Introduction 1575-2017: Fully Shielded Light Fixture Requirement for City Street Lights
Light pollution can harm wildlife and make it hard to stargaze let alone for New Yorkers to get a good night’s sleep. Under new legislation from Council Member Ben Kallos, street lights would be “fully shielded” to stop them from shining up into the sky or the windows of nearby residents, instead only illuminating the sidewalks and streets intended.
“New York City may be the city that ‘never sleeps’, but that shouldn’t be because of a street light outside your bedroom window. Fully shielded light fixtures will brighten up the day with fewer sleep deprived New Yorkers walking around in a bad mood,” said Council Member Ben Kallos. “Fully shielded light fixtures will reduce light pollution to conserve energy, protect wildlife, improve stargazing, and help New Yorkers get a good night’s sleep.”
Unshielded Partially Shielded Fully Shielded
Types of light pollution include:
- Glare – excessive brightness that causes visual discomfort.
- Over-Illumination – providing too much lighting and wastes energy.
- Clutter – bright, confusing, and excessive groupings of light source.
- Skyglow – brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas reducing visibility of stars.
- Light Trespass – light falling where it is not intended, needed and often unwelcome.
Impacts on wild life includes removing necessary rest periods for plant life, interfering with migratory patterns of birds, reducing activity areas for nocturnal insects and animals, and more.