LIGHTING BASICS

Why a "dark sky"?

Who doesn’t like to see a starry sky at night? Who doesn’t need some darkness in order to   sleep? Who hasn’t been irritated by someone else’s lighting trespassing into their home, or temporarily blinded by glare, confused by hodgepodge lighting, momentarily disabled by drastic changes of light to dark?

Light pollution has invaded our communities, our homes, and our sky. It’s throwing off not only our own biological rhythms, but also those of many creatures around us. And the loss of our starry night sky behind a veil of night pollution has begun to limit our children’s imaginations to the man-made boundaries around us.

We can’t afford all this wasted light!

The estimated 30% of all US outdoor lighting being directed skyward costs an estimated $1.5 billion in wasted electricity yearly and requires the burning of 6 million tons of coal each year, a major contribution to global warming. Your misdirected or overly bright light is costing you, and all of us, $$$.  And lighting up your neighbor’s living room is probably not the best way to use your hard-earned dollars-or to make friends!

Three steps to "light the way":

1.  Don’t use more bulb than you need.

The amount of light you need depends upon the task at hand. For example, you use low-wattage colored bulbs for Christmas tree lights, and maybe a 40-watt bulb for a porch light. An excessively bright bulb is only going to get in your way and cost you energy (read: money!!). Too much wattage creates glare, harsh shadows, and waste, rather than useful lighting. Save money, save energy, save your eyesight, and use the right bulb for the job.

2.  See the light, not the bulb!

Any time you can see the bulb or filament, you have a bad lighting situation. Shield that bulb!  Buy full-cutoff shielded fixtures that keep light from going uselessly up or sideways or into your neighbors’ eyes. Improve the lights you already have by attaching shields. Shields can be modified with good ol’ duct tape to fit your fixture. Get creative: You can make your own shield, or try using aluminum foil or black spray paint on clear panes to obscure a visible bulb and maintain the light going only where it’s needed. (For safety’s sake, don’t put any substance on the inside of an unventilated fixture!)

3.  Get to the point!

It only makes sense to direct light to where you want and need it, instead of everywhere else. Aim it where it’s useful, and you’ll need less wattage. Light the ground, not the sky. Here’s another trick: To light up an entry way, instead of blinding yourself with a bulb glaring in your face try shielding the front of the fixture so as to bounce a soft light off the wall behind, helping you see your way comfortably and safely.

"An outdoor light fixture that scatters light everywhere is as wasteful as running your air conditioner with the windows open."