A car flying down the road at night at any speed would be a bit helpless without its headlights. Nothing would be seen to avoid, nobody would be warned of on-coming traffic, and likely no one would make it to his destination safely. Dealing with genuine light-pollution concerns, an automobile’s headlights are justifiable necessities. But still, rarely does a driver need the added aid of her hi-beams.

And now her home or business. A building moves down the asphalt at a screaming 0 mph. Then why put up lights that tell the deer to get out of the way and the moths to come on over? A legitimate environmental, aesthetic and community issue would deal with this very question: How much light is too much?

Environmental Concerns

For millennia, humanity has gazed into the starry night-sky and connected with something greater. Now, the urban centers of civilization are robbed of the breathtaking views enjoyed by the founders of those centers. The alleged thief in this crime is the electric light: it has cast a dull glow across the night skies; this blanket of man-made light stifles the cool breeze of starry light that used to visit earth and her inhabitants. But is the electric light truly a criminal? No! It’s an inanimate object, and if indicted, a mere accessory to the crime. And the loss of our starry vistas is not due to murder in the first degree, but negligent manslaughter. The new suspect? Unsuspecting and well-intentioned consumers. And as scientific research probes the effects of excessive exposure to light, the consumer himself may even be a victim.

Less is More

Whether newly building or remodeling, the homeowner is proud of his investment and wants a place with unique character. Have you ever noticed how much goes into great portrait photography? That doesn’t mean high school senior pictures, but the great, warm, often black-and-white head-and-shoulder shots of history’s greats. The great portrait photographer finds so much of the character of his sitter in the way he uses light to accent expression, mood and distinctive facial features. And the photographer doesn’t use his full-powered, direct flash as much as you think. Instead, the artist who captures character knows how much light says a lot about this person, and when too much says nothing at all. The same principles of lighting can be used to accent the beauty of your home’s colors and textures, its real character. (here maybe link to a specific product with some good photos of examples, interior, exterior) But you have to know when less is more.

Light Trespass

It is actually unlawful for one driver to pass another head-on while using hi-beams. The same principle of mutual respect carries over into communities and the buildings and facilities that make up those communities. Even the light that comes into your home through drawn blinds presents quite the annoyance. Houses have security lighting, but when not on a motion sensor, the trespass of this ’security’ onto a neighbor’s property and into his home is as welcome as his dog onto his lawn. Conscientious outdoor lighting alternatives offer a tasteful and respectable solution.

So while your car occasionally needs the hi-beams, maybe your house doesn’t. Light pollution issues and concerns are not new, and manufacturers now provide dark-sky friendly (and neighbor-friendly) products. An extensive variety of indoor and outdoor lighting bulbs and fixtures can be found at StarryNightLights.com.