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Let there be less light, Cambridge task force proposes
By adamg on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 9:24am
Robert Winters alerts us that the Cambridge City Council today will consider a proposal that would require property owners to phase in less bright and more energy efficient outdoor light bulbs and ones that restrict the light they beam upward. Flashing signs would be banned altogether.
In its report to city officials, the Outdoor Lighting Task Force says its recommendations are aimed at balancing the needs of public safety with the desire for "limiting excess lighting for protection of the night sky and broader environmental impacts."
If enacted, all new buildings would have to comply with the regulations; owners of existing buildings would have five years to phase in the newer bulbs.
The specific proposed ordinance has examples of good and bad lighting fixtures, as well as this tip on what to do about a neighbor's "problematic lighting" (shoudl the ordinance be approved):
If a friendly conversation does not resolve the issue, feel free to contact Cambridge's Inspectional Services Department to file a complaint.
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Comments
Glad that we have nothing better to do
I didn't realize all the real problems had been solved.
Columbus
He was the real problem.
Good
As someone with a bedroom window across the street from a house which inexplicably leaves an outdoor light on all night (most nights) which brightly shines in to the window (in the winter; in the summer it's mostly shielded by trees) I fully support this measure. I doubt they are doing this on purpose but just don't realize how far a bare bulb casts its light. It's far brighter than the LED streetlight which is aimed down at the ground.
Martin-Luthering this brochure to their door seems much more passive aggressive than confronting them, but not quite as much as just going and unscrewing the bulb, the other two options I've considered.
idea
Could you approach them and offer to buy a globe or shade that would change the direction of the light? My guess is that if they don't know, they'll be embarrassed that it's been bothering the neighbors for so long, and the worst-case scenario is that you're out a few bucks for something that will bring you relief anyway.
Buy curtains instead of
Buy curtains instead of trespassing and vandalizing private property has never occurred to you?
your new terawatt floodlamp
http://thechive.com/2012/05/17/dispute-over-the-placement-of-a-floodligh...
Cambridge will make its mark
Cambridge will make its mark
When it takes action on a lark
The lights are bright
Time for a fight
And now it sits in the dark
Agree for once with Cambridge,
Light pollution is the worst... I was talking to a 60 year resident of my town and he used to see the LIttle Dipper. Now the lights so bright it's like Kenny Rogers Roasters in Seinfeld.
Looking ahead to Nov 2017
Cambridge Internet News, November 30, 2017
Following a string of late night street corner muggings, authorities are adding street lighting and suggesting home and business owners do the same. "We just can't be too careful", said a city Councilor.
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Laws of unintended consequences...
Bright lights make darker
Bright lights make darker shadows (to the light-adjusted eyes) - a general dim level of light is safer than bright pools of light. (Unless you have a really dumb mugger who grabs people under the bright lights.)
Hypocrisy clause
The first exemption in the bill is for "Lighting within public ways for the principal purpose of illuminating public ways".
If you're going to pass a light-pollution bill, lead by example and start with your own streetlights, especially acorn fixtures.
"Problematic"? Instructing
"Problematic"? Instructing neighbors to be enforcement? Regulating homeowners on something like lighting?
This sounds like some of those micromanaging HOAs-type shit. The type of shit that occasionally pop-up in the news and online following and everyone screaming about how much everyone hates them.
Regardless of the merits about new lights for less energy consumption and light pollution. Regardless of annoying neighbors who shine their lights too much. I believe that is better than regulating down the lighting enforced by neighbors.
Somerville has been
Somerville has been installing new LED street lights. Not only is it a nice clean white light, it directs the light downward more. Seems to reduce light pollution. Tax payer dollars well spent, in my opinion.
That clean white light is waking people up
The warm light of the old lamps was nicer to look at and not disruptive to sleep cycles.
It is? So you prefer to the
It is? So you prefer to the old orage-ish halogen glow of the old lamps? The full moon the last few days must also be disrupting sleep cycles, damn you nature!
If anything is disrupting
If anything is disrupting your sleep cycles, it's not the streetlights outside your house. What's interrupting your sleep is your indoor lights, computer screen, the phone you stare at, or the episode of Game of Thrones you watched before going to bed.
It can be both
If you're walking home from the lab late at night, you might not want the street lights tricking your brain into thinking that you shouldn't be going to sleep when you get home.
There's also some light coming in the windows (some homes, more than others), but as you said, then people should also be looking at their nighttime screen use. The popular color temperature programs like f.lux and redshift are some help, but don't completely address the problems with screens.
People here does seems to not
People here does seems to not be taking the anon's word well. But I want to point out that he is speaking the truth. Blue lights does lead to less sleep. It is a factor to consider - https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110912092554.htm
But I do want to point out that Cambridge and found a balance https://www.cambridgema.gov/electrical/steetlightsandcircadiansleepcycles
I'm against the idea of stipulating how a property owner uses lights. So many on the internet rails at HOAs making all kinds of stipulations to people's homes - municipal government positivies tend to be that they don't usually go around mandating things like what lights a person is a llow to use at their front door.
In terms of the street lights, the original commentator is right that it fit very well in the argument that it is a good use of taypayer funds. It uses less energy, cost less in the long run, and last longer. The smart solution is not refusal to use it but to figure out how to resolve it. That's smart government.
Dumb government is things like Cambridge requiring owners choose only a certain set of lights they deemed okay. Now, it a different thing if a person is doing some obnoxious, but requiring only a certain lights is going well beyond that line.
similar but different
Did you know Massachusetts has a list of approved plumbing fixtures?
Check here: http://license.reg.state.ma.us/pubLic/pl_products/pb_pre_form.asp
Includes gas products because ... plumbing.
Except that's not what these
Except that's not what these studies prove. Nowhere do these studies prove that artificial outdoor lighting having a direct, measurable impact on your health. The Dark Sky people took a study about nurses who work the night shift (which of course is going to mess you up) and extrapolated it to claim "streetlights cause cancer."
The eye has huge dynamic range, and the few lux we're exposed to outside is rounding error compared to the hundreds or thousands of lux we bathe ourselves under indoors.
There are plenty of problems with high CCT outdoor lighting, but these claims that they causes cancer and screw up your rhythms are not among them. It's junk science. High CCT lighting is bad for light pollution and worse for overall visibility and safety, but no, it's not a health problem.
Alternatively during winter
Alternatively during winter when it's dark at 4 flipping pm in the afternoon, it's nice to have lights that subconsciously make it feel like daytime
Depends on the housing. If
Depends on the housing. If you put LEDs in an acorn they will result in light pollution. Well aimed and they do a good job.
LEDs are definitely the future tho. Longer lasting, lower energy consumption just takes a bit of cap ex up front. Phasing them in as bulbs go out seems to be a good strategy.
Possible rationale for forcing "energy efficient"
The warm, inviting yellowish porch lights make those sickly new LED street lamps the city installed look bad by comparison.
Soon, all anyone will know is ugliness. It will be so egalitarian.
When is Cambridge going to
When is Cambridge going to get rid of these? https://goo.gl/maps/kipg9zk6VS72 They shine light every direction except down.
And when they installed these https://goo.gl/maps/g92JcS2xMCM2 about 5 years ago, it turned a street that was pleasant at night into an awful glare.
Regulating ourselves
to death. Ugh. This is what happens when municipalities substitute regulations for neighborliness. Just as long as we don't have to get to know each other or talk to one another. Just as long as we each individually get to assert our right to a light-free existence. Just as long as we have light police to force our neighbors to take down their untasteful, blinky Christmas displays.
Let's ban the sun and the moon while we're at it. We live in a city, after all.
Cambridge should take a long, hard look at itself. When it comes to visual pollution, it should start with its own municipal signage.
Busybodies should redirect their anti-pollution efforts
The main light pollution problem is from the ugly color temperature of those new street lights.
The main pollution problem in Cambridge is NOISE pollution.
This seems very appropriately
This seems very appropriately timed. Perhaps someone should make Cambridge aware of this statement from the AMA:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/21/health/led-streetlights-ama/index.html
Will There Be Light Inspectors Now?
I'd love that! For a good honest opinion. Free LED light bulbs a bonus.
Had the rodent inspector out the other day to help identify wtf where are they all joyously coming from.
Expert at issuing citations to force people to fix problems.
For the light problem: Can't neighbors just communicate with one another?