Life on Earth is in its own way light. Everything living relies on the predictable rhythm of day and night. Since the advent of artificial lighting we have had the ability to alter the appearance of day and night. Now with LED technology we not only alter the appearance, but often times are negatively effecting ecosystems. This doesn’t have to be the case as there are many LED fixtures that are designed properly, but often times the person making the decision is just looking at cost and not factoring in the impact low cost led lighting can have on our environment.

The excessive use of artificial light, otherwise known as light pollution, has resulted in dire implications for humans, wildlife and climate. Ultimately it is a side effect of the industrial civilization we live in but it has become exacerbated by poorly thought-out retrofits where the light is not direct as it should be. The resulting light pollution is comprised of various factors including:

Glare – excessive brightness resulting in visual discomfort

Skyglow – needlessly brightening the night sky over uninhabited areas

Clutter – Poorly optimized groupings of light sources

Light Trespass – Artificial light that hits areas that are irrelevant to the application

For billions of years, life existed on Earth in a daily rhythm of light and dark which was illuminated solely by the Sun, the Moon and the stars. Artificial light has disrupted this natural pattern and has shifted the balance of the environment, to the detriment of mankind and wildlife alike.

With the world’s ecosystem disrupted due to excessive outdoor lighting, birds, mammals, insects, and plants are effected as they have lost their natural way to tell day and night. This affects their reproduction, sleep, nourishment and natural protection from predators as distinguishing between day and night has grown confusing, if not impossible. In the wild, prey once used darkness as a method of staying alive. Within cities, the light levels are upwards of 100 to 1000 times brighter than before, shifting the advantage to predators and in turn changing the dynamic. Sea turtles in urban environments in Florida are hit the hardest, as they use the light of the moon to guide them to the sea. However with the light of city drowning out the moon’s light, the turtles find themselves led astray into the city, resulting in millions of hatchlings dying each year.

Light pollution not only creates the Skyglow effect but also results in wasted energy and money. About 35% of outdoor light is wasted and not useful to the application, due to subpar optics. This results in nearly $3 billion in energy costs wasted and 15+ million tons of carbon dioxide being released. That is the equivalent of 3 million passenger cars! The initial outdoor LED fixtures were poorly constructed and more often than not provided a blob of light. Newer LED fixtures have become more conscious of all of this wasted light as they aim to be more efficient and shielded in how they deliver light.

We need to maintain the proper balance of light to ensure earth’s natural ecosystem. You have the ability to make a difference so next time you are considering a light fixture for an exterior application make sure it is dark sky compliant, only on when needed and at the appropriate light level for your needs. After all, life is light.