Going Green...on Earth and Beyond by Progress Lighting

Stars: An Endangered Species?
When was the last time you looked up at the sky and saw 5,000 stars twinkling above you? Most likely not very recently, considering in most cities today only about a dozen stars can be seen by the naked eye. This reduction from 5,000 to just a dozen is caused by light pollution and the orangish glow it has given our night sky. In our modern world, stars are in danger of becoming an endangered species, lost to the glare of car dealerships, high-rise buildings, and even the lights in your own backyard. 

Polluting the Skies AND the Earth
Spillover of misdirected and misused light not only pollutes the skies, but also wastes precious energy and natural resources. It is estimated that in the U.S. alone, $5-10 billion is spent each year on unnecessary light directed towards the sky. 

Light pollution is also harmful to the living world around us. Nocturnal animals find it difficult to adapt to a glowing night sky and have trouble living in these conditions. Sea turtles have even become endangered due to their difficulties in lying eggs on brightly lit beaches.

Recently, many states, counties, and cities have developed Dark Sky lighting ordinances restricting light output in an attempt to bring back the starry night sky.

Greening the Night Sky
In creating a “greener” home and community, you can do your part to conserve energy and help reduce light pollution by joining the Dark Sky movement and changing the way you think about outdoor lighting.

• Only light spaces that really need to be lit. If the space is unused at night, simply turn the fixtures off or install motion sensors.
  
• Where you do want light, find fixtures that are full cutoff, shielded, or only direct light downwards. Look for the International Dark Sky seal of approval, indicating a 90° cutoff of light output and Dark Sky compliance.
  
• If you must leave your lights on for extended periods of time, save energy by choosing Energy Star products, lowering the wattage on existing fixtures, or switching to compact fluorescent bulbs. These changes reduce the amount of energy wasted and also can produce less glare up into the sky.
  By lighting only where, when, and as brightly as you need, you can help reduce light pollution and work to make our world a “greener” place to live.