How to Choose Nature-Friendly Lighting

Created By RISC | 6 days ago

Last modified date : 6 days ago

Light isn’t just what we use to see… It also regulates how we and wildlife live our lives each day.

The light we see has a wavelength of 400-700 nanometers. But there are also invisible ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) rays.

Sunlight is crucial factor for photosynthesis in plants, the foundation of the food chain. Light is used in technologies including medicine, communications, and transport.

Alongside all these benefits, though, excessive or inappropriate light causes "light pollution", an environmental issue that’s often overlooked. This pollution can harm both us and the environment.

Unnecessary light such as streetlights, lights from tall buildings, or billboards that shine all through the night can disrupt wildlife’s natural behavior. Creatures lose balance in their lives. Migratory birds fly off course. Sea turtles get disoriented by coastal lights. Many other wild creatures also need the dark to survive.

To reduce the impact of light pollution on animals and the environment, we should choose appropriate lighting that won’t disturb the lifecycle and behavior of wildlife.

Suitable lighting should have a correlated color temperature (CCT) of no more than 3000 Kelvin (K). The wavelength range should be about 600-700 nanometers, giving a warm white light. Light should have a clear direction, not spreading widely or shining to the sky or where animals live. We can also help reduce light pollution by turning off unnecessary lights. Don’t leave lights on during the night. Use timers to ensure lights are only on when needed. Proper use and management of light can help reduce light pollution and maintain the balance of nature, letting wildlife thrive in its natural habitats.

Story by Kotchakorn Rattanama, Biodiversity Researcher, RISC