Reduce Light Pollution

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Light pollution is excessive, misdirected or misused light that can harm human health, wildlife, ecosystems and astronomy. Although light pollution is one of the least known types of pollution, its effects on human health and ecosystems can be just as serious as some of the better-known forms of pollution. Light pollution is most severe in large cities, especially in North America and Europe, and in other built-up areas such as Japan and in major cities in the Middle East and North Africa like Tehran and Cairo, but even relatively small amounts of light can be noticed and create problems in rural areas as well. Light pollution is a side effect of industrial civilization. Its sources include building exterior and interior lighting, advertising, commercial properties, offices, factories, streetlights, and illuminated sporting venues. Light pollution is one of the easiest pollutions to clean up. Taking steps to reduce light pollution doesn't mean living in the dark - it's about making light more efficient and beneficial. Learn more.
Why More Efficient Light?
"Light pollution is a growing environmental problem that threatens to erase the night sky before its time." ~NASA, The Fading Milky Way
"We are about good lighting, not no lighting." ~Peter Strasser, International Dark-Sky Association
Ways to Reduce Light Pollution
  • Install Reflectors to outline a driveway instead of putting in a row of lights. Reflectors are cheaper to purchase, free to use and are unaffected by power outages. Explore the Top Driveway Reflector Sites

  • Reduce the Light Escaping Your Home and save money by turning on your exterior light's motion detectors so they only come on when needed. Outdoor lighting is only necessary when you're outside or as part of a crime-prevention strategy and motion-sensing lights is the best way to go about it. Purchase Outdoor Motion Sensor Lighting

  • Direct Illumination Toward the Ground, Not Upward, where it's of little use and contributes to sky glow and may trespass into your neighbor's home. Learn Why This is Important

  • Light Only What Needs Lighting and When You Need It Lit. As simple as this sounds, it could be the most effective action you can take as it is often overlooked and its benefits, underestimated.

  • Check With Your Power Company To See If You're Being Billed for Nearby Outdoor Lighting, such as a lamp down at the street. Utilities may charge $5 - $10 a month for this service. You can check your bill or call customer service to find out. If so, you can ask for the charge to be terminated and the light be removed.

  • Seek Out Lighting Products  and Manufacturers With The IDA Fixture Seal of Approval - "IDA educates lighting designers, manufacturers, technical committees, and the public about light pollution abatement. We recognize that the best way to accomplish our goal of protecting and restoring our natural night environment and our heritage of dark skies is through promotion of quality outdoor lighting. It is in this spirit that we have developed the Fixture Seal of Approval (FSA) program for dark sky friendly fixtures. The Fixture Seal of Approval provides objective, third-party certification for luminaires that minimize glare, reduce light trespass, and don’t pollute the night sky. For a modest fee, IDA will evaluate the photometric data of any luminaire submitted by its manufacturer. When the fixture is approved, the manufacturer receives a certificate and the Fixture Seal of Approval. Manufacturers may use the FSA seal to promote and advertise their IDA-Approved™ dark sky friendly products." ~IDA's Fixture Seal of Approval Discover Fixtures Approved by Category | Find Manufacturers with IDA Approved Fixtures
  • Shop at Starry Night Lights - "Starry Night Lights is committed to fighting light pollution and restoring our heritage of star-filled skies. We offer the widest selection of night sky friendly outdoor lighting for your home or business." Discover and Purchase Lighting to Fit Every Need

  • Use Full Cutoff Light Fixtures to shine light down onto the ground where it is needed and prevent the light from shining thoughtlessly across property lines or wastefully up into the night sky. Learn more | Purchase.

  • Use Dimmer Switches On Household Lights, indoor and outdoor, to save energy, have full control over your lighting and enjoy mood lighting at will.

Full Cutoff Lighting - The Benefits

  • Educate Your Friends, Family, Neighbors and Elected Officials About Light Pollution - With just a little bit of thought and effort, this is one environmental pollution that can be cleaned up without any lasting side effects. Educate and Motivate Yourself First!


  • Be an Engaged Citizen by Boycotting Light Clutter, which is the excessive grouping of lighting, especially illuminated billboards and overly lit-up commercial establishments by telling companies why you don't agree with what they're doing, that it can be dangerous, creating conditions that detract from highway safety, clutter the landscape and waste energy, and inform the company or business  you're embracing more eco-friendly competitors until they make changes!
"Light pollution from improper outdoor lighting wastes billions of dollars and vast quantities of natural resources annually." ~Starry Night Lights
Join and Support these Organizations Working to Reduce Light Pollution and its Adverse Effects on Humans, Wildlife and Ecosystems:
  • International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) - "IDA is the recognized authority on light pollution. Founded in 1988, IDA is the first organization to call attention to the hazards of light pollution, and in 22 years of operation our accomplishments have been tremendous. We promote one simple idea: light what you need, when you need it. We know some light at night is necessary for safety and recreation. We work with manufacturers, planners, legislators, and citizens to provide energy efficient options that direct the light where you want it to go, not uselessly up into the sky. Our approach of public awareness and extensive partnerships is improving nighttime lighting on six continents. IDA acts on numerous issues to create a platform as expansive as the sky itself"
  • Starry Night Lights - "Starry Night Lights is committed to fighting light pollution and restoring our heritage of star-filled skies. We offer the widest selection of night sky friendly outdoor lighting for your home or business."
  • GLOBE at Night - "The GLOBE at Night program is an international citizen-science campaign to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by inviting citizen-scientists to measure their night sky brightness and submit their observations to a website from a computer or smart phone. Light pollution threatens not only our “right to starlight”, but can affect energy consumption, wildlife and health. People in 115 countries contributed over 83,000 measurements during the campaigns each winter/spring over the last 7 years, making GLOBE at Night the most successful light pollution awareness campaign to date."
*Be sure to seek out your local, state or regional authority on light pollution or astronomical society.
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