On Tuesday, the World Bank took two big steps in the struggle to improve global warming by establishing two investment funds in order to help developing nations move to cleaner energy sources. The World Bank hopes that by doing so these nations can assist in lowering climate change and also develop a dependency on energy resources which will not have such a negative effect on the environment. These two funds are the Clean Technology Fund and the Strategic Climate Fund, the approval of these two funds comes days before the Group of Eight summit. This summit will take place in Hokkaido, Japan on the 8th of July and is meant to address the issue of climate change.
The World Bank expects the full support of the nations which are to participate in the Group of Eight summit. The World Bank expects these nations to give an initial amount of $4 billion or $5 billion in donations, in order to make the funds feasible. From among the Group of Eight, the United States, Britain and Japan have all agreed to contribute to the funds. In addition, more nations are expected to join in, now that the initial period of approval for the fund has passed.
The director of the World Bank’s environment department, Warren Evans, has stated that there are no specific financial commitments, though he is confident that the World Bank will be able to raise $500 million for its programs. “We would hope the funds are fully operational by the fourth quarter of this year,” Evans stated. He also mentioned that he was not concerned about choosing a particular time for the first payment because of the length that it will take to put the projects together. According to Evans, financing for the projects will be decided by a committee made up of the Group of Eight nations, through a consensus.
The president of World Bank, Robert Zoellick, has stated that these funds are part of the Bank’s response to climate change. Zoellick has said that he feels that “the (funds) will have a significant impact in generating even more financing for climate action,” and they will also help “in demonstrating new approaches to address the current and future effects of climate change”.
These new approaches will include: agricultural solutions, water management, development concerns, energy resources and so forth.
Look to Starry Night Lights for the latest environmental news, and for fixtures which will ensure the protection of the night sky.
Allow Starry Night Lights to help you ‘lighten up’! It is important to have lighting options, which allow you to both protect the environment and have the lighting you desire. Lighting is a nice, inexpensive way to update your home. By simply adding lights, or updating the fixtures you already own, you can make an entire room look different. Also, lighting can add a nice touch to a room or desired area. It can be a daunting task to pick the lighting of your home, but by buying from Starry Night Lights you can do more than just add a little light to your home, you are ensuring that the lighting of your home is night and environmentally friendly.
Wall Mounted Exterior Light Fixtures: These sorts of fixtures have the ability to greatly emphasize the outdoor beauty of ones home. Also, wall mounted exterior light fixtures come in various styles and forms, allowing a lot of diversity when choosing lighting. Another positive factor of wall mounted exterior light fixtures is the fact that they allow light to be directed to chosen areas.
Architectural Lighting: By choosing architectural lighting one has the advantage of having lighting fixtures which allow individuals to move about freely and safely. Also some advantages to having architectural lighting is that- it keeps light on the ground where it belongs, reduces light pollution and glare and so on and so forth.
Wall Scones: Are an excellent form of lighting designed to draw attention to a wall or highlite an area. They shine light downwards or on the area which needs to be lit and not into neighbors homes. They come in various styles such as; copper, aluminum, brass, ceramic and stainless steel and also in many different finishes.
Pendant Lighting: These lighting fixtures are an excellent way to draw attention to a room, while also giving you the ability to only light the areas you feel to be need to lit. Pendant lighting comes in many different forms, colors and shapes… do not be afraid to get creative.
Lighten up with Starry Night Lights, and be guaranteed variety and environmentally efficient lighting!
Starry Night Lights is a company dedicated to fighting light pollution, by providing individuals with night friendly lighting fixtures. One may wonder why this is important or even why a company like Starry Night Lights, would dedicate itself to such a cause. The answer to this question comes from the heart and goals of its president and founder, Anthony Arrigo. Mr. Arrigo has stated that he is “committed to fighting light pollution” and that his desire to fight light pollution comes from his love for the night sky. According to Mr. Arrigo “I have spent countless hours taking in its majesty from more locations than I can count. Each and every night is different and special in its own way”. As a result, both Mr. Arrigo and Starry Night Lights are dedicated to the fight against light pollution and for the restoration of the night sky.
For individuals who are also into star gazing and viewing the other majestic things of the night sky, buy Starry Night Light products and you will be guaranteed night sky friendly, light pollution fighting, lighting fixtures. There are so many reasons to take the appropriate steps to lessen light pollution and one of the greatest gifts you will receive is an evening filled with stars.
Starry Night Lights offers a great deal of selection, in choosing the best lighting fixtures for ones own individual taste.
With regard to indoor lighting, one may enjoy wall scones- which are an excellent way to only light the areas of your home you want lit, they also come in many varieties and in many finishes. Or one may prefer pendant lighting which can give an artistic grace to a room or home, but also allows area specific lighting. Perhaps ceiling mounted lights, are more to ones liking, they are less dramatic then pendant lighting, but can offer a more dispersed form of lighting.
Outdoor lighting is especially important in the fight against light pollution. Thus, this form of lighting is particularly important and needs to be thought through well before the process of lighting outdoor areas actually takes place. Once again there are various options, such as glare-free lighting, which is very affective in giving clarity and visibility. Also, motion sensor lighting is an excellent way to light your outdoor areas because the area is only lit when its needed, and when the detector senses activity. Energy efficient lamps are of course excellent lighting fixtures because they conserve energy, by replacing lamps with energy efficient lamps one can protect the environment and save money.
Why is it that city dwellers look up into the night sky and have a hard time seeing the stars? The answer is actually very simple- light pollution. Light pollution can be described as the brightening of the night sky, caused by large amounts of artificial outdoor lighting. In the case of light pollution, artificial light is frequently directed aimlessly into the night sky. Light pollution also includes light intrusion, which is the process by which light enters our homes from sources like a bright street light or such.
Light pollution comes from various sources, all of which involve poor lighting fixtures or unnecessary lighting. These sources include: street lamps and lighting, advertising and display lighting, commercial lighting, lighting for sports events and so forth. In any case, many forms of these various of lighting fixtures are typically bad because they allow light to shine upwards, rather than downwards.
How does light pollution affect us?
Light pollution has many effects on both mankind and wildlife, these effects include:
- unnecessary waste in money and energy
- death of migrating birds, who frequently collide with lighted buildings
- negative effects on bird’s behavior
- disrupt the habitats of plants which are dependent on light in their natural cycles
- death of insects who are drawn to the light
- choose outdoor lighting fixtures that shine downwards
- refrain from excessively lighting an area
- use motion sensors, so that lighting is only used when its needed
- buy energy efficient outdoor lighting products
- only light what needs to be lit
I recently read a “do it yourself” landscape lighting article. It listed all kinds of things that homeowners could do to light up their yards at night. My first thought was, “OMG. You guys are providing some amazingly outdated and wasteful ideas here”. One piece of advice… often seen on any landscape lighting website mentions “pointing outdoor lights up at the foliage” or “placing lights in trees”. Can you say “energy waste” or, how about “light pollution“? Haven’t these guys heard of global warming…. climate change… etc? We simply cannot continue with business as usual, and we can’t have supposed “thought leaders” continuing the myth that this kind of behavior is somehow OK. Get a clue. It is NOT OK to point lights up into trees and the night sky. It is NOT OK to light ones backyard like a federal penitentiary… however “tasteful” you may think it looks. I understand the desire to spruce up the exterior of ones home, but doing so in a way that degrades the environment is simply not acceptable. Because of all this tired old information on landscape lighting ideas, I’ve decided to put down a few of my own.
First up… and most importantly… Do Not Put Your Landscape Lights On Timers Or Photo Cells. This will only ensure that your lights are on way to much. Photo cells by their very nature will guarantee that your landscape lights are on about 12 hours per day. This is crazy… and incredibly wasteful. If you’ve installed landscape lighting so that you can make use of your backyard after dark… then just use a simple light switch and turn the lights on when you’re planning to go out side. This way, you will actually see the fruits of your labor. You’ll be able to entertain in a comfortable, attractive environment, and you’ll only be consuming energy while you’re actually outside enjoying the area. Think about this. For all the snide comments that Hummers get for their poor fuel efficiency, they’re at least turned off when they’re not in use. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an SUV owner leave their vehicles running all day/night long. I can think of a number of neighbors who leave their out door lights on all night long… and even all day long in some cases. Use your outdoor and landscape lighting only when necessary.
Secondly, light only the areas that you’ll actually be using. Light your patio. Light your deck. Light your walkways. Wonderful. This will enable you to enjoy these areas and to move about safely after dark. Please, please, please don’t light your entire yard. Don’t up-light your trees. I know you have trees. Your neighbors know you have trees. There is no good reason on Earth to shine lights on them. People can see them perfectly well by day… and have absolutely no need or desire to see them after dark. Checkout the accompanying image (provided by www.TheLightingPolice.com). Here’s what happens when you put your landscape lights on timers. You simply forget about them. You may enjoy them the few times you’re actually outside at night, but… you forget about them. This guy has a number of trees uplit by flood lights. There was over 3′ of snow in his yard when this picture was taken. His landscape lights were buried deep under the snow, but… because his landscape designer thoughtfully put the entire system on a timer, they’re on from 5pm until 5am 365 days a year… even when the lights are buried under 3 feet of snow. Can you say “wasteful”? How about “global warmer”? If you want landscape lighting so that you can enjoy your yard after dark… make sure that you’re actually outside to enjoy them. If you’re not… then the lights should not be on. Period.
Thirdly, don’t light any areas that don’t need to be lit. This sounds simple enough, but you’d be amazed at how often people shine their landscape lights in places they don’t belong. Don’t light up your entire yard. Especially don’t light up your neighbor’s yard. I can assure you… they don’t want your lights shining into their windows or into their yard. Don’t light up the night sky. Don’t light up any area that you won’t be sitting in our walking through. See, I told you it was pretty simple. Look around your neighborhood after dark and I’m sure that you’ll see a number of homes that really missed this one.
Lighting consumes over 1/4 of all the electricity produced in the US. Outdoor lighting is a very sizable portion of this. In a time of increasing energy costs and concerns over global warming, lighting everything up from dusk to dawn is simply not an acceptable option. Perhaps it was ok at some time in the past (this is debatable), but that time is certainly long gone. Anyway, as you can see… much of what passes for landscape lighting has been overdone or simply done wrong. With just a little thought and consideration, however, you can have the best of both worlds. A beautiful and functional night time backyard AND an responsible energy use scenario. Checkout our Outdoor Lighting Guidelines for more information on the topic.
Light it is a good thing. It makes us feel safe at night. It helps us travel at night by increasing our visibility and extends our day by allowing activities and work to stretch late into the evening. But true to human nature, many people believe that more is better. They are not satisfied with a reasonable amount of light and they want more and brighter light. What was once a good thing is now becoming a problem both for humans and wildlife.
Problems associated with an excess of artificial outdoor lighting include light pollution, sky glow, detrimental sleep and health issues of humans and disruption of wildlife. Excess light wastes electricity and fossil fuels. It increases greenhouse gases which contribute to global warming.
Observatories around the world are in particular danger as their ability to perform research is being severely limited by too much light. Ten billion dollars ($10,000,000,000) is wasted each year in the United States by lighting the sky. This wasted light serves no purpose for safety, security or utility. It is simply wasted energy!
Where is all of this excess light coming from? Motels, hotels, all night service station, sports facilities, building décor, shopping malls, poorly designed street lights, car dealerships……you get the idea.
What is more inspiring than a dark night filled with sparkling stars? There’s just something magical about looking into the dark sky and seeing a sky packed with dazzeling stars, it is certainly breath taking. In all reality there is no real way to communicate how much stars effect us, and how much the inability to see them, really takes away from our ability to experience the night sky. The inabililty to see the stars at night is the result of light pollution, which can be described as the biggest enemy of the night sky.
Light pollution is harmful, just as other forms of pollution are harmful. Also, it is relatively unnecessary, the glow that light pollution causes in the night sky, known as sky glow is not needed. One could might argue that light pollution is a ‘necessary’ effect of progress, but this is not true. Light pollution comes from inefficient lighting sources, which shine light aimlessly into the night sky. These lights that shine into the sky do not increase nighttime safety or security. After all, lights that shine downward or where they are more appropriately needed are those which increase safety and security. In all reality these aimlessly shining lights, only increase glare and expenses, costing tens of billion of dollars each year in the United States alone.
Lessening light pollution is not impossible. On an individual level, one can choose to light ones home with efficient outdoor lighting systems, which do not shine up into the night sky. By lessening light pollution, one will save money while also reducing the glare and glow, seen in the night sky. It is important for us to keep our night sky dark, being able to see the stars is a privilege, one which we should not take so lightly.
It is important to pick appropriate lighting systems, when lighting your home inside and out. Night sky friendly outdoor lighting fixtures can be found at Starry Night Lights, our lights are guaranteed to be both energy efficient and environmentally friendly.
There are certain products that can be considered to be ‘life savers’ of the night sky. These products serve as excellent ways to light your home, while also protecting the night sky and in turn your wallet as well. It is important to understand how the products you buy to light your home effect the environment and your energy bill. By choosing the best form of lighting to light your home you will be doing the environment and your wallet, a favor. Here are some products which are effective and environmentally friendly:
- Full Cut Off Fixtures: These fixtures serve as excellent light sources, they are designed to contain and direct all light downwards. They are made with a reflector inside the fixture, in order to best control the light output. This design helps ensure that no light shines upward this will in turn lessen glare. In commercial applications, these fixtures are typically seen as high-pressure sodium lights or as metal halide lamps. In residential use, these would typically have incandescent or compact fluorescent lamps… though LED’s are also starting to enter the picture. All but the incandescents would be considered energy efficient.
- Motion Sensor Lights: The beauty of these kinds of lighting fixtures is that they only come on when they are detected and needed, for the remainer of the time they remain off. It is only when the infrared sensor senses the motion of people or other large objects, when it will come on. They will come on for a few minutes and when motion is no longer detected, they will go turn off. They are benefical because they do not waste light or energy, and they also warn of potential danger when it is approaching your home.
- Timer Controlled Lighting: These kinds of fixtures are similar to Motion Sensor Lights, they are another way to conserve energy and light. In many cases outdoor lighting is only needed for certain periods of time, in these cases Timer Controlled Lighting can truly save a great deal of money. This form of lighting would be ideal for parking lots, certain advertising lighting, decorative lighting and so forth, after all these lighting needs are typically for only designated periods of time.
- Glare Free Lighting: Choosing lighting without glare is very important. Glare will never help in clarity and visibility.
- Energy Efficient Lamps: These fixtures are of course most useful because they help save energy, by replacing inefficient energy lamps with better energy efficient lamps one is both, saving money and helping the environment. It would be a wise decision to only use energy efficient lamps when lighting ones home.
Choosing the lighting systems and products of your home, is a tough decision. However by picking energy efficient environmentally friendly lighting you can flip on the lights with a clear conscience. There are a lot of different options to choose from, in addition there are many styles and patterns to pick from as well. Thus, one can choose environmentally safe lighting while not having to sacrifice on style or design.
For more energy efficient environmentally friendly lighting check out the lighting produces found on Starry Night Light’s online store.
Starry Night Lights is pleased to announce the addition of ALLScape Lighting to our lineup of environmentally friendly commercial lighting solutions. ALLScape brings some great designs and a high quality manufacturing process to the table. ALLScape Lights use state of the art photometric efficiency to put the light where you need it with little or no spill into areas that should not be illuminated. Add in high efficiency and long life operations and you have a recipe for significantly reduced cost of ownership.
Checkout the BL-80, pictured above. This full cutoff building mounted wall pack aims 100% of the light it produces down onto the ground where its needed… with no light escaping wastefully up into the night sky. This precision allows for the use of lower wattages than many of the trashy wall packs you run into regularly. The BL-80 is also available in a range of lamping options including compact fluorescent, metal halide and low pressure sodium to meet virtually any requirements.
The same goes for the AL-06. Precision engineering combines with state of the art photometrics to produce an area light that just can’t be beat. No more flooding the adjoining neighborhood with unwanted light at night. The AL-06 is neighbor friendly and provides excellent nighttime visibility while dramatically reducing light pollution. Put simply, reduced light pollution = reduced energy bills = reduced global warming emissions. How can you go wrong with that equation? The AL-06 makes a great parking lot light. Its modern design and high efficiency lamp options offer lighting engineers the tools they need to do the job right.
Here’s another common light, the step light. These are typically installed inside the concrete risers of steps and walkways. These are ideal for this use. Their (typically) low lighting levels and low mounting height put light where its needed… and no where else. This reduces the amount of energy consumed… provides enhanced night time visibility…
Every year millions of birds die from collisions with man-made structures, such as artificial lighting structures and communication related buildings. Not much has been done to curb this negative effect of urbanization, however recently some steps have been made to improve the decline of bird populations, who suffer most from these problems. A US Federal Court has issued a ruling pushing the Federal Communications Commission to create safeguards to protect the millions of birds killed each year by colliding into radio, cellular, telephone and similar communication towers. It was decided that those who seek to build such towers must comply with federal laws like the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.
This has greatly excited individuals of the American Bird Conservancy, who are pleased that the FCC will have to consult wildlife experts before permitting decisions are made. The hope is that this will save the lives of many birds each year, exciting both wildlife specialist and bird watchers.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service has estimated that between 5 to 50 million birds are killed each year, this is especially severe for birds that migrate and are more likely to come into contact with these buildings. The FCC has been rebuked by the US Fish and Wildlife Service for refusing to consult them, when constructing such structures. Though at this point, such structures will be regulated to fulfill the appropriate wildlife standards.
Birds also frequently suffer from bright artificial lights, which can daze them and cause them collide into buildings. Bright lights can temporarily blind birds, and they can cause them far more severe consequences as a result of the temporary blindness, which can lead to death. According to FLAP (Fatal Light Awareness Program), “Birds migrating at night are strongly attracted to sources of artificial light, particularly during periods of inclement weather. Approaching the lights of tall buildings or other brightly lit structures, they become vulnerable to collisions with the structures themselves. If collision is avoided, birds are still at risk of death or injury. Once inside a beam of light, birds are reluctant to fly out of the lighted area into the dark, and often continue to flap around in the beam of light until they drop to the ground with exhaustion.” Thus, outdoor lighting which faces downward instead of up aimlessly into the sky, is the best choice when lighting outdoor areas, in order to protect birds. Therefore Starry Night Lights encourages you to pick safe wildlife friendly lighting when you light your outdoor areas.
Secondly, light only the areas that you’ll actually be using. Light your patio. Light your deck. Light your walkways. Wonderful. This will enable you to enjoy these areas and to move about safely after dark. Please, please, please don’t light your entire yard. Don’t up-light your trees. I know you have trees. Your neighbors know you have trees. There is no good reason on Earth to shine lights on them. People can see them perfectly well by day… and have absolutely no need or desire to see them after dark. Checkout the accompanying image (provided by 
