About Tim Rowland

Tim Rowland is a columnist, author and outdoors writer living in Jay.

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  1. Tom Leustek says

    I wish the Adirondack towns would consider limiting light pollution. From the wilderness shores of Little Tupper Lake at night the glow of Tupper Lake Town interferes with star viewing. And I think LED lights may be to blame. Rather than keeping lighting level the same and reducing electricity costs, people have chosen to install brighter and more lights. Its a pity.

  2. Richard L. Daly says

    LEDs are more efficient than other type lamps: greater illumination, less energy-use. They also last longer per unit-replacement; less labor, too. The trick is to shield the lamp-heads to direct /limit illumination towards surface of the Earth … not sky. I wish the TOWN of Plattsburgh, Clinton County, would get wise to this, now that the Town Lighting Districts own the standoffs and lamp-heads … so there is no need to consult/cajole the utility provider nyseg to replace the lamps and add shields.

  3. Dan Stein says

    That is correct. Fully shielding fixtures, along with implementing motion sensors, timers, and only using light where it is needed will mitigate light pollution tremendously.

    Most light is inefficiently used regardless of it is an LED or not. Permitting light to travel upwards and outwards is a huge waste of light. We can use far less energy if we directed the light downward where it is needed so it is concentrated. The more concentrated a source of light is, the less lux is required to illuminate the area. Less lux means less energy. Less energy means more cost savings and less environmental resources used.

    Light pollution has also been linked to an increase in prostate and breast cancer amongst men and women who work the night shift. There are also cases of bird and sea turtle migrations due to light pollution as well. Sleep cycle issues are also at play here too.

    Mitigating light pollution is a no brainer. Like anything, it is going to cost something up front to fix, but the results will play out over time. It isn’t just an issue of not seeing stars anymore. It plays far into our health, our environment, and leave no trace.

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