why do we tolerate bad lighting

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Why do we tolerate bad lighting? Written and researched by Marc Sandberg, Dark Sky Georgia

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Page 1: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

Why do we tolerate bad lighting?

Written and researched by Marc Sandberg, Dark Sky Georgia

Page 2: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

What is Light Pollution1) Glare – Obtrusive and inappropriately applied outdoor

lighting generates glare. Glare is any light that is in your direct vision (why do most indoor lights have shades on them?).

2) Light Trespass – Light from a neighbor, business or roadway that spills onto your property, without your consent.

3) Energy Waste – Light shining outward and upward into the sky is wasted. This waste is estimated at costing Six Billion Dollars annually.

4) Environment – Lights at night confuse and harm animals and birds, and distresses trees.

5) Urban Sky Glow – This is what you see when you look at a city from a distance, a dome of light covering a large area of the sky and blocking your view of the stars.

Page 3: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

The Villains

Growing pot in the living room?

Drive Thru Operating Room?

Acorn in the trees?

Page 4: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

What are the problem indicators?Sky GlowFacts:• Does your night sky look like the photo on the left or the

photo on the right?• Skyglow is not an indication of progress. It only indicates poor

administration.

Night of Blackout – 60 second exposure Night after Blackout – 30 second exposure

Page 5: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

Glare on Streets

Page 6: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

Street Lights – Use Full Cutoff

Page 7: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

We Need Security Lights, Don’t We? What are you lighting up?

Many overly bright security lights obscure more than they reveal.

Girl moved 4 feet to stand next to pole

Page 8: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

Glare and Security What are you lighting up?

Many overly bright security lights obscure more than they reveal.

Same picture taken with flash

US National Institute of Justice states: ". We can have very little confidence that improved lighting prevents crime".

Page 9: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

Glare - Good lighting can improve safety!

Facts:• Obtrusive outdoor lighting often happens.

Lighting is only good when glare is controlled and the source is discrete.

Page 10: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

Glare - Good lighting can improve safety! - Floodlights

Aim the Floodlights Down!

Page 11: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

Light TrespassFacts: The problem of trespass occurs in nearly

every community!

• Lighting only provides benefits to society when the light is controlled and the source of illumination is discrete.

Page 12: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

Main factors influencing criminals' decision

Main situational factors influencing decision to offendDeterrents rated with high Percentage rating• Presence of alarms outside property 84%• Belief that house is occupied 84%• Presence of camera nearby property 82%• Apparent strength of doors/window locks 55%

p u b l i c a t i o n s . rd s @ h o m e o ff i c e . g s i . g o v. u k

Page 13: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

Crime

How lighting can aid crime• Most crime, especially domestic break-ins, occur in

daylight, proving that light can aid criminals. • Over-powered lights, shining outwards, can hide criminal

activity with glare, providing ideal cover for a burglar at night by blinding potential witnesses

• Lighting can help criminals survey an area and minimize any risk, helping them to be quick and quiet.

• Lighting can highlight potential targets, "easy pickings", security lapses and escape routes

• Motion activated floodlights are so frequently triggered that they are ignored by neighbors

Page 14: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

Does Lighting Deter Crime?

• Des Moines Register newspaper, USA: Darkened streetlights fail to raise crime rate. "A money-saving decision to turn off thousands of Des Moines street- lights met with dire predictions from critics who warned that darkened streets would create a haven for crime. Statistics tell a different story. The first four months of 2004 saw a 3.5 percent drop in vandalism, burglary and robbery..."

Page 15: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

EnvironmentThe light confuses the tree as to the season.

The foliage of trees grown in continuous lighting may belarger in size and more susceptible to air pollution andwater stress during the growing season because thestomatal pores in leaves remain open for longer periods.

Page 16: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

Environment

Tens of millions of migrating birds die every year due to confusion from

overlighting - Crash into buildings, towers- Greater problem during migration season

Page 17: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

Air Pollution

• The coal burned to make electricity for lights also creates air pollution– One 150W HPS street light per annum

• Creates 1.24 tons of CO2• 19 lbs. of SO2• 11 lbs. of NO• 22 grams of Mercury (1 gram of mercury in a 25

acre lake renders fish unsafe for human consumption)

Page 18: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

Air Pollution

Sandy Springs – recently put in good lighting but did not remove the old lighting- 30 superfluous 150W lights

- 37.3 tons of CO2- 565 lbs of SO2- 339 lbs of NO- 1.4 lbs of Mercury

Page 19: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

Why do anything?You can’t be bothered? Left unaddressed the waste

problem gets significantly worse!• Notice the progression over 7 years (1992-1999). The

culprit is unshielded lighting caused by lack of education and lack of fair and comprehensive regulations. The annual cost (~$6B) to erase the stars from the night sky provides no benefit to us:

DSMP - 1999

Page 20: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

What has been done locally?

• Several Georgia counties have adopted a Dark Sky Ordinance (Fulton, Cherokee) with more on the way

• Example of Poor Lighting – new Acorn Luminaires in Chastain Park

• Examples of Good Lighting – – Atlantic Station, all FCO’s– Sandy Springs Business District, all FCO’s

Page 21: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

Examples• San Diego – changed street lights to Low Density Sodium

(LDS) lights, which are most cost efficient lights available – Saves $3M per year

• Des Moines – turned off 39% of its streetlights – no increase in crime

• Calgary - changed street lights to LDS lights- Savings of $3M per year and a reduction of 17 kilotons of carbon-dioxide emissions per year

• Los Angeles – the sky over LA is actually darker than it was 15 years ago due to modernized street lamps (80% full cutoff)

• Other cities with significant full cutoff lighting – Minneapolis, Fort Worth, Dallas

Page 22: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

Conclusions?Facts: "Light Pollution" - The Only Pollution that Costs

More to Perpetuate than to Eliminate!• With improved efficiencies in lighting and design, the

cost of better lighting is cheaper than the status quo.

• Comprehensive laws can control the waste and save precious resources (less oil and less air pollution).

• Light Pollution reform can and does begin right in your own back yard.

• Light Pollution grows from a combination of apathy and a lack of education. It needs a rapid and effective cure and it needs it right now before the stars disappear completely.

Page 23: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

What are your rewards to fix it?We can have the light we need without the waste!

• Save money and improve profit margins with lower operating costs.

• Consume less fossil fuels (84% of electricity production) reducing additional negative impacts from soil, water, and air pollution caused by soot and ash.

• Safer roads for drivers and pedestrians.• Reduce manmade greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.• Everyone gets a free Milky Way with each clear night

simply by stepping outside and looking up after dark!

Page 24: Why Do We Tolerate Bad Lighting

IT CAN BE DONE!• Consider the eye! If lights are eye friendly they

will usually be sky friendly. • Prohibit the of sight of direct glare and light

trespass beyond property lines.• Require area lighting in parking lots and common

areas to be shielded.• Require commercial lighting to be extinguished

after normal business hours.