Human Health
Light and Crime
Fear of increased crime is the most significant concern expressed by people when asked about reducing light pollution. It is commonly believed that nighttime lighting reduces crime, yet studies of crime conclude primarily that only our fear of crime is reduced. Although there is an overwhelming view that all-night lighting prevents crime, crime data do not show a strong relationship between lighting and crime rate.
The belief that lighting reduces crime is widely held and this and related issues have been examined in many places over the past few decades with some surprising results.
Numerous investigations of the supposed relationship of light and crime have been undertaken are listed at http://amper.ped.muni.cz/light/crime/OLCpt2.htm and http://amper.ped.muni.cz/light/ctstarwchr/LiteLynx.htm#crime.
A test in West Sussex, UK showed crime went up in lit areas. In certain test areas, all-night lighting was installed; other areas were kept as control areas. West Sussex Police monitored the crime patterns for comparison with the previous year in both test and control areas and polled residents about their perceptions and the affects of the all-night lighting.
Polling results confirmed people thought lighting prevents crime and most residents felt safer after the all-night lights were installed. Crime statistics, though, showed a 55% increase in crime in the test areas as compared to the control areas and to the county as a whole! West Sussex has subsequently decided against all-night lighting.
Energy Conservation
Americans Waste $130 Billion a Year on Energy
Posted on August 1, 2009 by Noel
“A comprehensive strategy, executed at scale, could reduce the nation’s annual non-transportation end-use energy consumption from 36.9 quadrillion BTUs in 2008 to 30.8 quadrillion BTUs in 2020 — saving 9.1 quadrillion BTUs relative to a business-as-usual baseline. (That baseline projects that 39.9 quadrillion BTUs of energy would be consumed in 2020.) This reduction in energy consumption could yield savings worth more than $1.2 trillion (at a rate of $130 billion annually). Such savings are far greater than the $520 billion that would be needed for upfront investment in efficiency measures. The reduction in energy use would also result in the abatement of 1.1 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, the equivalent of taking the entire U.S. fleet of passenger vehicles and light trucks off the roads.” – McKinsey & Company Report
The United States of America wastes $130,000,000,000 dollars a year on energy. Whether from inefficient light bulbs, unshielded lighting or vampire electronics, energy sources need improvement. Significant improvement. Whilst options exist to improve energy efficiency, the public seems to act warily toward the initial high price tag of energy efficient products. It’s the same principle as buying groceries for your family from the grocery store: buy bulk whenever possible. Sure, buying a bunch of items in bulk rings up quite a hefty price tag, but consider how buying bulk decreases the amount of time and energy spent on obtaining goods from the grocery and how it increases the amount of food resources available to your family at home. One could theoretically shop at the grocery store on a daily basis, which is fine if the store is within walking distance, but driving to the grocery store everyday impacts not only your wallet but the environment itself. Back to energy efficient products, their initial expensive price tag suggests that by buying this particular product, you, the consumer, will actually pay for the item itself in a few years from the amount of electricity you saved.
So what small items can I procure to help save me money? High quality CCFL lightbulbs or LED lighting. Pairing a high quality light bulb with the proper shielding, by directing the light downwards, allows an even lower wattage bulb to emit the same amount of lumins than without the shielding. By directing the light downwards, consumers and businesses alike, can begin to waste less energy and eradicate light pollution. Therefore, outdoor lighting solutions by virtue of efficiency, can help change American’s wasteful energy habit.
Ecology
Astronomy
