Global warming is real. This is a politically charged statement, but I side with scientists worldwide and their supporting quantitative evidence.  A major contributor to the problem is energy waste.

One avenue to responsible energy conservation is the recognition of light pollution to that waste and its simple solution. One can just flip the switch or chose intelligent lighting.

It’s estimated that light pollution results in $3 billion yearly in unnecessary energy waste. Fully shielded light fixtures are essential in curbing light pollution. Properly shielded lights prevent light from escaping above the horizontal of the bulb. By focusing the light downward, an average of 40 percent more of the light emitted reaches the intended target, the ground. Because of this, less powerful bulbs can be employed. This saves energy.

LED bulbs are best. Their miserly consumption of electricity is their prime attraction. Yet, bulbs with a color corrected temperature above 3000k defeat the advantages of fully shielded fixtures. This is due to their emission of stronger/shorter wavelengths that scatters easily and undermines the advantages of a fully shielded fixture.

Human health is also a concern when selecting LED bulbs with the proper CRT. The American Medical Association is identifying an assortment of medical maladies associated with exposure to light above 3000k CRT. Unfortunately, municipalities eager to save on their energy bills are replacing streetlights without consideration to how the new lights will affect their residents. 

Yet, maybe you don’t believe in global warming or the AMAs’ warning of health hazards. But maybe you like to save money? Switching to LED bulbs will save you 80 percent more than conventional lights. It costs no more to choose a bulb with a CRT of 3000k or less, so err on the side of caution and do the right thing.

From a purely aesthetic viewpoint, making intelligent lighting choices protects the view of the night sky. Coining the real estate axiom of “location, location, location,” the beautiful view from your property does not have to end at night. Whether you believe in intelligent design or pure happenstance when associated with our existence, we are all made of star stuff. Allowing light pollution to blot out the stars is akin to pulling down the shade on our collective heritage.

Robert Parrish is a member of the Cass County Parks Board and lives in Edwardsburg. He can be reached at rbtparrish@comcast.net.