We recently produced this one page guide (see below) “How to Tackle Light Pollution in Your Community” as part of our partnership with Tidy Towns and Dark Sky Ireland. Reducing light pollution is relatively easy for communities to do with small changes and it has many benefits that align with the UNs Sustainable Development Goals.
Taking a Less is More approach to lighting employs the 5 principles of Lighting advocated by Dark Sky International. These simple steps are all you need to follow to get lighting right and reduce unnecessary lighting in your locality:
1. Use light only if it is needed
All light should have a clear purpose. Consider how the use of light will impact the area, including wildlife and their habitats.
2. Direct light so it falls only where it is needed
Use shielding and careful aiming to target the direction of the light beam so that it points downward and does not spill beyond where it is needed.
3. Light should be no brighter than necessary
Use the lowest light level required. Be mindful of surface conditions, as some surfaces may reflect more light into the night sky than intended.
4. Use light only when it is needed
Use controls such as timers or motion detectors to ensure that light is available when it is needed, dimmed when possible, and turned off when not needed.
5. Use warmer-colour lights where possible
Reduce the amount of shorter wavelength (blue-violet) light to the least amount needed. This should ideally be less than 2700 kelvins.
