specializing in led outdoor lighting

Have you heard of the Dark-Sky Lighting movement? This is a fairly new concept in how lighting affects people, animals, and our environment. The Dark-Sky movement does not mean no light at all – the initiative is to limit unnecessary light.  The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is a leader in the movement to “preserve and protect the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting”. 

 

Have you ever laid down under the stars and just watched the movement above, seen the constellations, or watched a shooting star? If you live in the city, it’s probably hard to comprehend how much of the sky you can see without light pollution. Street and parking lot lights are the major contributors to light pollution, causing reduced views of the nighttime stars in the sky. 

 

Several local municipalities have adopted Dark-Sky ordinances in support of the Dark-Sky Initiative. These ordinances are primarily focused on commercial properties and how signs and structures are illuminated. Additionally, some residential community associations have introduced rules that homeowners must follow for landscape lighting in their communities. 

 

Home or business owners can help reduce the amount of light in the night sky by following a few simple guidelines posted by IDA.

• Only be on when needed

• Only light the area that needs it

• Be no brighter than necessary

• Minimize blue light emissions

• Be fully shielded (pointing downward)

 

Talk with one of the professionals at RadiantScapes today about your home or business landscape lighting and how you can make a difference in the night sky. RadiantScapes has many lighting fixtures available that are Dark-Sky Approved. We can help homeowners and business owners meet the requirements of local ordinances or community associations and still enjoy the benefits of a professionally designed landscape lighting system.