Pulling the Plug on Light Pollution
Pulling the Plug on Light Pollution
By John M. McMahon
Revised and updated 6/10/03
A summer evening. The blazing afternoon has lost its hold on a wilted landscape, and the faintest wisp of coolness
lures you outside to porch or backyard. As the welcome dusk just beyond the tree line overtakes the fading day and the
blue overhead deepens, one by one stars, old friends, begin to glimmer in the darkening sky. For a brief moment you
stand suspended on the borderland between very different worlds, day and night, earth and the heavens, and are swept
along into the easy calmness of the night.
Suddenly the piercing glare of first one, then another floodlight assaults your eyes and suffuses the surroundings with
their harsh glow. Deep shadows appear where once hovered the inviting outlines of trees. You squint to see. The world
has been transformed into a prison yard of illumination. Overhead a pale orange wash from neighborhood security lamps,
garish advertising signs, and parking lot lighting near and far suffocates the heavens. The stars have disappeared,
blotted from sight, and you retreat indoors to escape the visual static. Even there, though, the probing illumination
casts shadows on the walls. You feel violated, robbed of the serenity accompanying the dayÍs end and separated from any
part of the universe beyond human existence.
Sadly, such a scenario is becoming increasingly common. Once a concern only for the astronomical community, whose view
of the heavens has been marred by sky glow from urban centers, light pollution -- excessive and misdirected lighting Ü-
is stealing the night from ever more people, even in areas that once enjoyed the untainted majesty of dark night skies.
The chief culprits in this luminous larceny are many. For example, lighting fixtures intentionally directed upward,
often seen illuminating billboards and public buildings, splash much of their light beyond intended targets. Poorly
shielded fixtures, which allow light to fly upward and horizontally, create blinding glare and deep shadows, preventing
the eye from seeing properly. In addition, poorly directed commercial or residential lighting may cause light trespass
by spilling unwanted light onto private property and by depriving occupants of its proper use and enjoyment. Bad
lighting, whether commercial, municipal, or residential, can even affect the appearance of a neighborhood, lowering
property values if the area is deemed overly lit and gaudy.
Other significant concerns exist as well. The amount of electricity wasted by ill designed outdoor illumination has
been estimated at 30%, resulting in well over $4 billion annually in unnecessary energy costs. Important also are the
environmental effects of that energy, especially since so much of it is generated by coal-fired plants that are
frequently older facilities exempt from Clean Air regulations. Indeed, every kilowatt hour of electricity thus produced
emits over one pound of carbon dioxide and almost two grams of sulfur dioxide (responsible for acid rain) into the
environment.
As a result of these and other considerations, a number of organizations have fostered solutions for light pollution.
Foremost among these is the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), whose
individual and institutional members number
over three thousand worldwide. The IDA promotes the use of sensible and efficient lighting in both private and public
applications. The organization also acts as an educational advocate for the implementation of lighting ordinances
across the whole jurisdictional spectrum, from township to county to state, an endeavor that has seen many such efforts
become law. Regional and local organizations like the
New England Light Pollution Action Group (NELPAG)
have also made
good progress in this arena. Closer to home, the recently formed
SELENE (Sensible and Efficient Lighting to Enhance the
Nighttime Environment), the IDA affiliate in New York State, is currently working to promote passage of
light ordinance bills (A6950 / S3003) now under consideration. Importantly, these bills also authorize the identification and designation of "dark areas . . . of the state
which are especially suitable for astronomical observations and / or which provide
. . . nocturnal benefits to flora and fauna." (Û 20-0105.1)
Most lighting ordinances share common sense guidelines for outdoor illumination. Thus, good lighting uses only the
amount of light necessary for a specific purpose, and that light is properly directed. Lighting should be designed to
be "fully cutoff," that is, allowing no illumination above the horizontal plane of the fixture. Similarly, all lights
should be mounted at the proper height to do their job while still avoiding glare and light trespass. As for the
application of technical standards, specific recommendations for these and other aspects of sensible and efficient
lighting have been set by the Illumination Engineering Society of North America
(IESNA).
So what can you do about light pollution? Well, the next time you are out at night, inspect your own outdoor lighting.
Which fixtures are examples of good lighting? Which could be improved? Do the same for your neighborhood and local
commercial establishments, and share this information with your neighbors and with officials in charge of publicly
funded lighting. Lastly, support the efforts to establish a statewide lighting ordinance by writing your state and
local representatives.
Remember: good lighting saves energy and money; it reduces pollution; it improves the appearance of neighborhoods and
maintains property values; it enhances the scientific and aesthetic appreciation of the glories of the night sky; and
it preserves that beauty and inspiration for us and for our children.
Resources:
The International Dark-Sky Association (3225 N. First Ave. Tucson, AZ 85795)
has an excellent website with an abundance of information and illustrative graphics. My own Light
Pollution website contains numerous links to organizations concerned with light pollution.
(John McMahon is Associate Professor of Classics at Le Moyne College. An amateur naturalist and sky observer since childhood, he a member of the Syracuse Astronomical Society and is a founder and board member of SELENE. His email
address is mcmahon@mail.lemoyne.edu.