RASC_Responsible_Lighting_Brochure
When we think pollution, toxic chemicals, poisoned lakes and oil spills are often top of mind. But in recent years, light pollution, also known as “photo pollution” and “luminous pollution,” has become an issue we’re increasingly aware of. Light pollution refers to annoying, harmful and just plain wasteful lighting. Unnecessary lighting also contributes to global warming by making wasteful demands on energy.
Boycott clutterbugs
“Lighting clutter” refers to the excessive grouping of lighting, especially illuminated billboards and overly lit-up commercial establishments. You can tell companies why you don’t agree with what they’re doing (detracting from highway safety, in many locations, cluttering the landscape, and wasting energy — in all cases), and inform them you’re patronizing more eco-friendly competitors until they wise up. Will they care? If you get your friends, family and local environmental organizations involved in the letter-writing campaign, they will. And if all of you start writing to local newspapers and raising awareness of the issue, doubly so.
Lobby for a lights-out
The 20,000 lights on Paris’s Eiffel Tower were turned off for five minutes earlier in February 2007, in a symbolic gesture aiming to raise awareness about energy consumption and global warming. Start a letter-writing campaign to get your local landmark to follow suit — perhaps on Earth Day/Night. Also, ask local sports arenas and stadiums to turn off lights when games aren’t playing.
