When we stumbled upon this photo on
Inhabitat, our first reaction was how lovely it was.
Then we read the article. And discovered that it really isn't lovely. It's light pollution. This image from NASA shows the earth at night. And what it means, according to night sky activist Anthony Arrigo, is that we're so wasteful that sky glow (light escaping into the night sky and causing a glow over urban/suburban areas) costs the US between $5-10 billion per year. You read that correctly -- and it doesn't include all outdoor lighting, just the outdoor lighting that's so misdirected that it lights up the night sky.
Glare and light trespass (your neighbors' unwanted light shining onto your property or into your home) are other results of improper outdoor lighting. When you go home tonight, open up all the shades and curtains, turn off the lights, and after your eyes have adapted to the dark, look at any light shining onto the ceilings or walls. This is light trespass.
What can you do? Read more about it here, be aware, and if you have outdoor light fixtures, use them only when needed, and consider how they actually perform at night. (One place to look for light fixtures is Starry Night Lights.)
Images: Inhabitat
I've got a friend who is a big advocate of dark skies. Check out darksky.org. They've got a great document called "Good Neighbor Outdoor Lighting" as well as scary ones outlining the negative health effects of excess night-time lighting.
Yes!!!
God, I have a neighbor behind me that has a flood light that shines into my yard, and by extension my living room, office and guest room. My neighbors to the east have a patio light that shines into my bedroom. Across the street, if anyone or anything move down the street, a huge light flashes on and illuminates the whole yard, street, and so on. We don't have any street lights on our street, yet at night, I can walk around my house without turning lights on, because I can see that clearly.
It's so annoying.
This image was produced by NASA in 2000. It is a composit of many images and has been heavily enhanced.
Here is more on the image:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=4333
NASA's site: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap001127.html
I don't really have that problem in my current place, but this post reminded me of my brothers apartment he had in the city years ago. I was staying over and the living room faced some school, not sure which. But they left all of the lights on it 24 hours a day!!! It was a pain trying to block out all that light at night time.
There seems to be a movement for "Dark Parks" as well. Here is an article:
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/travel/15827900.htm
I believe parts of the Smokey Ridge Mountains park may have a similar program going as well.
If you've never seen an unpolluted night sky - go visit one of these. It's incredible.
I'm looking for outdorr lighting and I understand thet Kathy Ireland has good quality and very good price lighting. Looking for it in Boston, can someone help.
thanks Mark
Hi Mark, go to www.kathyireland.com click on products then click on interior and exterior Lighting. Happy findings and happy Hollidays. Nick
Does Kathy Ireland do outdoor furniture as well, I did not find that product on www.kathyireland.com ?