Something sinister is creeping into the skies. It sneaks up on us disguised as progress or safety, and yet trespasses on our property uninvited. It is polluting our view of the planets; it is interrupting the natural rhythms of wild life and sucking the stars out of the sky. What is the evil that threatens the health and well being of all living things?
Light! Surprised to hear that from a lighting guy?
Many of us have given little thought to the importance of darkness to our everyday lives and the lives of all God's creatures, great and small. In his National Geographic article, "Our Vanishing Night," Verlyn Klinkenborg says, "Darkness is as essential to our biological welfare, to our internal clockwork as light itself." The negative effects of light pollution have been well-documented, causing unnatural adaptations of plants and animals and affecting human behavior in the form of health issues and sleep disorders. Our ability to appreciate the simple beauty of a starry sky in the country is compromised by the villains of light pollution that create the "urban sky glow" seen in nighttime photographs of more heavily populated areas. Already two-thirds of the American population is unable to see the Milky Way with the naked eye.
But don't get me wrong: light itself isn't really the bad guy in this scenario. I love light; we need light. Light helps us to feel safe by keeping our fears at bay and contributes to the growth of our flowers and plants. Light is critical to our development. It is artificial light pollution that is the monster here, using direct glare and light trespass as henchmen. The good news is light pollution is the most easily remedied of all the pollution demons we face today because the fix is in the design. Inefficient lighting sources and poorly designed lighting systems cause the vast majority of the light pollution we see tip-toeing into the rural areas that surround us in the Texas hill country. Globe lighting, non-directional lighting, and billboards lit from the bottom are some of the criminal culprits. Fixtures made to scatter light in all different directions, rather than focusing on the target are seen in streetlights and parking lots; they are wasteful in their use of light and money used to pay for all that useless illumination heading straight up and out into the star-filled sky. Sadly, not only is this equipment visually uncomfortable for us to encounter due to the glare: the damage they could be doing to our environment is considerable. A simple change in the structure of the lighting fixture could easily accomplish the desired specific task, remove the painful glare, and protect the planet.
Additional solutions can be found at the fingertips of the lighting professional who is familiar with the tenets of the International Dark Sky Association (darksky.org). This non-profit organization has its finger on the pulse of all things related to light for the good of our Earth. Here in our own backyard we have seen concerned citizens gathering together with lighting specialists to introduce new light-aware neighborhoods and greener developments calling for an end to ineffectual lighting. Green councils are being formed to address these issues using the guidelines established by the International Astronomical Union (iau.org). Consciousness is being raised to preserve the natural dark sky and the health benefits associated with it. Professional lighting designers are listening, and helping these home and business owners learn how they can make our planet a better place for future generations. These advocates for improved lighting are learning about high-quality, environmentally-friendly lighting fixtures as well as lighting systems that can be both decorative and conscientious. Controlling light trespass (unwanted light on another property), limiting urban glow, and avoiding direct glare are all common undertakings for the expert lighting designer in tune with this topic. Motion sensors, proper directional units, timer controls, and energy efficient lamps are all items in the specialist's bag of tricks to create a beautiful lighting system without contributing to light pollution.
We are all called to help contribute to a greener planet. Small steps like responsible light pollution control can make a bigger difference to your community—and the universe—than you may imagine.