We're Squandering LEDs' Potential to Save Our Night Skies
The transition to LED lighting has inadvertently increased light pollution in urban areas due to poor design and implementation. The article advocates for smarter lighting strategies that preserve the night sky while maintaining safety.
Why it matters
It addresses the environmental and aesthetic impact of modern urban infrastructure and the unintended consequences of energy-efficient technology.
Bad decisions have turned efficient technology into a driver of light pollution. There is a better way
The River Thames is aglow with light reflected from the Vauxhall and Nine Elms skyscraper clusters [left] and the illuminated face of the Millbank Tower [right].
In the chill of a London spring night, under overcast skies, iconic Trafalgar Square opens around me. Admiral Nelson rises on his pedestal, the National Gallery rests behind, the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields sits nearby. From the 13th century, the site served as the Royal Mews for hawks and then horses. By 1844, it was a public space at the heart of one of the biggest cities in the world.
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