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10 Easy Steps to Reduce Light Pollution  
HOW TO 

Tags: light pollution, outdoor lighting, night sky, environment, global warming

Light pollution is a growing worldwide problem affecting vast areas of the planet. In a nutshell, Light Pollution is misdirected or misused light… generally resulting from an inappropriate application of outdoor lighting. Light pollution is a truly global problem with costs running into the tens of billions of dollars annually. Light Pollution comes in several flavors… sky glow, glare and light trespass. Each has its own nasty impact on society. Fortunately, light pollution is one of the easiest pollutions to clean up. The following are a few easy steps that you can take to help reduce the effects of light pollution on our planet.

	Light only what needs lighting. This sounds simple, but is typically overlooked. Ask yourself, does this even require lighting?
	Light only when you need it to be lit. Ok, so you’ve determined that it really requires light. Does it need to be lit at all times? If you only go out to your shed once a week does it really need to be lit dusk to dawn each and every night?
	Use only as much light as is required. Don’t always install the highest available wattage. If you’re not performing surgery on your patio, there’s no need for operating room illumination levels.
	Use only full cutoff light fixtures. Full cutoff fixtures shine light down onto the ground and prevent light from shining thoughtlessly across property lines or wastefully up into the night sky. Starry Night Lights was created to provide home and business owners with the widest selection of full cutoff light fixtures.
	Shield your existing fixture. If you’re not quite ready to install new, full cutoff fixtures, light shades are available for many fixtures that will convert them into night sky friendly fixtures for a minimal cost.
	Install motion sensors. These will turn your lights on automatically whenever there is activity outside your home or business. This typically reduces your use of electricity for lighting upwards of 90%, easily paying for the cost of the sensor and its installation.
	Install reflectors. Many times, reflectors can be used to outline a driveway instead of putting in a string of lights. These are cheaper to purchase, cheaper to run, and are unaffected by power outages.
	Get used to the dark. Our eyes are quite good at seeing at night. If you need to take the trash out at night, do you really need to turn your outdoor lights on? Chances are quit good that you’ll be able to find the trash can and make your way “all the way” to the curb. You’re also much more likely to enjoy the beauty of the night sky if you’re not blinded by area lights.
	Educate your friends, 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.
	Show your support for www.StarryNightLights.com by tagging us on digg, furl, spurl, del.icio.us or other such websites. Additionally, bloggers are encouraged to write a post about us and web masters are encouraged to provide a link to Starry Night Lights! Your help does make a difference. Your help is noticed… and is very definitely appreciated. Thanks for supporting Starry Nights!

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Source: Starry Night Lights

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