HomeMy WebLinkAboutMatthew JohnsonMatthew Jordon
Port Angeles, WA
360-80&6600
mjordon@gmail.com
Dece mber 19, 2017
Port Angeles City Council
321 East 5th Street
Port Angeles, WA 98362
nD: LED Lighdng ud Adlrcnc llcdth Efi'Gcts llclul:ng Dqrreeaioa erd Suicide
Dear Honorable Council Memben,
Attached are documents pointing toward a condusive corrclation betriveen LED lighting
and adverse health eflects including depression leading to suicide. Organizatiors
;qluding The American Medical Association, Penn State, and The Royal Society of
Open Science are supporting this daim and there is morc information readily awailable
fiom Harv-ard, The Washington Post, NPR and so on.
Because of the recent and tragic spile of suicides in Port Angeles and the ongoing mental
health concerns in this ciry I feel compellcd to get this information to you for your tim"ly
consideration before tonights council meeting wherc OTHER CONSIDERAIIONS
(fuenda Item I.l) win be addrcssed entided: Updtu on bgbucrhg Optiottsfu &th S'aa Brfuc
hotcc litc Saunittgs / Auiori<atiott
I realizc that the council is placed in an emotional and difficult role considering the young
lady who recentlyjumped fiom the 8th street bridge and th€ sub,s€quent public outcry
that has followed. With this in mind, I respecdrlly submit this information with the
desired goal of rrducing ongoing deaimental health effecs that may be associated with
LED and anificial light in the City of Port Angeles.
U therr is a chance that any of the information here is true, it should be srongly
corxidered immediately. As simply as I carr say it Therc bridge may not be the culprit
here,
Sincercly yours,
Matthew-fordon
AMAk
AMA Adopts Guidance to Reduce Harm from High
Intensity Street Lights
For immediate release: Jun 14,2016
CHICAGO - Strong arguments exist for overhauling the lighting systems on U.5. roadways with
light emitting diodes (LED), but conversions to improper LED technology can have adverse
consequences. ln response, physicians at the Annual Meeting of the American Medical
Association (AMA) today adopted guidance for communities on selecting among LED lighting
options to minimize potential harmful human and environmental effects.
Converting conventional street light to energy efficient LED lighting leads to cost and energy
savings, and a lower reliance on fossil-based fuels. Approximately 10 percent of existing U.5.
street lighting has been converted to solid state LED technology, with efforts underway to
accelerate this conversion.
'Despite the energy efhciency benefits, some LED lights are harmful when used as street
lighting," AMA Board Member Maya A. Babu, M.D., M.B.A. "The new AMA guidance encourages
proper attention to optimal design and engineering features when converting to LED lighting
that minimize detrimental health and environmental effects.'
High-intensity LED lighting designs emit a large amount of blue light that appears white to the
naked eye and create worse nighttime glare than conventional lighting. Discomfort and
disability from intense, blue-rich LED lighting can decrease visual acuity and safety, resulting in
concerns and creating a road hazard.
ln addition to its impact on drivers, blue-rich LED streetlights operate at a wavelength that
most adversely suppresses melatonin during night. lt is estimated that white LED lamps have
five times greater impact on circadian sleep rhythms than conventional street lamps. Recent
large surveys found that brighter residential nighttime lighting is associated with reduced
sleep times, dissatisfaction with sleep quality, excessive sleepiness, impaired daytime
functioning and obesity,
Recognizing the detrimental effects of poorly-designed, high-intensity LED lighting, the AMA
encourages communities to minimize and control blue-rich environmental lighting by using
the lowest emission of blue light possible to reduce glare. The AMA recommends an intensity
threshold for optimal LED lighting that minimizes blue*ich li9ht. The AMA also recommends all
LED lighting should be properly shielded to minimize glare and detrimental human health and
environmental effectt and consideration should be given to utilize the ability of LED lighting to
be dimmed for off-peak time periods.
The guidance adopted today by grassroots physicians who comprise the AMAs policy-making
body strengthens the AMAs policy stand against light pollution and public awareness of the
adverse health and environmental effects of pervasive nighttime lighting.
###
Related Content
6 steos to startins vour own diabetes nrevention orooam
The detrimental effects of high-intensity LED lighting are not limited to humans. Excessive
outdoor lighting disrupts many species that need a dark environment. For instance, poorly
designed LED lighting disorients some bird, insect, turtle and fish species, and U.S. national
park have adopted optimal lighting designs and practices that minimize the effects of light
pollution on the environment.
Media Contact:
AMA Media and Editorial
Pressroom: (3 1 2) 2394991
Email: media@ama-assn.oro
AMA WIRE' 7l
t I
I t
l
AMA WIRE' 2t
With no DPP in reach. a family medicine practice created its own
I
I
I
I
I
J
\
s
F
It;dI
"/
/
r
.\
I /I
t
,l
)t
l
\-a'
)
a
t
AMA IRE ?v
Appeals court OKs salt-shaker sodium warnings at chain restaurants
AMA WIEE: Z
Health reform: No going back on key market protections
I 7
--
\t
r){
\
I
/EI
I
E-E
a
L 'EI.G q
!t
aaE{1r'
I
f4 F
?
alr
I
{
't I
,
The AMA promotes the art and science of medicine and the betterment of
public health.
o0@@o
AMA Careels
Contact Us
Events
Pless Centel
AMA Alliance
AMPAC
AMA Foundation
AMA lnsurance
Copyright 'l995 - 20'l7 American MedicalAsso(iation. All rights reserved.
Termsofuse I Privacv Poli<y I code ofconduct I website Accessibilitv
\
t I
(a
I ]PI
l
L,U
i.
t
Doctors issue warning about LED streetlights
THECONVERSATION
By Rlchard G. 'Bugs' SaelrerE, Th€ Conv€taato.r
O updated 2:00 PM ET, Tue June 21, 2016
Photos: Los Angeles LED streetlights
The Sixth Street bridge o\€r the Los Angeles Ri\er looks a bit different with old, left, and new streetlig
1of5
Story highlights
The American Medical Associafon urges
communities to minimize health and
erwironmental risks
White LEDS are thought to be file times more
effective at suppressing melatonln than
sodium lamps
Hide Ca
The American Medical Association (AMA) has just adopted an
official policy statement about sueet lighting: cool it and dim it.
The statement, adopted unanimously at the AMA'S annual
meeung in Chicago on June 14, comes in response to the rise
of new LED street lighting s /eeping the country. An AMA
committee issued guidelines on how communities can choose
LED streeuights to 'minimize potential harmful hurnan heatth
and environmental effects."
Municipalities are replacing existing streetllghts with efficient
and long-lasting LEDS to sa\€ money on energy and
maintenance. Ahhough the streetlights are delivering these
It,
-.-
ta.
rolo-
7
i-i.'
!
a
lr-L a' tt
I
-+,E ab
7 //
benefits, the AMA'S stanc€ reflects ho^/ important proper design of new technologies is and the close connection
between light and human health.
The AMA'S statement recomrn€nds that outdoor lighting at night, particularly street lighting, should ha\€ a color
Health +Live TV
Related Article: Apparently This Matters:
L.A.'s fancy new streetlights
Explainen Vvhat is seasonal affecti\e disorder?
But in the wake of these installations ha\e been complaints
about the harshness of these lights. An oderne o€mple is
the c{ty of Davis, Califomia, where the residents demanded a
complete replacement of these high color temperature LED
street lights.
Can communities have more efficient lighting without causing
heatth and safety problems?
Two problems with LED street lighting
An incandescent bulb has a color temperature of 2400K, which means it contalns far less blue and far more ]ellow
and red wa\elengths. Elelilre electric light, rrve bumed vvood and candles at night this artificial light has a CT of
aDout 1800K, quite )ello!\r/red and almost no blue. What \rye ha\e now is \ery different.
The new 'white' LED street lighting which is rapidly being retrofitted in cities throughout the country has two
problems, a@ording to tl|e AMA. Ihe first is discombrt and glare. Elecause LED light is so concenfated and has
high blue content it can cause ss,ere glare, resJlung in pupillary constriction in the q€s. Blue light scatters more
in the human qE ttEn the longer \ /avelengths of yellor/ and red, and sufficient le\els can damage the retina. This
can cause problems seeing clearly for safe drMng or walking at night.
You can sense this easily if you look directly into one of the conuol lights on your new washing machine or other
appliance: it is \ery difficult to do because it hurts. street lighting can ha\e this same effect, especially if its blue
content is high and there is not appropriate shielding.
The other issue addressed by the AMA statemenl is the impact on human circadian rhythmicity.
New atlas shows eKent of light pollution; what does it mean
for our health?
Hows/er, the CT rating does not reliably measure color from
fluorescent and LED lights.
Another q6tem for measuring light color for these sources is
called conelated color temperature (CCT). tt adiusts the
spectral content of the light source to the color sensitMty of
human vision. Using this rating, two different 3000K light
1
++.lL.
I
C,olor temperature reliably predicts spec$al content of light --
that is, ho\ / much of each wa\elengrth is present. lt's designed
specifically for light that comes off the tungsten filament of an
incandescent bulb.
Related Article: Full moon may disrupt
sleep, study sa)E
sources could ha\e tairly large differences in blue light
c-ntent-
Therefore, the AMA'S recommendation for CCT below 3000K
ls not quite enough to be sure that blue llght is minimized. The
actual spectral inadiance of the LED -- the relati\€ amounts of each of the colors produced - should be
considered, as well.
The reason lighting matters
The AMA poticy statement is particularty timety because the neu/ World AUas o, Artificial Night Slry Brightness just
appeared last !r€ek, and street lightng b an important component of light pollution. Accordirq to rle AMA
statement, one of the considerations of lighting the night b its impact on human heanfi.
ln preyious articles icr The Conversation, I ha\€ described hovv lighting affects our normal circadian physiology,
how this could lead to some serious health consequences and most recently ho\A/ lighting fie night affects sleep.
ln the case of whne LED light, it is estimated to be fi\€ times
more effecti\e at supprqssing melatonin at night man the high
pressure sodium lamps (gi\en the same light output) which
ha\re been the mainstay of street lighting for decades.
Melatonin suppression ls a rnarker ot circadian disIupfon,
which includes disrupted geep.
A dark night is good br l,our heatth
Bright electric lighting can also adversely affect wildlife by, for
e)(ample, disturbing migratory patterns of birds and some
aquatic animals which nest on shore.
Related Article: Warning labels on your
light bulbs
The AMA has made three recomrnendations in its ne$/ policy
statement:
First, the AMA supports a 'proper con\ersion to community based Ught Emitting Diode (LED) lighting, which
reduces energy consumption and decreases the use of bssil fuels.'
Second, Sle AMA 'encourage[s] minimizing and controlling blue-rich environmental lighting by using the lowes]t
emission of blue light possible to rcduc€ glare.'
Third, the AMA 'encourage[s] the use of 300OK or lower
Join the convercation lighting ficr outdoor installations such as roadways. All LED
lighting should be properly shielded to minimize glare and
detrimental human and ervironmental effects, and
See the latest nev\rs and share ),our consideration should be gi\en to utilize the ability of LED
comments wnh CNN Healh on Facebook and lighting to be dimmed for off-peak time periods."
Twitter'
There is almost nq/er a completely satisfactory solution to a
complex problem. vve must ha\e lighting at nighl not only in
our homes and businesses, but also outd@rs on our streets.
The need for energy efficiency is serious, but so too is
minimizing human risk from bad lighung, both due to glare and to circadian disruption. LED technology can
optimize both when properly designed.
Richad G. '8ugE' sta€r,s b a prortsssor in oe scrloot d tlwicine at t E uniaw d @nnqticuL
Street lighting and human health
il
:i6A'AAAI
-o =
Coryight 2077 The Conve6ation. Some rqhts /eserlred.
Classic racing returns to most cycle-loving
state in America
Bangladesh brothels: What monsoons won't wash away
Don't expect Hurricane Han€y to change President Trump
Execution in Ne\rada to use powerful opioid fentanyl
Recomrnondcd by
' f',fi,{Hd6
rt'
,]
t
Light at night may disrupt sleep and health
Th6a alB drE E tha dartas{ days of tlo }Er - or lr.y wotdd bo. it t! li\,ad lik6 oot ancoalorB, wilh m0 n0
bul lho 6's and lllodl b light otr wsy betvootl Blrn8ot 6td sunrka.
k&od, nlo6t of 16 lhr. h dtL6 and to,rD! llluminabd by !itr.6t llgfttB .nd ln ho.n€8 lit by bmF, ceiling
firorB, cdl pfldr6. tabLaa, coattptrbas ard Tv !.44. Foa tha 15 mlthar &rE irans {tto wqt *lht !r{tta, tr
lighb rtry dl dl nlght
$at artidal balghhoaa hss bonsllb. wo can lDsd our e6ook8. p6t on Faced( oa mell a lMng at 5ny
tlour &n tFrs.ko art pcitb lteth &ts rllon tg let bo mudt oa th. ffong ldnd ot llght at tE wor|e
limo.
fud thafr exaciy what many of u6 ara dong, 8o.tro r€search 8u0€B8ts.
'Ligm b . stmolur Urat c.n hsv! lmp€.13 o.l ho.Ih, ,/yolb.rie lnd p..tofln nc.,'tor gpod ard l[, lrF GeoQp Br.lnad, pft,h3!o. of rleumlogy al
Tt|orrEs Jdhrlorl l,hiv€.Cty.
SIOIY ttofl lBrll.(,IrE (https://ck.lendinEtree.com/?
lavsr mortslEuror$fh. tido o=396&c=t706&p=r&st=)
Lbht has tlb powor bocauso lt drlvrs our cohtal dna{tlan dod( l(balv tl8t lnbmgl dod( p.oduoos daytim€ al€Illcss and nightlirro sle€dne68 on .
prrdLratb 2fiurr sd€dulg. Rlc.r{oa8 ln oua oya6 paay kly rcba, iahng tr6lr o16 trorn lho lnbidt &rd w8v6l,6nglhs of lighf wo aro expos€d to 6adr
dry end ntrlt
'No one is saying we should fum off all the lighls," says Mario Motla, a cardiologbl in Sal6m, Ms$., who h88 worLod wih t|o Arn6rican Modical
Associatbn (AttA) to bring Ett6nlbn to n€htlirno light exposur€. But. he ssys, it is time to take some steF b Eduoo pcriblo ha.rll..
The Wo.ld He.lth OmenizEtim lhtb://aftrrivio-l cieno.nuhlbau€r itlpoblidbncel odt) also hss also d$m€d h. Gaylng thaf nighdmo ahifi woak b lhl(rd
with high€r breast cancsr rstss. Chonic nighttill€ lighl expooure and suppresgioo of rElatonin, which ha6 anti-oancor eftca8, could bg ar b€tf 9ady b
blame, the group says.
fhbfttaa, sF.Ll a6 USA TODAY PlbliA.d602rr.Er tr.22,2,l1
lifl
&ight natrral doybm b :h ln bt 6 *avslorylhs thst can alon ua a.d Brrpgrr!! tF ltl6s€6 of moLbain, a hornooe thst helps us fall asleep. Wron wE
oot brlgttt lbttt, 6sp6driy bdght bluo llght, st nlghl, lt can dbrupt do€p snd mlght.wn coftlhrlo b rvsaghl gain, cancor suseptiulity Itld oth€r health
protlqrE, lqna St dles a4oaat
Still. lBsaardr rBnEins 'in aarly drys.' Brainard cautiois. He is leading 6 sfudy of an LED (lioht-omitting diode) liohting sysbft fu. tllo lnternationel
Spaca Stalbo tl6t rill crBat8 b.ight Uue lioht 6art in t|e day, s mi,.range f,rtto litthl ror yvorking houB e'ld dimmar, wemler lighl b€fu.s b€dtim€. It it
trrts, a8ltolraut8 will bo tnoll 6l6tt and produdir.s during the day end eble b 6hep botlsr at nighl - and th€ rasl d U3 might l6am a b{v thingB bo.
'But therB's 6 rsal n€€d to t8st thb and make sul9 lt wo.ls the way we think ll will wo.k,' he saya-
Foa now. heIr 3 vrhai earthbound humans should k tow 6bout
Th. blg plctu't.
Ito l€65 Mgtt lhtrt you g€t during tho day. he .iole suscspfbb you ar€ to lhhi dlsopton al nlght. So a hormlt-llk6 ofrce norkor msy b6 molE afiect€d
by a niohf o{ Wob EumDg than 6n ouUoor constlrdioo worlor ryould be. An dfice wo.*€r who tak6a an ouuoo. daydmo vrat( might gd som6 paotaadon
Sh.r lEht.
ln e m16 r6oott ahbrfilo//Cfl.erE/kEini6r/Downloed.,/e'l6.6aoh2.odtl ft6 Arr.lA cugg6H cohmunities evoid hg us€ (, bdght L€D 6trst llghts
wlth high Uuo llght hv€{t. lt nobd tr.l wann€r wnions ar6 avallabb. Tho intenso lights can cal,lso dangerous glaro, 66ped€lly lbr oldor ddvers, and
ftight contihrb b poor sl66p and ot|€r h€€ltl hanrE ln ho€yilylit neighborh@d!, the group sat .
Ma* R€e, dirsdor of tho indu.lry€upportod
ld=32()#.wJxol urllxbt Ron8sola6r Polyt8dnlc lnstilute, b 3kapucal olat str€ot llghts wlll fum out to be lmporlant drcadian dlsruptels. You alo not
looldng dkDcdy at flo fight h(hng and ]lou arB not out therB long onough io bo alhdod,' he seys.
And, he says, thora are we)6 b instsll and adi6t LED sfBot lights that SIloUU minimize glar€.
ElactroniG devlca!.
Sonl6 .e$edr 3{rgq€5ts nlgh0mo us6 of bluelhht on$ffng co.nputar, tablel and p}lon€ Ecrc€n3 mlght dlsrupt sl€6p. ln one srrlell experiment
lhtb6rrffiy-thduerdbn.corn/bdks201iud€Er2aeboEic.€f€d.BlceoEebrtn€fa-hewErd-6tJdv), Bedors werE esk€d to us6 eithor labl€tE or 9ap€r books
et night Tablot u8€rs took longga b full asle6p and werc le6s rBt6d th6 nexl dey.
But any eudt €iffi d€p6nd 'on how far away ll b iroin )Iour e),€r, t|ory b.ight il b, hory mudr Uu€ li{rh it €rtL,' snd hoi mudt llght }!u g6il during tho
da, s6ys Channsno Easbisn. 8 probssor ol b€havid scbnc.3 8t Rush Uniwslty lledical Contoa.
It makes sonsa b t/m of dsvice3 in the hour or tx/o b€brg b6dlim6, s6ys iii6risn6 Flou€irc, a profs$or et tllo Rensgslaor lighling cantor 'lf you
can't fum it of, dim it dou,tr and tJm dolvn th6 color if you can,' lho says. You can hlm down the Uu6 light on an lPhono or iPad by dloosing $6 -nbht
shiF satim. lhlhs://urw*.cnetcomitrow-ro/horw-torensble-nioht-shiiinir-$3/)
Horie lighdne
Whil€ lab Btudl6 lhtlps:/n*rv.ncbi.nlm-ni Ehow almoEt any anrount ol light at night can supprBss m€lebnin,'tp
ewning light lovok in hont€a alr oxtEmoly lo*,' and unlikoly to ceuss rlai, problsms, R€a ssys.
Still. all bulb. lold tu hom6 u€. - u,lro0ler incandosc€ol frcr€6c6nt or LED - atr ratod to b.lElDlELl!@)
Ihlhsrt*rw..rErEvBtar.oovlpmdu.laliohlim landlbht bulbG/bern ebod b.bhhee.lend oolor (wihleEiojEB
ftth6/*ww.enelE\,3isroovrpmdud3riohino farE/nioht bulb6/colo. rmod. tyf*:ally rarging a wam ambea 2500 to r cool bluo A5(x)). Ard sorio LEO
liohling sy8l6m8 allot r usal5 to adjust color and bighkress. So horioowners who wgnt wamEr, dimmBr lighl at night can gel it.
rfl E SHORT UST NEWIT"ETTER
Cop oft the nlght wfth todoy's blggest stories
so you'll be r€ody tomofrow
Slgn Me Up
rHoloE/in"sn//:dDq :,tols stl{ oreqs]o peou
6e/4r9.e'u@to,,ps wta .tcBl, rtoo pln 4rrq l{lf
.u€ .3r ..rrdl,t ppr q.{ ur.Poqt trq|^q Hqt ( rJc) rlG.sc r{d'@ r Dlr lti 'q|.q u!fi o:n r '[l. 'e{. q il.uF 'q|nq }rll $,c..9or.tl .la}.!q!t Y
/r'h
rlI
\r
7
\
\
Harvard Health Publishing
HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
lrrlsl.i/ ,r,1r'i.. lor a htdlthitt lil.
t!A8I FAEE HEALTHBEAT srGNUp sHopv Slcll!
What can we help you find?q
D|SEASEs&
coIDmoxs
wo Ex's
HEALTHHEARTHEATTH MII{D & MOOD P tl{CAI,ICER iIEt,I'S HEAITH
Light from laptops,TVs, electronics, and energy-efficient lightbulbs
may harm health, from the Harvard Health Letter
PlbItb.d: ltLy, 20r 3
Humans once spent their nighti ln relative darkness. No longer. \,Vhen th€ sun 5€tt Ws, computeR, mobile devlcet and artmcial lightlng burn
on. The May issue of th e ,lorwd Hdlth lrlt!, repo.ts that this asp€ct of modem lifu may be great ior effciency, but not ior heahh. At night light
throws the body's biological clock-the ch@dian rhythm-out of whack. Sleep 5uffe6. The comblnation of poo, sleep and exposu,e lo artifcial
llght exposure may contribute to a numbergfhealth problems,
studh5 har/E linked wo*ing the night shi't and getting erpos€d to light at night to i€vcral typer of @ncer (including breast and prostate
cancer), dlab€tet heart dis€asq and oberity. lt's not exactly clear why nighttlme light exposure seems to be problematic. lt could be b€cause
exporure to light at nlght (urbs the secretlon of melatonln, a hormon€ that lnfluencer clrcadhn rhythms.
To continue reading this article, you must loglln.
subJ<ribe to H!rvad H..hh Onllnefor lmmedi.tG.c(css to h.!lth
new' lnd lniormatlon trcm H.rnrd Medlcal School,
. Research health conditions. Check)our rymptoms. Prepare for a doctor's visit or test. Find the besttreatments and
procedures for you. Explore options for better nutrition
and exercise
STAYIl'G
HEALIHY
C) Id llk to r.G.tv..ccara to
H.rv.rd Hcrlth Onllnt 60r o,rly
54.99 . month.
EElN
Sign Me Up '
!ro! slon uo lor SEALTHb-i fulacdlr SEchlXal$lr3cltr grb.crldro Cu.ro Srvlc. AlOtLlE Uc-.lno/P-tnl..loot Prlv.d PollcY
o 2010 - 2017 B.rBrd UnhB.Bity. Al drms rclspod.
agGt
slnsar aqt '. ls.ru ppd! ue ro looq lulrd e uro{ peal luedlllued e JaqlaqM p.u!uJ]atap Iluropuer seM ll looq paluljd e qllM aLles
aql prp pue MoJ e ur slqSru a^u roj aurpaq aroJaq pedt ue ulo{ peal luedDrued q)el sroDej
^ue{!
JoJ loluol ol raq).ieasaj aql
rol.rap.ro ur'^pnls,(epr! aqllo uoleJnp aql ioJ uolsog u! leldsoH s.uauroM pue ureqSlr8 ol palruJpe aiaM slued!)rued
^pnls
aq1
se prro. reor .qr ur asro, aq rq'l.u spasa asaqr pue BuluorDuru a.,,^"r.,o, ,llr1'lo"J,,lo'i;Y;l;: i1l";J:B"tlIl;itJr1ff
uau aql ualp auro)aq ot ra8uol alel pue paJll arou aq plnoM rapear-a aqlSursn slenp!^!pu!leql seM 3ulpuu 3ulsudrns ]sour ino,,
'alualls lo
^uapplv
leuo0eN aqtJo s3u!paa)ord aqlJo onssr
(ZZ )aO) s.Iepol ur Uodar sraq)reasal aql looq luld e uro4 Sulpeal raue prp
^aql
ueqt Japear-a SurDrura-}q81 e uo.r; Sulpear raye
daals -. pauJa^our a^a pldpr - ,.{fB Jo lunoure iaMol /(Buerulu3ls e peq pue daolse llel ot ra8uolsomulu Ot
^ppau
lool sluedl:lupd
'saJnseaul palelaj-daals ,aqlo se llaM se'ssauuale 3uluJouJ-lxou pue daoF
'sla al u!uolelaur ,sluedlllued aql paJo)!uor! sraqlleasal aq1'aurllpaq aJotaq looq pauUd e uro4 pear,(aql ueqri ol aurBpaq a.rolaq
'rapeal-a ue se SulNos'ped! ue urorJ peal sluedplu?d aqt uaqM 3ulJpduJol '$laaM oMt rol sllnpe z! pa^rasqo san8ealpl pue Sueq)
, surqlqr uerper.r;: pue daals uo Dedur!ralear8 e Suneq'uoD6oduol ur lq3[ lpJnlpu rlorJ
tuaraflp sl slqt,, alels uuad 'qleoq leJol^eqaqorq lo rossajord luelslsse €ueql auet,I-euuv p!es ,,1q3ll lernleu ueql -- uru ost punore
Iead e qrlM--lq8!l anlq lo uouelualuol JaqSrq e seq q:rqm'1q311 paqruua-q)Bualanem-uoqs sl ]eql lq3!lluJa sal!^ap )!r.rorDalj.,
'aurppaq te daaFe lleJ ot rapreq lr Suqeu polr uerperJll aql
surqs pue uruotelau, auoulloq 3u1e)1r)eJ-daals aql Jo asealal sassarddns slnoq auruqSlu
^pea
pue Surua a 8u!rnp lq3!l ol arnsodxl
'siaqlreasal ol SutproD?'daaF Jo
Alenb ,no,( SuruJreq aq ,{ll?nDp rq8!u I lnq 'rq8ru le daoF ot la8 no,( 8uldlaq s! rapear€ rno,( Iulql,(?qr no^ - ed luvd AIsulNNn
tl,0rz 'A ,l.qularao
or. tDr4 ']l .porrn Ia
{roIr
upIperr.D ulqs /qtsluauurap srapPar-a 8uqilua-lq8n
sa6eul.l.lo4 olow pol't a :.6Put
'looq rlpd
e uro{ ouDsar lale plp
^eql
u€qr rap€}a 0{plue-u6{ I ura4 6uPra,
,a!e a,aeF - Naura^ou a,(a pftai - {3! lo Nnoue r.aq llru?]uru6ls
e peq pur d..F? nel or r.6uot s.rnup Ot Are.u loq quedppcd
alBlsuued
'paJnseauJ sal!^ap aqt lo rarqSlrq aqr s! pedr aqr
'ra aMoH lq8l Jo stunoue JelluJls lura ropJ looN pue aiH alpull 'ped! aqr allq,t ')q8!l lura lou saop rapear-a alpu!)l aql rolo) IooN
pue ar!l alpu!, 'alpu!) 'auoqd! 'pedl ue Surpnl)u! 'sal!^ap lpJe as urojl Sururo: ssaulq8uq lo lunoure aql paJnseaur traq)reasa.r aq1
)
a
lt
I
I toz 'z I fuonuof p4opdn lsol
I8r5_S98_'t8 :.uoqd tronP.'n.dclul..'ran rlg s.a.!,v
r8r5-s98-rl8 :sroqd r|Jo
np.'n3dcltur 'oI. lr.rt tt stEpt \
:srrvlNo)vto t
'qneasal stql pauoddns sarrnos.u qlJeas3! rol ratua] FuolleN aqt pue qleaH Jo samltsul leuolteN aql
'ratual oledsorav ueurag'oulr!pay{ alPdso.rav
lo aul$ul aql qtun palelllue osle s! qreqqx.v poqls le)!p3n preNeH 'aulllpaul daals Jo uors^p aql pue ladsoH s,uatrtoM
pue ureq8pg 'aupqpeur Jo uauruedap 'sraproslp uelpelrl pue daaF ]o uorsr^lp aql ur lle 'raFlazf 'v saueqf pue 4Jno I auueal
'qf,eqqlsav lalueo aJarr,r qreasal s!r{l uo 8uluoM oslv'p€Dnpuol ser'^ r(pn$ aql auJ[ sql ]e looqls lellpaN prerueH'aulllPau daatslo
uo!s!4p aql pue lsrtdsoH s,uetrloM pue t!eq8!rg 'aulllpaur lo uauJ!edap 'siaprosrp uerperr!) puE d..ls ro uors! !p .rt1 u! se,\^ Sueqf
" paraprsuol
^lsno!^a./d
aM ueql saluanbasuol qleaq uJJat -ra8uol a eq
^pur ^aql
se 'paq aroJaq
^ller)adsa'selhap Sul]lrura-lq8ll Sursn p spage aqt ,(pnls .rallun] ol tusuoduJ! s! ll" Bueq) ples ..1eJauaB u! ',Qe!:os paD!]$ar-daals e u! a^!l a/'ru
'ssau!daats a^tDa[qns
aJnseeur ot alsjs ss.ulda.F olsullo.re)t aql pasn osle siaqlreasal aql aSeE daols q)ea u!luads aujll Jo tunoure aql pue daalsp
uads auro Jo lunoure eqt'daalse lleJ ot lool )!SuolMoq eutuJrelap ol pasn osle seM - stuauraaour a,€ pue Sulqparq'aler ueaq
'sa^eM urerq spJol.J qtlqr$ - Iqdefouu.ros,(lod u!uotelauJ aJnseaur ol
^pnoq
rapear .ql LUo{ saldues poon paltralpl sJaqfreasal
aqj [rJ'e 9 ot t!'d oI uro4daalsroj p.teuBlsap ault q]M "uJ'd oL ol u.i d 9 ulo{'paq eJo}.q slnoq lnoj Jo, peal sDohns oql
'lxal
^luo
'salzznd Jo sa8eul! Iue u,etuol lou p!p pu? Sulpear "aJnsEl" paraplsuol
aq plnor I se Suol sp 'leDaleu, Bulpeai un\o Jtaqr asooqr ol alqe aJaM slupdplued .luaralJtp e aleu luplp Jap.lo gq) leql paMoqs
IilEo*Northwest Public Radio
the two-way
Bright, Bluish-White LED Streetlamps Disrupt
Sleep Cycles, AMA Says
AMERICA
June 21, 2Ol5 . 12:10 PM ET
CAMILA DOMONOSKE
A rvaxing cresc6nt rnoon is s6on b6hiM a susetlglll with I noryly installsd LED hdur8 in 201 1 in Las Vag8s. Tho dty was
replacirE 6,600 axisling lights wtrh th€ erErgy€trdert LEDS. lt has Cnce r€placod t6ns ot thousands .nore.
E,h,,l riribr/Hy in€g66
Bright, enerry-efficient LED streetlamps can be bad for our health, according to the
American Medical Association,
Specificaly, high-intensity LEDs that release mostly blue ligbt - as opposed to the
"warmer-looking" Iight of older streetlamps - create glare and mess with sleep cycles,
the organization says.
)
It's also important to properly shield the light, according to the AMA's guidance.
Bright, blue-rich LEDs cause glare and "decrease visual acuity and safety," which can
create road hazards, it says.
These LED strtetlamps emit a blue-ligbt wavelength that suppresses nighttime
m6l21snin prcduction more than aay other color of light does, the AMA says.
Meanwhile, surveys have found that brighter nighttime street lighting "is associated
with reduced sleep times, dissatisfaction with sleep quality, excessive sleepiness,
impaired tlaytime functioning and obesity," the group writes.
SHOTS - HEALTH NEWS
Energy-Efficient Lightbulbs May Have Dark Side when lt Comes To Health
lte impacts ofblue light on circadian rhythms have been widely reported before,
including by Harvard Medical School and NPR s Shots blog.
The U.S. Department of Enerry is encouraging municipalities to switch to LED
lighting, to take advantage of their enerry savings' Scores of cities and towns around
the country have already replaced at least some oftheir streetlamps with LEDs -
ingluding Ias Vegas, tos Angeles, Seattle, New York City ard Ne$' Orleans, as well as
dozens of smaller communities,
led lights circadian rhythms department of energy american medical association
At its annual meeting last weel<, the AMA officially urged communities to be carefirl, if
they choose to install such lighting, to avoid the most intense lights and choose the
least-blue option available. In an unpublished report, the group specifically
recommends warmer "3oooK' LED lights' rather than harsher "4oooK' options.
the medical association stopped short ofwarning cities to avoid LED lights altogether.
@hc t&s[ington post
Health & Science
Some cities are taking
another look at LED lighting
afterAMAwarning
By lch.Gl Ollovc Seprernber 25. 2016
Ifpeople are sleepless in Seatde, it may not be only because they have broken hearts.
The American Medical Association issued a warning in June that high-hteDsity I.ED streetlights - such as those in Seatde,
Los Angeles, New York, Houston and elsewhere - emit unseen blue light that can disturb sleep rhythms and possibly increase
the risk of serious health conditions, including cancer and cardiovascular disease. The AMA also cautioned that those light-
emittingdiode lights can impair nighttime driving vision.
Similar concerns have been raised over the past few years, but the AMA report adils credence to the issue and is likely to
pmmpt cities and states to reevaluate tle intensity of LED lights they install.
Nesrly r3 percent of area and roadway lighting is now LED, according to a report prepared last year for the Deparhent of
Enerry, and many comnunities that haven't yet made the switch plan to do so. LEDs 8re up to So percent moFe enerB/-
efficient than the yellow-orange high-pressure sodium lights they typically replace. Tlrey lsst for rS to zo years, instead of two
to five. And unlike sodium lights, the LEDs spr€ad illumination evenly.
Some cities say the health mncerns are not convincing eno"eh to override the benefits of the first{eneration bright LED lights
that they insalled in t]Ie past tlree to eight years. New York is one of them, although it has responded to resident mmplaints
by replacing the hith-intensity, white LED bulhs with a lower-
intensity bulb that the AMA considers safe.
Scott Thomsen, a spokesman for Seatde City Lights, which is responsible for the city's oderior illmmination, disnissed tle
health concerns about bright-white LED lights, noting that they emit less of the pmblematic blue wavelengths th,n most
computers aDd televisions.
After a year and a half of discussion and sampling, Iake Worth, Fla., is replacing its sodium streetlights with about 4,1So LED
lighs with an amber glow. "We found a color that made sense for the health of our city, and we're proud of the choice we've
made,' Michael Bomstein, the city marager, said.
Mark Harhan, Phoenix's chief sustainability officer, said the city might go with a mix of tle intense lights for major
intersections and ballpark areas that need very bright ligbt and a softer ltht for residential areas. He said the city would
consider the health arguments, although he, too, mentioned the glow fiom computers and televisions. "Nobody says don't
watdl television or use your computer after 9 p.m. because of blue lithts," he said.
fhe flrst generatlon
Almost as soon as outdoor LEDs werr made ayailable, the federal goverument encouraged states and municipalities to use
them, calling LEDs highly efficient for such applications as traffic lights and exit signs. But critics say federal authorities were
too quick to endorse LEDs.
Tte Deparhent of Energr and the Environmental Protection Agency "put a lot of push into them," said Michael Siminovitdt,
director of tle California Ughtiry Technologr Center at the University of Califomia at Davis. "I call it a rush."
Siminovitch said tle light from early-generation LEDS "rcally negatively impacts people's physiological well-being."
Lighting is measued by color temperature, which is expressed in 'kelvin,' or "K" the original LED streetlights had
temperatures of at least 4ooo& which produces a bright white light with a high content of unseen blue light-
Now, LEDs are available with lower kelvin ratings and mughly the same energr efEciency as those with higher ratings. They
dont emit as much potentially harmful blue light, and they produce a softer, amber hue.
When 4oooK and 5oooK LEDS wer€ installed, they drerv mixed rcsponses. Police and traffic-safety officials and many
motorists liked them because tley oeated a bright light that sharply illuminated the ground they covered.
But in many places, induding New York City and Seattle, residents complained that the bright white light was harsh, even
lurid. People described them as invasive, mld and unflattering.
Even before the AMA waming, some researchers raised health mncerns. Some noted t}lat exposure to the blue-deh LED
outdoor lights might decrease people's secretion of the hormone melatonin. Secreted at night, melatonin helps balance the
reprodudive, thyroid and adrcnal hormones and regulates the bod/s circadian rhnhm of sleeping ald waking.
"As a species, we weren't designed to see litht at ''lgr'q" 5;-ioorr,* *U.
Meanwhile, the "dark slg/ movement criticizes LBDs as a major contributor to what it calls the "light pollution' that humans
cast into the nigbt sky.
Effect on sleep cycles
too
In its warning, the AMA cited the melatonin issue, noting that studies have linked bright LEDS to reduced sleep time, poor
sleep quality and impaired tlaytime funaioning.
It refeEed to evidence that exposure to high-intensity light at DUht mBht ircrcas€ the risk of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular
disease and obesity. Atrd it cautioned that intense LEDS have been associated with "discomfort and disability glare," which
might impair nuhttime vision for drivers.
Finally, the AMA cautioDed about the harmfuI effec'ts ofbright LEDS ou wildlife particularly noctumal animals, birds and
insects.
'These lights aren't just bad for us," said Mario Motta, one of ttre authors of the AMA report, "they're bad for the environment,
the AMA did commend LEDs for theh energr efEciency and effectiveness, but it urged cities to minimize blue.rich outside
lighting and recommended the use of t EDs no brighter than 3oooK
Tony Dorsey, a spokesmal with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, said that the
organization's environmental committee is studying the AMA'S report but that association members havent seemed
concerned about the use of4oooK LEDS on roadways.
The Department of Energr said LEDs should be used with 'prudence" but praised tleir overall performance. It said the AMA
had added "another influential voice' to the issue-
Others, induding the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polyterlnic Institute in Ttoy, N.Y., said the lighs pose less risk
tlan the AMA sutgests. Ihe researeh center flointed out t}tat the AMA report is based on extended exposure to high-inteusity
LEDs and said the blue.light hazard of LEDs "is probably not a concem to the majority of the population in most lighting
applications. "
Motta stood by the AMA's concerns about high-intensity LEDs and said there is no downside - either in cost or efEciency - to
choosint a lower-intensity li8ht.
Sleeplng ln Seattle
Some cities are satisfied with their higher-intensity LED streetlights
In Seatde, which has hstalled about 4r,ooo new lights sitrce 2oro, Thomsen, the spokesman for Seattle Light, attributed the
early complaints to r€sidents' surprise at the sharp difference in brightness between the old sodium ligbts and the new LEDs
Light from the new fixtures is comparable to moonlight and provides exc€llent visual acuity for drivers, Thomsen said. Police
especially like them, he said, because they enable pmple to distinguish colors at night. 'The polic€ say they get much better
witness descriptions, " Thomsen said.
ltomsen also noted that even thougb the Seattle LEDS are rated at 4looK that is significantly lower than most computer
screens, laptops and televisions.
But Pete Strasser, technical director at the International Dark-Sky Association, said moonlight contains far less blue light than
do high-intsnsity LED lights.
A little more than a year ago, Gloucester, Mass., was on its way to replacing its sodium sbeetlights with 4oooK LEDs. But then
city planner Matt Coogan began reading about healt} and envimnmental warnings. He also had residents sample the 4oooK
lights against 3oooK models.
Next month, the city is expected to finish instaling its LEDS, but tley will be 3oooK ratler than 4oooK
Coogan hows the debate over the health risks of LEDS rag€s on. But he doesnt want to be on the wmng side of history.
'I didn't watrt to get ro or r5 years down the road and find out we had exposed our p€ople to a health risb" Coogan said.
Stateline
.. THE P lt]W c H A R rrA B L E rRUsrs
The Few Charitable Trust3 ,/ Rc.€.rch & Anrlysi3 /
Statellne / Citing Health Concerns, Some Cities Consider
Dimmer LEO Streetlights
September OZ 2016
By Michael Ollove
Citing Health Concerns, Some Cities
Consider Dimmer LED Streetlights
.a
STATE L IN E
r;,_
J
lI,=
City of Fort worth
An electrical foreman installs a new 2700K LED streetlight in Lake Worth, Florida.
Concerned about health risks, Lake Worth and some other cities have installed
less-intense LED lights.
ln the last several years, New York, Los Angeles. Houston, Seattle and other U.S. cities
have installed high-intensity, white LED streetlights. ln all, at least 13 percent of
outdoor lighting is now LED, and many communities that haven't yet made the switch
are rushing to do so.
The LEDs are up to 50 percent more energy-efficient than the yellow-orange high-
pressure sodium lights they replaced. They last for 15 to 20 years, instead of two to
five. And unlike sodium lights, the LEDs spread illumination evenly, enhancing
visibility for drivers and pedestrians.
But health concerns, heightened by a recent warning by the American Medical
Association (AMA), are giving pause to some local off icials, spurring them to
consider less-intense LED alternatives. Honolulu, Phoenix and smaller cities in
Arizona, California, Florida and Massachusetts are among those who are taking the
health warnings seriously.
ln June, the AMA warned that high-intensity LEDs (which stands for light-emitting
diodes) emit unseen blue light that can disturb sleep rhythms. The full report f rom
the AMA found that LEDs possibly increase the risk of serious health conditions.
including cancer and cardiovascular disease. The AMA also cautioned that high-
intensity LEDs can impair nighttime driving vision.
Honolulu, which was poised to install high-intensity LEDs, decided to hold off and
consider other options. Phoenix is stilldeciding between a briSht white LED model
and one with a softer hue. lt might opt for intense lights for major intersections and
ballpark areas and a softer light for residential areas.
Lake Worth, Florida, spent 18 months debating and sampling different options before
settling on lower-intensity LEDs with an amber glow.
"We found a color that made sense for the health of our city. and we're proud of the
choice we've made," said Michael Bornstein, city manager of Lake Worth, which is in
Palm Beach County.
City officials in Davis, California; Gloucester, Massachusetts; and Sahuarita, Arizona,
made the same choice.
But other cities say the health concerns are not convincing enough to override the
benef its of the first-generation LEDs, which many of them installed within the past
decade.
New York is one of them, although for residents who complain that lights on their
block are too bright, the city has been "toning those lights down."
Scott Thomsen, a spokesman for Seattle City Light, which is responsible for that city,s
outside lights, dismissed the health concerns about the bright white LEDs, noting that
they emit less of the problematic blue light than most computers and televisions.
"We have been able to reduce by half the light spread so it doesn't go into people,s
homes while increasing driver's acuity and visibility," Thomsen said.
A Harsh and Lurid Ligtrt?
Almost as soon as outside LEDS were made available, the federal government
encouraged states and municipalities to use them, calling LEDs highly eff icient for
applications such as traffic lights and exit signs. But critics say the federal
government was too quick to endorse LEDs.
The Department of Energy and the Environmental Protectlon Agency "put a lot of
push into them," said Michael Siminovitch, director of the California Lighting
Technology Center at the University of California, Davis. "l call it a rush."
Siminovitch said the light from early-generation LEDs "really negatively impacts
people's physiological well-being."
But until last year, cities eager to make the switch to LED streetlights had limited
options.
LEDs are measured by their color temperatures, which are expressed in "Kelvins" or
"K." The original LED streetlights were made with at least 40O0K, which produces a
bright white light with a high content of unseen blue light.
Cities that installed LED streetlights before the end of last year used 400oK lights or
higher because those with lower Kelvin ratings either weren't yet manufactured or
hadn't achieved the same energy-efficiency.
Now, however, LEDs with lower Kelvin ratings have roughly the same energy-
efficiency as those with higher ratings. They don't emit as much potentially harmf ul
blue light and they produce a softer, amber hue'
When 40OOK and 5O0OK LEDs were initially installed, they drew mixed responses'
Police and traffic safety officials and many motorists liked them because they created
a bright light that sharply illuminated the ground they covered.
But in many places, including New York City and Seattle, residents complained that
the bright white light they emitted was harsh, even lurid. People described them as
invasive, cold and u nflattering.
Even before the AMA warning, some researchers raised health concerns. some noted
that exposure to the blue-rich LED outside lights might decrease the secretion of the
hormone melatonin in humans. Melatonin, which is secreted at night, helps balance
the reproductive, thyroid and adrenal hormones and regulates the body's circadian
rhythm of sleeping and waking.
'As a species, we weren't designed to see light at night," said UC Davis'Siminovitch.
Meanwhile, the "dark sky" movement, which aims to reduce the level of "light
pollution" humans cast into the night sky, criticizes LEDs as a major contributor to the
problem.
Efhct on Sleep CYcles
ln its warning, the AMA, which conducted a review of the scientif ic literature on LEDs,
cited the melatonin issue, noting that studies have linked bright LEDs to reduced
sleep time, poor sleep quality and impaired daytime functioning.
It referred to evidence that exposure to high-intensity light at night might increase
the risk of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity' And it cautioned that
intense LEDs have been associated with "discomfort and disability glare" in
motorists, meaning that they impair nighttime driving vision.
Finally, the AMA cautioned about the harmful effects of bright LEDs on wildlife,
particularly nocturnal animals, birds and insects.
"These lights aren't just bad for us," said Mario Motta, one of the authors of the AMA
report, "they're bad for the environment, too."
Tony Dorsey, a spokesman with the American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials, said that the organization's environmental committee is
studying the AMA's report, but that association members haven't seemed concerned
about the use of 4O00K LEDs on their state roadways.
Others, including the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic lnstitute,
said the lights pose less risk than the AMA suggests. The research center pointed out
that the AMA report is based on extended exposure to high-intensity LEDs, and said
The AMA did commend LEDs for their energy-eff iciency and effectiveness, but it
urged cities to minimize blue-rich outside liShting and recommended the use of LEDs
no higher than 3OO0K.
The Department of Energy said LEDs should be used with "prudence" but praised
their overall performance. lt said the AMA had added "another influentiaIvoice" to
the issue.
the blue-light hazard of LEDs "is probably not a concern to the majority ofthe
population in most lighting applications."
Motta, co-author of the AMA report, stood by the group's concerns about the health
and environmental impact of LEDs that are 4OOOK and above, and said there is no
downside - either in cost or efficiency - to choosing a lower-intensity light.
Sleepingin Seattle
Some cities are satisfied with their higher-intensity LED streetlights.
ln Seattle, which has installed about 41,OO0 new 4lOOK lights since 2010, Thomsen,
the spokesman for Seattle Light, attributed the early complaints to residents' surprise
at the sharp difference in brightness between the old sodium lights and the new
LEDs.
The new lights are comparable to moonlight and provide excellent visual acuity for
drivers, Thomsen said. Police especially like them, he said, because unlike the old
sodium lights, they enable people to distinguish colors at night. "The police say they
get much better witness descriptions," Thomsen said.
Thomsen also noted that even though the Seattle LEDs are 41O0K, that is significantly
less than most computer screens, laptops and televisions.
A little more than a year ago, Gloucester was on its way to replacing its old sodium
streetlights with 2,800 new 4000K LEDs. But then city planner Matt Coogan began
reading about health and environmental warnings. He also had residents sample the
4OOOK lights against 3OOOK models.
But Pete Strasser, technical director at the lnternational Dark-Sky Association, said
moonlight contains far less blue light than higher-Kelvin LED lights. As for other
computers and television screens, he said, "Everyone knows it's a bad thing for your
sleep cycle to watch TV or work on your computer before going to bed."
Next month, the city is expected to finish installing its LEDs, but they will be 3OOOK
rather than 4OOOK.
Coogan knows the debate over the health risks of LEDs rages on. But he doesn't want
Gloucester, and its city planner, to risk being on the wrong side of history.
"l didn't want to get 10 or 15 years down the road and find out we had exposed our
people to a health risk," Coogan said.
NEWER )
Top State Stories 9,/8
( otDEn
Top State Stories 9/7
PLACES
Atizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Washington
TAGS
Energy and Environment, Health, Transportation
Explore
Tag
State
By
By
ABOUT STATETINE MEDIA CONTACT SIGN UP
Stateline provides daily
reporting and analysis on
trends in state policy.
About r
Jeremy Ratner
D i r ector, Co m m u n i cotion s,
202.540.6507
i r.tner@pewtrusts.org
Sign up for our daily update
-original reporting on
state policy, plus the day's
five top reads from around
the Web.
Email Address
SUBMIT
STATELINE
It's the New Dark Age as street lights are switched off
More and more councils are switcfiing of street lights afr6r midnighl, rnostly to save monsy rathar than to cut light
pollution Photo: Alamy
By Telegraph View
6:l0AM BST l0 Apr2014
You're just parking outside the house after retuming from an enjoyable dinner party when - plink! - the
steet lights go out. Do you think, "Oh good now I can have a look at the interesting state ofthe planet
Mars in the night sky," or do you just cry "Drmmit, I can't even see the kerb now"?
More and more cormcils are switching off steet lights after midnight, mostly to save money rather than to
cut light pollution. As they have been switched ofl so the number of accidents ha.s gone down. Even so,
the AA is complaining because, where steet lights have not been switched off, accidents have been
reduced by even more. Whether you want bright lights to deter burglan and guide motorists, or prefer to
save the money aod live naturally, the great lamppost switch-off is undoing one more certainty of
urbanised life. Whatever happened to Enlightenment values?
Glrc Uclcgroptr
f
oo
I
I
-
:rI,I
! SIGN UP NOW 'SIGN UPTO OUR
FRONTPAGE
NEWSLETTER
How we moderate
O Copyright ol TelegEph Media Group Limitod 2017
ck Rahaim
htb/rw.mooG.lycoun!&€ddy.coftvtbqE/n€{6-Uo9/city-or-nD.rtd€r-lc-hw6uit-ovi-ltc€dt ttdarlid._8o.8e764-d3b2-11dt&tb-935d25754€7.ht nt
City of Monterey loses lawsuit over streetlights.
clrbfa u -.urdrh.rEb. tddl9sd. &6rto, t '. hr qrErhg drdgrr b i.lt-dltsrr r.Eo t,l1
The city ol Mo,nssy mlglt haw to tum down ttE lhtrb. i/hntdBy CorJnty Sup€.ior Cood Judgo Lydl. MlhrEt rut€d D*. m fi8t tha clty vtotd.d botr
ih6 Calibnie E iro.lrrE rlal Ouality Act ard flo &own Aat whgl n strrbd to irstall hdgy-!ffdent tlD sflldigftE in A)(p.
A suit u/es brought againsl th€ city in 201 2 by a gEup ot r8idonts oailing ttEyrsahres Tum Oown Tle ughtB, who daillled the LEO bulbs urerE
signifcantly MgFrrs fian tha on6 tlEy ttpLcod, e.d trl.l o|€ dty hod faiLd to co.duc{ ar ooviroiriotal rwias b€fo@ maLE tho afiarE€.
Th6 lrdg6b &ciai b an knpo.fd* one' 6aF llo[y EIhl(ldr, an alto.n€y who tlp.Esrta Tr,1l Doirn Ih6 L&,rts. 'lt &a6 rho bsu6 of puuic
mtice 8nd citiaaar p6rtidp6toi when it corl1€ fo €.rvilorrnfital impacfs.r
---J
I
-;*lt
F'I tr r-CE
[uleqBu l5!N
q468..4t (En ro t/PP?Fa4 qI
dt,oro ztoz erle OOO'A| w ztOZ d.F -al e OOO'Ar@a, !€r,E dl lerqtql p l)p de ll4 q F@t u..q srry e4.a SA gou s.Jouqt
'Jogd Frs ZIOE u! P.tqa4 qlF{
'Eomeur Z! urf et{ |s troFeu paeop
'll-FeddB ur &rU oglpt !Hnoo lFlq/$-$rogdo sllp eq leqauoc l&i lpunoC IUC leFfuofi €qf
'oor rer FG.l 8,gcl4Bd ao 4 F.rl
elo uo.q I|€l{ ||la Iu. el{ .furu l.EulrlJlFrd eql lsot 6rr! BH 'unoc q 4ff 9u ur/\oo uJq t0rFlJ qln poq q oooroal parlictJ! Iuc eq qr,;l.uL
rEC a4rp lat.qqs -4s (En q 6q{.uris Iq ZloE €oq. q{q trlEt. Lq AFirluB 000'OA 4{6.br p. E pq L/epofl p Ap dS'g!oz4nf p3v
.p€pnpu@
.6gol.q -'l.V u/$org .l$ pqrp| l|, VtrBC l.6rl fd,uoE.a.6uEf. A4fql.rO Aryof ..r$ .Flcl{o,l\otts ol F Bf e9ue&.A|c..O 6Leq ruY
'Lrolap€P p€pl.Elt4
.Eq ul .rori lErq[A.q*durl F&r(lruot^l.o muqod \[yr s9nqrelcrq. &rtuEu@ uoorulropt Lq pql ro Bpt .0r e,I6Euloy{ p I|+c qhL
'l', ufo€ ..tr ro 'roqEpl^
q €q ol Frlol o3|E s'tr Atc es !o@E{
lo Es€oord o(o ul lr/Jocul aq ol Brno, e6Pnl €lO
'ftq,r$ VOAC uro4 FulexE ere,r rerruxu puB 5 F *\€u eqB peu4Blc p8q Ie.curoy{ p lllc €l[
'elrldo/(JdE 6/our p(xlor 4oq e,\sll pFo,tr,tlEt el r.dod Mr.r}BEdu.Fl 6[nif0{ pu8
6qsu!o, o3'! urroup .rB 6r€14 lBl{ ear€ll€q dno/6 at{ uq 's/$a uoo|qrl '6uRr|6tl urepgp-I6.ru. ptrB 3oI q pa€oddo ptl q 6 {6n all u/lloo uinl
'suolqoJd d*F ol p6ol uBc qqqa'uluolalolrr ouo(llloq&F 6t{ e- pal pu8 e.q6 oil.lnlll8u a€eeraol
lsrs 6of1 wlr-€in p s€o€.rbdJ@ e6re pa p outurBnr lE[spG\t lEqpefi uB4etllv el{ oio & p.nsq }lFueral3 9!0B aunr ots saprr oE|B llolop.lE
Tuming offstreet lights does not lead to more
crime or accidents - study
Motoring orEanisation AA says evidence from inquests into road deaths contradict findings based on 14 years
of data from 62 local authorities
Press Association
Wedneday 29 Juty 2Ol5 03.28 EDT
Tuming off street lights at night does not lead to more crime or traffic accidents, researchers have
said.
ADVERTISING
a
I
>a
E
-l E t
-1-
r---l
I
t1
Fat C rn
Ah=
',tql'
,'|
til
Motoring and pedestrian groups h-ave raised concems about councils switching off their lights at
night to save money, with research suggesting about a third are being tumed off.
But research published in the Joumal of Epidemiology and community Health based on 14 years
of data from 62 locd authorities across England and Wales found there was no evidence ofan link
between reduced street lighting and increased crime or traftc accidents.
Edmund King, the president of the AA motoring organisation, said he was 'extremely surprised"
at t}re results. "Our own analysis ofinquest findings uncovered six road deaths from 2009 to 2013
where coroners said the switching offof steet lights had been a contributory factor," he said.
"Police crash investigators said the drivers had little or no chance of avoiding the collisions. At the
same time, Departrnent for Ttansport statistics show that sigrrificant reductions in dght-time
accidents dong roads with lighting have been stunted on unlit town and city streets."
The study, led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in partnership with
University College London, looked at councils that had implemented a range of reduced street
light strategies induding switching otr lights permanently, reducing the number of hours that
lamps are switched on at night, dimming lights, and replacing traditional orange lamps with
energy-efficient white light LED lamps.
To assess crime, researchers looked at data from 2o1o to 2013 to analyse how many crimes took
place in different areas and what types of street lighting were used there'
They focused on offences more likely to occur at night, including burglary, theft ofor from a
vehicle, robbery violence and sexual assault. Overall, there was no evidence of an association
between reduced street lighting and increased crime,
They also looked at all roads in participating authorities, examining what type of street lighting
was used and the number of trafrc collisions that happened at night relative to the day during
2ooo to 2013. They found no evidence ofa link between reduced steet lighting and night-time
collisions.
Lead investigator Dr Phil Edwards, of the London School ofHygiene & llopical Medicine, said:
"An estimated €3oom is spent every year on street lights in the L]K. At a time when local
authorities need to make spending cuts, our findings show that by carefully assessing risks, steet
lighting can be reduced without an increase in car crashes and crime."
Co-author Professor Shane Johnson, of UCUs department of security and crime science, said:
"The study findings suggest that energy-saving street lighting adaptations have not increased area
level crime in the neighbourhoods studied.
"This is very encouraging but it is important to note that it does not mean that this will be the case
under all conditions, and so changes to lighting should be managed carefirllyJ,
But King of the AA said evidence from several inquests into road deaths contradicted the findings.
"An inquest this May confirmed that a council decision to switch offsffeet lights contributed to
the death of a Wiltshire woman in September 2014," he said.
"The outcome of an fuiquest into an Essex man killed in December while walking home from a
Christmas party is also awaited. Another man had been knocked over just 40 minutes earlier on
the same road - police then demanded that street lighting along that route be tumed back on.
*An inquest into the deaths of two men on a blacked-out section of the M65 will involve the
coroner asking road authorities why his wamings, after a previous crash related to the switching
offof road lighting, was ignored."
He said the AA advised its members to drive using their firll beams on roads where street lights
have been switched off, except where they might dazzle other road users.
"Drivers cannot afford the risk of not lighting the road ahead if it might result in killing or injuring
pedestrians, cydists and other wlnerable people," he added.
Since you're here ...
... we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading the Guardian than ever but advertising
revenues across tre media are falling fast. And unlike many news organisations, we haven,t put
up a paywall - we want to keep our joumalism as open as we can. so you can see why we need to
ask for your help. The Guardian's independent, investigative joumalism takes a lot of time, money
and hard work to produce. But we do it because we believe our perspective matters - because it
might well be your perspective, too.
I appreciate there not being a paywall: it is more democratic for the media to be available for all
and not a commodity to be purchased by a few. I'm happy to make a contribution so others with
less means still have access to information. ?homasine F-R.
If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps to support it, our future would be much
more secure,
Become a supporter
Make a contribution
Topics
. Local govemment
. Public sector cuts
. Road safety
. Public services policy
. neWS
t t*r
da
Home D Lighting r Ouldoor Lighting Basics
Outdoor Lighting Basics
The illustration below provides an easy visual guide to understand the difierences between
unacceptable, unshielded light fixtures and those fully shielded fixtures that minimize
skyglow, glare and light trespass.
Glossarv of Lighting Terms
Are you looking for dark sky friendly lighting fixtures? Search our Fixture Seal of Aoproval
database.
Types of Light
Most people are familiar with incandescent or compact fluorescent blubs for indoor lighting,
but outdoor lighting usually makes use of different, more industrial, sources of light. Common
light sources include low-pressure sodium ('LPS"), high-pressure sodium ('HPS'), metal
halide and light emitting diodes ('LEDs").
INTERNANONAL
DARK-SI(Y
ASS0CtATtON
Modem society requires outdoor lighting for a variety of needs, including safety and
commerce. IDA recognizes this but advocates that any required lighting be used wisely. To
minimize the harmful effects of light pollution, lighting should
. Only be on when needed
. Only light the area that needs it
. Be no brighter than necessary
. Minimize blue light emissions
. Be fully shielded (pointing downward)
LPS is very energy efficienl but emits only a narrow spectrum of pumpkin-colored light that
Unacceptable / Discouraged
Frnureslhal p.oduce gla,e and l€hl lrespass
@@
Unshialded Fbodlighls
or Poorly.shieldsd Floodlohts
Unshi€ld€d \ f.llpacks
E Unshielded or
Poo.ly-shi€ld€d UHI
Mornt Futurcs
DrolLans & Sao-lerts Fixturss
w/ exposed bulb I refraclo( lens
fr
LI
Lowercd
Marine s!y'e
Fmur€s
l.rnstidded BF
FbodlQf'ts
UnshEld€d Bollards
Unshielded Sreetighl
Unsneded Earn
Ughl
Unshiebed
Period Style
Drop-Lens Canopy
/,-
I
A
Acceptable
FDdures thal silirS t E loft 6dfte b rtiririzo 0h0 ard Etr re6ps
and to trcililde bdt€i visixl ar rxllt
FullCulofl Slr6ethghr
Full Cutoll Fixtures
Futly Shielded Fi(ures
Fully Shield€d
Flush Mounted or Sde
Shrelded Under Canopy
- Fixtures /
FulV Shield€d
Fully Shielded
Bam Lllht
Fully Shielded
Bolbrds
'P€riod Style
S,lt*rd€d / Prop€rt€inr€d
mn Hoodlighls
riGr.ro.5by 8obcllln92005 R.rns€d tur nB Es ol Solhfi9ld fIY lrsd wrr FdEs
I
l]
A@
Fully Shelded
Deco6tiv€
some lind to be undesirable. Yet, LPS is an excellent choice for lighting near astronomical
HPS is commonly used for street lighting in many cities. Although it still emits an orange-
colored light, its coloring is more 'true to life" than that of LPS.
ln areas where it's necessary lo use white light, two common choices are metal halide and
LEDS. One of the advantages of LED lighting is that it can be dimmed. Thus, instead of
always lighting an empty street or parking lot at full brightness, LEDS can be turned down, or
even off, when they aren't needed and then brought back to full brightness as necessary.
This feature both saves on energy and reduces light pollution during the night.
Because of their reported long life and energy efficiency, LEDS are rapidly coming into
widespread use, replacing the existing lighting in many cities. However, there are important
issues to consider when making such a conversion. See our LED Practacal Guide for more
information.
Color Matters
As the illustration above, it is crucial to have fully shielded lighting, but we now know that the
color of light is also very important. Both LED and metal halide fixtures contain large
amounts of blue light in their spectrum. Because blue light brightens the night sky more than
any other color of light, it's important to minimize the amount emitted. Exposure to blue light
at night has also been shown to harm human health and endanger wildlife. IDA recommends
using lighting that has a color temperature of no more than 3000 Kelvins.
Lighting with lower color temperatures has less blue in its spectrum and is refened to as
being "warm.'Higher color temperature sources of light are rich in blue light. IDA
recommends that only warm light sources be used for outdoor lighting. This includes LPS,
HPS and low-color-temperature LEDs. ln some areas, the white light of even a low-color-
temperature LED can be a threat to the local nighttime environment. ln those cases, LPS or
nanow-spectrum LEDS are preferred choices.
Finding What You Need
IDA doesn't sell dark sky friendly lighting, but our Fixture Seal of Aooroval prooram makes it
easy for you to find the right products. The FSA program certifies dark sky friendly outdoor
lighting - these are fixtures that are fully shielded and have low color temperature. Search
our database and then check with your local retailer.
IN THIS SECTION
Outdoor Lighting Basics
Find Dark Sky Friendly Lighting
Lighting Ordinances
Lighting For Policy Makers
Residential/Business Lighting
My Neighbor's Lighting
Bad Streetlights
Model Lighting Laws & Policy
LED Practical Guide
Find a Dark Sky Friendly Lighting
Home Renew Join Donate
V.,
.G iiidffiffi
JOINT IDA - IES
Model Lighting Ordinance
(MLO)
with USER'S GUIDE
Contacl Us
Who We Are
Our Work
Success Stories
Funding
Press Releases
lntemational Dark Sky
Places
Fixture Ssal of
Approval
Parts and Protected
Areas
Sea Turtl€
Conservation
Education and
Outreach
Consulling Projects
Lighl Pollution
Find Dart Sky
Lighting
Lightinq Basics
My Neighbor's
Lighting
Lighting Ordinances
LED Practical Guide
Join IDA
Donate
Other Ways to Give
Do Somathing Now
Find a Chapter
Events
FAQs
Losing the Dark
Publications
Materials for
Educators
Public Outreach
Materials
Find a Dark Sky
Place
IDA Intemalional Headquarters, 3223 N Fi.sl Avenue Iucson Arizona 85719 USA Pflvacy Polrcy I Terms ot Us€ I CareeB I Conbcr
ta,tlil;e, ::'
Group on Port Angeles
bridges calls for higher
fences to prevent
suicides
ADVERTISEMENT
By Paul Gottlieb
Friday, November 24,2017 10i57afi I
TLALLAM couNrYl
PORT ANGELES - Every night since Monday
morning, when t5 -year-old Ashley Wishart
flung herself off the Valley Creek bridge,
Siouxzie Hinton has joined other residents in
standing in silent vigil and protest near where
the PortAngeles High School sophomore took
her own life.
NEWS
a;
3a
!'
1 ,
f"---
ii-\:l
,l
--{
d,
I
k
,h
Maariyah Dugan, right, and Siouxzie Hinton stand in the rain last week on the Valley Creek bridge in
Port Angeles to protest the lack of suicide barriers on the span and to urge people to be more
compassionate to one another. (Paul Gottlieb/Peninsula Daily News)
rnI
tou
Hinton, husband Thomas and others
interviewed on the bridge last week said they
want the city to build suicide-prevention fences,
barriers - anything higher than the {-foot, 6-
inch railing they stand beside in the cold night.
They have held up signs urging kindness to
others - and stronger action on bridge safety
measures by a heretofore reluctant City Council.
Many drivers honk and wave, while others have
thrown coffee cups and made obscene gestures
at Hinton and her companions, Hinton said.
Hinton is urging residents who are concerned
about how easy it is for people to commit suicide
off the Valley Creek and equally tall Tumwater
Truck Route bridge just three blocks west to
speak their minds during public comment
sessions at a City Council meeting at 6 p.m.
Tuesday.
Deputy Mayor Cherie Kidd will give an update on effons to obtain state
funding for suicide-prevention measures on the bridges.
Witnesses told police Wishart sat perched on the railing, above the too-foot
abyss, before she fell baclnrard to the road below at about 8 a.m. Monday,
according to a police report.
Hinton, {4, lives in a Victorian-style house at the eastem end of the Valley
Creekbridge.
In her quest to keep another suicide from occurring there, she has started a
Facebookpage, ('Save a Life, Change theView," alsowritten on a sign she
held lastweek
Motorists who had stopped to keep her from falling from the bridge could
not reach her in time, according to police.
((This is a meeting place to share our plans of healing and addressing issues
that lead to suicide in our community," she said Friday on the Facebook
page.
The name of the page is a plea, and a reference, to critics of suicide fences
who want to keep an unobstructed, clear view of Port Angeles Harbor to the
north, the last thingWishart sawbefore she plunged to her death.
Critics of barriers point to the estimated $8oo,ooo to Sr.z million cost of
installing fences or higher railings, which the City Council has cited in
rejecting previous calls for adding fences to the bridges.
Public Works Director Craig Fulton said Thursday he is getting updated
information.
'(I've asked my city engineers to get a little more detail on how the fencing
can be installed on the abutments so we don't damage the structural
integrity of the structure," Fulton said.
'(I need to get more definitive costs that we can provide to the state for any
state funding."
Critics also have said people who want to commit suicide will find a way,
suicide-prevention measures or not.
Hinton says better mental health services are part of the equation for
helping people with mental issues before they take their own lives.
She wants to cut offwhat she believes is the easy avenue that the low
railings at the bridges offer to people who want to harm themselves.
Seven people have jumped off the two spans since they were built in
February zoo9, including, as ofMonday, three since Iune.
"We need this to stop, " Hinton said Wednesday night, shivering a foot from
the bridge railing.
"I understand the pain.
((It's just too easy, it's too simple, it's just an easy out and it's too
conveniently in that spur-of-the-moment of walking past."
The railings (rare way too low, way too low, " Hinton said.
If the barriers were higher, at least someone could grab somebody by the leg
who was trying to jump, she said.
t(That's all they need is a few minutes more, " she said.
On Thursday night, Hinton stood on the bridge in the rain with a sign, ((I AM
HEREFORYOU.,,
A few feet away stood t7-year-old Maariyah Dugan, a Port Angeles High
School junior, holding a sign that said 'TKINDNESS MATTERS."
"I know there are a lot of people who are not that kind," Maariyah said.
Maariyah said she has friends who were "really close" to wishart.
'(They know she was bullied, " Maariyah said. The sister of a close friend of
Wishart's and the mother of another close friend agreed.
Neither the principal at Wishart's school nor her father was aware of any
bullying, they have said.
((My friends tried helping her, but it didn't work," Maariyah said.
Tiffany Jenks, 34, shivered Wednesday in the cold on the bridge while she
worked on a sign.
Herhusband, Eric, committed suicidebyhanginghimself in Seattle in 2oU,.
ttThat's what brought me to Port Angeles: a new start," Jenks said.
('A stand needs to be taken on mental illness, and something needs to be
done about these bridges.'t
AmyWishart's father, Richard, said hewill attend Tuesday's City Council
meeting to urge that barriers be added to the bridges.
(tThe bridges need fences, and I'm not going to rest until they have them,"
he said. "Therets no life you can put a dollar on.
'(The City Council is just rotten. There's no amount of money at all
whatsoever that they should have spared to save a life."
Police reports document suicide threats that are not carried out.
Totals were not available Friday on those numbers for zot7, but a man said
he planned to do exactly that shortly before noon Thursday, Deputy Chief
Jason Viada said Friday.
Viada said the man said he was going to jump off one of the bridges or leap
off the more-than-loo -foot cliff at the west end of West roth Street known
locally as ('The End of the World."
The body ofAmy L. Lingvall, 54, was found June 29, zot5, on the beach
below the cliff, bearing no signs of foul play, police said.
The man who threatened suicide Thursday was detained after he drove by an
officer who was stationed near the guardrail barrier blocking that same
overlook, Deputy Police Chieflason Viada said.
The man was transported to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles for
further evaluation.
Daity News
@ 2017, Peninsula Daily News and Sound Publishin& lnc.
SubscribelSign-UpforPeninsulaDailyNewsNelysletterslTermsofUselPrivacyPolicylContactUs
She had been reported missing and emotionally ('in crisis," according to
police reports.
Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360 - l+52-231+5, ext.
5565o, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.