
The Dark Side of Light - gruseom
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/09/light-pollution-destroying-environment/598561/
======
xoa
This is one area where I think smarter lighting and adjustable temperature
LEDs has a lot of continuing potential as the cost comes down. I live in a
somewhat rural area, and I used to leave lights on more for safety at night.
Said lights, particularly when they became CFL, were fixed temp and bluer. Now
with a bunch of Hue bulbs, a fairly comprehensive set of motion sensors, and
the ability to shift colder or bluer with the time of day and season of the
year (all the way down to deep dim orange/red at night), I have far less light
emitted and what there is has a lot less blue. I don't think it pays for
itself in terms of energy savings or anything like that, LEDs are so efficient
anyway (though it probably does cancel out the minor extra constant energy use
from the networking of them when 'off'). But I hope it does help the nearby
wildlife, and for that matter it also helps me maintain a more regular
schedule even in the middle of the winter when nights are long. I think
technically they're not outdoor rated, but they've had no trouble surviving
down to 30 below F over a good 4 years now so far. I hope eventually full RGB
is just standard and cheap in general, and everyone away from the equator can
easily adjust temperature.

------
jakeogh
Great org mentioned in the article:
[https://www.darksky.org](https://www.darksky.org)

~~~
eth0up
Six or so years ago, approx 20 miles south of Brandon, FL in a still somewhat
rural area, I had a great view of the milky way on clear nights. Now, a
menacing dome of sickly pale light slops over maybe 150+ degrees of horizon
and 45+ of vertical, making it difficult to see even Cassiopeia sometimes. I
very much wish this wasn't so.

Hopefully darksky will save someone's slice of universe. In the meantime I'll
be looking, unfortunately, on the brightside.

