• Use a motion sensor
• Use compact fluorescent bulbs
• Aim spotlights properly
• Choose a shielded fixture
• Add a shield to an existing fixture
• Replace mercury vapor and incandescent lamps
• Write a letter
• Talk to your neighbors
• Join SELENE or the IDA

Use a motion sensor

Motion sensors save money and provide better security than an always-on light. Compare the costs listed in the following table to see how adding a motion sensor could save you over $100 per year in electricity costs:

(Footnotes: Utilities use 4170 hours per night as the average amount of time a dusk-to-dawn light remains on over a year. This figure accounts for seasonal differences in the length of the night. A motion sensor light will probably not be on for as long as one hour per night, so your savings might be even greater. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide are components of smog. For more information or to calculate your savings figures, visit our light cost calculator page.

Studies in Britain and elsewhere have shown that lighting is not a strong deterrent to crime. Generally, would-be thieves are more scared by the possibility of someone being home—a light coming on when they near your door is more likely to frighten away a thief than a light left on all the time. They don't know whether you're there flicking on the light or if it's a motion sensor.

Even if they see the sensor and know it's not you operating the light, they know the sudden illumination will catch attention. You, or your neighbors, are likely to notice the light coming on and investigate. With an always-on light, there's no visual warning that someone is outside. Either way, the motion sensor provides better security than a dusk-to-dawn "security light."

Use compact fluorescent bulbs

The table above provides figures for a 150-watt incandescent spotlight, a common size (though a bit more than is needed in most residential applications). As shown, you can save money by putting your light on a motion sensor. You can save even more money by replacing the outdated incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb.

CFL bulbs cost a bit more than standard bulbs (roughly $9-15 versus $4-9). But, they will use considerably less electricity and last considerably longer.

A 40-watt CFL provides more light than is needed for most spotlight applications. Replace it with a 22-watt fixture (roughly a 60-watt incandescent equivalent) and your yearly operating costs drop to just $1.50 (with a motion sensor). You can see how you not only quickly recoup your investment in the more expensive bulbs but begin saving real money within a very short time.

Aim spotlights properly

Aiming spotlights and floodlights properly is a simple operation, but one that's typically ignored or done improperly. Compare the two diagrams below:

In each photo, the inset shows how the floodlight is aimed: either outward at a 45-degree angle (which is typical) or straight down. The visibility is considerably better when the light is aimed straight down. Why is this so?

Your eyes adjust to the brightest object in your field of view. In the first photo, that object is the bulb, which is considerably brighter than everything else. The effect is to make the rest of the scene appear dark and shadowed. By hiding the bulb by tipping the floodlight downward, the man and his surroundings become the brightest objects—visibility is greatly enhanced.

The recommendation then is to aim your floodlights and spotlights as close to straight down as you can and still have them illuminate the target area. Make sure light doesn't shine into neighbors' windows, or even onto their property. Also, make sure to align your lights so that they won't shine in your eyes as you drive in your driveway or walk to your door.

These photos are from Martin Morgan-Taylor and Dr. Darren Baskill and the Campaign for Dark Skies. (At the time of this writing, their pages showing the results of different aiming angles is not available. We'll update this page should they come back online.)

Choose a shielded fixture

Floodlights and typical "glass and brass" fixtures shine light everywhere, often well beyond your property or even into your neighbors' windows. Bulbs are exposed so that their direct light shines in your eyes (and in neighbors' and visitors' eyes) and actually reduces visibility. Replace those offending lights with well-shielded lights.

Look for fixtures with the bulb tucked up into a cap or fully hidden behind an opaque shielding material. Such lights are tough to find at the "big box" retailers, like Home-Depot and Lowes. Few of the outdoor lights offered by these retailers are any good. A good residential fixture is the GlareBuster™ which is available online or through many ACE Hardware stores.

Add a shield to an existing fixture

If replacing a light isn't an option, consider adding shields to your existing lights. For floodlights, add a Parshield® glare visor as shown here to the left. Such shields simply snap over your PAR-38 style floodlight (the standard floodlight/spotlight bulb used for outdoor lighting).

For NEMA-style dusk-to-dawn lights ("barn beacons" as they're commonly called), add the Hubbell Sky Cap. Better yet, see the next section to learn why you should ditch those mercury-vapor yard blasters altogether.

For other types of lights, you might be able to fabricate a shield from aluminum flashing, which you can purchase at any home center. Cut, bend, and attach the flashing with sheet metal screws.

Replace mercury vapor and incandescent lamps

Mercury vapor lights were a big thing in their day. They are roughly twice as efficient as incandescent lamps at the beginning of their life. Thus, they were a good replacement for incandescent streetlights...back in the 50's when they were introduced. Technology has progressed greatly since then, as has our understanding.

Other technologies, such as fluorescent, metal halide, and high pressure sodium lamps are considerably more efficient than mercury vapor. Mercury vapor (or MV) lamps have a further fault. Every five years they dim by half—they emit half as much light but use just as much electricity to do so. In fact, MV lamps rarely ever completely burn out. They just keep getting dimmer and dimmer. That barn light that's been up there for 15 years is still using just as much electricity but is putting out 1/8th of its original light!

Add this inefficiency to the fact that most MV lights are housed in the ubiquitous "NEMA" style housing (see right). These fixtures are commonly called "barn beacons" or "yard blasters" by those of us that know better, or "security" lights by the retailers pushing cheap imported outdoor fixtures.

Incidentally, that $20 yard blaster will cost you $150 or so to operating per year at average NYS residential electricity rates! You would be much better off with a fluorescent or even incandescent spotlight on a motion sensor!

Contacting your municipality and area businesses

Does this look like your house? Does a streetlight or business light illuminate your house, yard, backyard? To fix problems like this, you'll need to speak with your Mayor, Town Supervisor, Alderman, or whomever. Check out our Help Me page for more information about working with these groups to solve larger lighting problems.

Perhaps there's an ordinance in your community that precludes this sort of lighting? Chances are there isn't, few NY communities have lighting control ordinances in place. Check our NY Ordinances page to find out or call your community leaders.

Schools, towns, authorities (like the Thruway Authority), and other "public corporations" (not typical businesses, per se) are not typically subject to local regulation. The proposed NYS lighting control law, the Healthy, Safe, and Energy Efficient Outdoor Lighting Act seeks to provide guidance and oversight for the lighting installed by these entities.

This light pollution bill would require towns, schools, and more to use fully shielded lighting, use efficient light sources (for example, high pressure sodium rather than mercury vapor), suggests finding ways to provide for safety and navigation without using lighting, and requires the utilities to provide light pollution educational materials to all their customers. SELENE strongly supports this bill. We urge you to support it too!

See our LP Legislation page for more info on this bill. Also, please write your State representatives and tell them you want this bill passed into law this year!

Talk to your neighbors

Got a neighbor with an offending light? Don't get mad or throw things at their light! Instead, try talking with them calmly and rationally. Tell them all about what you've learned from this site. Point them here so that they can learn firsthand. You might also check out the advice from the International Dark-Sky Assocation.

Join SELENE or the IDA

SELENE membership is free and there are no membership requirements. Create a user account on our site here (link to do so in the left column) or join our mailing list and you're a member. Of course, we'll ask you to help out by writing letters or contacting your State representatives.

The premier light pollution awareness group is the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). The IDA boasts over 10,000 members from all corners of the world. The IDA's mission is to bring about lighting reform through education and alliances with industry. They ask $30/year to become a member. But your money goes to support a great cause. Please consider joining today!