Frequently Asked Questions

Of course! But please keep the light on your own property, not your neighbors’.  Properly shielded lights provide better visibility. And please turn them off when not needed. Thank you!

Glare (unwanted light shining sideways) makes it harder to see the things you want to see. Glare is especially dangerous when it blinds drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The elderly are especially sensitive to glare.

Blue light disrupts sleep, ruins night vision and causes more glare in the human eye, making it harder to see what you want to see. Blue light also scatters more in the atmosphere: LED lights with correlated color temperature CCT = 5000K (“cool white”) make 7 times more light pollution than LEDs with CCT = 3000K (“warm white”). Most people prefer “warm white” to “cool white”.

 No. Scientific studies have found no confirmed link between outdoor lighting and reduced crime. In fact, bad lighting causes glare, which leads to high contrast and deep shadows that can hide intruders. Burglars use your lights to see where they’re going too. Daytime and nighttime crime rates are the same regardless of lighting. Safety is enhanced by better lighting, not more lighting.

Usually. For example, Northampton code Section 350-12.2 requires that all light fixtures shine downward only, with no light escaping above horizontal and no glare (unwanted, sideways-shining light) directed off the property, and specifies maximum permitted illumination levels.

 Since bad lighting is wasted energy, most fixes that reduce glare and uplighting will save you money. There may be upfront costs for new bulbs or fixtures, but they will usually pay for themselves within a few years. Example: changing a 25W unshielded CFL to a 5W shielded LED ($16) saves $8/year, so it pays for itself in just 2 years (assumes 4000 hrs/yr, 10 cents/KWH).

· Philips 471243 LED PAR20 Warm Glow 500Lm 2200-2700K 7W dimmable (Amazon.com)

· GE 4.5w PAR16 LED Bulb Dimmable Narrow Flood 180Lm Soft White (try Foster Farrar)

· Satco S9400 2700K 7W 500 lumens dimmable (try http://www.BulbAmerica.com)

· Philips PAR20 dimmable LED 6W 2700K FL25 (try http://www.BulbAmerica.com)

Whether you’re shopping online or in a store, look for the Fixture Seal of Approval by the International Dark Sky Association.