUR HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT
All organisms, including humans, have biorhythms that are orchestrated by our internal circadian (~24 hour) clocks. These biological clocks are synchronized with the natural light/dark cycle by the blue wavelengths in sunlight.
White light includes blue wavelengths, therefore white light at night disrupts circadian clocks and deregulates:
♦ Physiological rhythms, e.g., of hormones, metabolism, immune function.
♦ Growth and Reproduction of plants and animals, which in turn upsets food chains, causes population decline, and reduces biodiversity. Continuous light alters the balance between plant vegetative growth and flowering, and artificial light at night has been shown to prevent trees/plants and animals from adjusting to the seasons.
♦ Behaviour patterns, altering foraging areas, migration routes and their timing, and breeding cycles of many species, e.g., insects, amphibians, birds, bats and other mammals.
♦ Food chains and ecosystems. Insects are essential pollinators for many plants and primary food source for many animals: songbirds, mammals, fish, etc. Decline in insect numbers and diversity negatively affects many other species, including crops/shrubs/trees, impoverishing habitats and weakening ecosystems.
♦ Aquatic environments. White light keeps zooplankton from rising to the surface at night to feed on algae (which grow more in light and can lower water quality). Light trespass over water also keeps fish from feeding near the surface at night, when predation is normally low, and slows their growth.
♦ Atmosphere. Sky glow sustains air pollution by preventing the natural nighttime changes in air chemistry that would otherwise be removing air pollutants during the night and make the air freshest at dawn.
BRIGHT OUTDOOR LIGHTING IS UNSAFE AND DECREASES SECURITY
Glare obscures vision, making it difficult to see the ground in front of you or your surroundings. Bright lights create dark shadows where intruders easily remain concealed.
Studies have shown reduction in crime and vandalism in previously over-lit areas after light-polluting fixtures were replaced by full cut-off fixtures that were on only when needed – motion sensor best).
Ask yourself: Do I really need lights? If yes:
♦ Are my fixtures directing light downward? ♦ Could glare cause accidents and dark shadows conceal intruders? ♦ Am I creating light trespass or glare for my neighbours, pedestrians, and motorists? ♦ Are my lights no brighter than needed and on only when needed? ♦ Would motion sensors suit my needs? ♦ Could reflective strips on posts or along walkways be a better choice than lights?
Light Trespass from Outdoor Lighting has Indoor Effects!
Our circadian clock regulates all our biorhythms, including brain wave patterns, hormone levels, metabolism, immune function, gene activity, and more.
Artificial light from outside at night may de-regulate a person’s biological clock, which disrupts sleep patterns, alters hormone production and immune function, and has other adverse effects.
For example, the hormone melatonin is one of the body’s most powerful anti-cancer crusaders and essential in maintaining health. Melatonin is secreted at night (in darkness) and levels drop immediately if a white (blue) light is turned on.
Disruption of the circadian clock has been linked to numerous medical disorders such as depression and other mood disorders, insomnia, impaired mental function, poor motor coordination, cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, and early-onset diabetes.
The American Medical Association (AMA) has declared bad lighting a public health hazard because most species – including humans – need darkness to survive and thrive (2012 AMA report on Light Pollution).
Many of us live where it is never dark enough for our brains to recognize it is night!
From time immemorial, humans have marveled at the night sky, and found inspiration, knowledge, understanding, and pleasure in its beauty….
A child born today has less than a one in ten chance of ever experiencing a dark sky, with the curtain of stars seeming to brush the ground – surely one of the most extraordinary of natural wonders.
Sources & more information:
rasc.ca/outdoor-lighting; darksky.org; www.starrynightlights.com/lpIndex.html
RECOMMENDATIONS for NIGHT TIME LIGHTING: LAMPS and FIXTURES
LAMP TYPE: Use LED Lamps:
Have very long lamp life; up to 70,000 hours
More efficient than Incandescent, High Pressure Sodium or Metal Halide
Can be dimmed and rapidly switched, unlike HPS and MH
Can be aimed more accurately to control light distribution
Use Lamps with a COLOUR TEMPERATURE of 3000 K or Less
Less glare than higher colour temperature lamps
Less effect on biorhythms of humans and animals
FIXTURE CLASSIFICATION (BUG rating) – Backlight, Uplight, Glare
Uplight = 0 (otherwise known as fully shielded) is a MUST:
This means zero Uplight
Greatly reduces sky glow
Backlight and Glare = 2 or less – Highly recommended
Keeps light directed downwards, not sideways
This reduces light trespass and glare
Do not use “dusk to dawn” controls (photocell only)
Lights stay on all night whether needed or not
Wastes energy and lessens lamp life
Use time of night control: Includes a timer in addition to a photocell;
Program to be on only at times needed
Saves energy and lamp life
Provides a “we’re at home” appearance
BEST: Use Motion Sensor Control:
Includes a motion sensor in addition to a photocell
Reacts to infrared (heat) movement
Set sensitivity to avoid activation by animals and wind
Set limited on-time to save energy
*Draws attention to activity (good security)
PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH FRIENDS, NEIGHBOURS and CO-WORKERS
TALK TO YOUR MUNICIPAL COUNCIL ABOUT FULL-CUTOFF STREET LIGHTS IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD
THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA – VICTORIA CENTRE (victoria.rasc.ca/)