Five ways to bring back the night

They are magnificent, present yet untouchable, the object of much affection. No, I'm not talking about celebrities. I'm talking about stars in the night sky. 

This year, I spent the winter holidays backcountry skiing from a small hut in the national forests of southwestern Colorado, and the abundance of stars reminded me that I miss their presence in my city. 

"Where did the night sky go?" I wondered. 

We city dwellers often don't see many stars because of light pollution. Much of this obtrusive light is caused by excessive interior and exterior lighting from advertising, commercial properties, offices, factories, streetlights, sporting venues, and our own homes. 

The effects of light pollution
It's very clear how development and light pollution are linked. NASA's night image of Earth (below) is proof enough. 

Back on the ground, light pollution is pretty easy to spot too. 

If you ever have the opportunity to look at the night sky from outside a city, scan the horizon. You can often see the direct effects of excessive lighting as a halo in the night sky. 

When I lived in Santa Barbara, I would often walk the beach at night and look across the ocean. Instead of stars, I would see light emanating from the Los Angeles Basin 100 miles away. And at the Grand Canyon, you can see a similar halo from Las Vegas, 175 miles away. 

Besides marring the view, light pollution wastes energy. The International Dark-Sky Association estimates that every year the United States wastes 110 billion kilowatt-hours, or $10.4 billion, on "ill-conceived, ineffective, and inefficient lighting." 

Generating all that unneeded electricity to power those lights results in more greenhouse gas emissions that increase the threat of global warming. 

Simple steps to reduce light pollution
With so much at stake, I'm happy to report that there are simple solutions to drastically reduce light pollution and save energy. 

First, start at home: 

1. Light only what you need. Ask yourself whether your lights are located in the right places for your daily needs. 
2. Light only when you need it. Use motion sensors to cut your electricity bill, and be diligent about turning off lights that are not in use. 
3. Light where you need it. Make sure that outdoor fixtures don't emit light upwards or excessively outwards. Proper lighting does not shine into the night sky or across to a neighbor's property. 
4. Light in the right quantity. Look at the effects of your outdoor lights. Are shadows created that actually obstruct vision? Lower the wattage and you may be able to see better due to the reduction of shadows. I recently installed a lower wattage motion detector light outside my back doorstep and was amazed at the increase in visibility. 
5. Check placement, curtains, and window coverings to make sure your indoor lighting is not shining out and up at night. 

Next, encourage your workplace and local government to standardize the use of lighting techniques that decrease or eliminate light pollution. 

You can find more resources and tips on reducing light pollution from the International Dark-Sky Association.