How You Can Help Stop Light Pollution in Roslindale

Photo by NASA

by Rachele Rosi-Kessel

The city of Boston is outfitting street lamps with low-energy, high-efficiency light-emitting diode (LED) lights. The problem? The resulting increase in the number of lights and hours they operate is worsening light pollution. In Roslindale, we have the opportunity to find a better alternative.

First off, what is light pollution, and why should we care? Light pollution is any human-created light that goes beyond the boundary of its intended use, or the amount and quality of light needed for a particular evening activity. Measuring it is subjective. There’s also disagreement on whether brighter lights deter crime, and whether motion sensors are better than continual light.

The science is still new on how light affects humans, animals, and plants. But so far it’s not looking good. Bright city lights cause tens of thousands of birds to die annually from disorientation as they fly at night. It also significantly reduces nighttime pollinator species. Baby turtles mistake city lights for the moonlight that leads them to the sea, and end up run over by cars and stuck in city drains. Nighttime light exposure disrupts melatonin levels in birds, fish, insects and mammals, leading to sleep deprivation and its associated health problems. For humans, evidence suggests that overexposure to bright nighttime lights might lead to macular degeneration and increase cancer risk.

Light pollution is a worldwide problem. But there is cause for hope: On January 1st, France enacted one of the most progressive national anti-light pollution legislations in the world, giving us something to strive for.

Local Actions

Where do we start? If you’re a homeowner, consider replacing exposed bulbs in outdoor light fixtures with American Medical Association-recommended 3000 kelvin or lower bulbs. Swap out enclosed fixtures with Good Neighbor or Dark Sky alternatives. For security lights, consider motion-sensor options. Remember that light from inside our houses also affects creatures outside. Installing blinds or curtains helps reduce the light pollution we create.

In Roslindale Square, we have an even bigger opportunity to reduce light pollution.

Boston’s LED street lights are part of a statewide transition, a move Massachusetts hopes will improve visibility and enable use of advanced controls such as dimming, remote control, and Wi-Fi capability, according to a press release from Governor Baker’s office.

I’m all for moving to LEDs. But the resulting increased light pollution means we’re not using the technology to its advantage. (Other states have created legislation to regulate light pollution, but Massachusetts has yet to do so.)

The bulbs that illuminate Taft Hill municipal parking lot have yet to be replaced with high-intensity LEDs. If we act quickly as a community, we may be able to choose lighting that’s equally energy efficient yet environmentally sound. To explore alternatives, I recently met with Lee Blasi, assistant to City Councilor Tim McCarthy; Alia Forrest, Roslindale Village Main Street director; and Robert Lewis from the Department of Public Works.

Lewis recommends we hold a community meeting to discuss alternatives to high-intensity LEDs. He notes DPW is guided by the city, which is directly accountable to us, the residents.

Please email me if you’re interested in building a coalition to create a model Dark Sky parking lot in Taft Hill that’s safe and efficient yet minimizes light pollution. Other cities around the US, Canada and Europe have fought to prevent urban light pollution. We can do the same. I hope you will join me.