By Carolina Ruiz Vega

Have you noticed how, when looking at the night sky, it is difficult to spot the stars when you’re in town? The phenomenon is due to what is known as light pollution, which is caused by excess artificial lights pointing in unnecessary directions for carrying out the activities planned for the area in which they are installed.

Specialists in the field agree that one way light pollution can be stopped is by installing LED street lighting luminaires. “Light from these lamps is directional, which means they project all their light to illuminate the required area, and no luminous flux is projected towards the sky,” says Sergio Campos, Regional Project Manager of Havells Sylvania, an international firm that manufactures fluorescent starters and switches from Costa Rica to the global market.

“Since they are brighter, they are efficient. That means this technology helps users to achieve up to 90% energy savings, without losing power nor light quality. Thus, greater efficiency– defined as the effective ratio of more lumens per less watt– is achieved,” explains the Sylvania specialist.

Declared by the United Nations (UN) as the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies, 2015 has as one of its objectives to promote the importance of light-technology in sustainable development.

In this sense, LED lights can celebrate their year feeling satisfied of being fulfilling that goal.

“This objective of the International Year of Light is important to Sylvania because we are a company committed to the environment. The rise of LEED certified projects commit us to design and manufacture products that allow our customers to achieve that goal, “Campos said.

Advertise green

Other source of light pollution comes from illuminated advertisement signs in cities and roads in Costa Rica and anywhere else in the world.

Hence, reducing light pollution not only requires changes in public lighting, but also, implementing good practices regarding advertisements.

According to Campos, companies must respect the 4: 1 ratio, which means that the illumination of the sign must be four times greater than background levels.

“If this ratio exceeds, drivers’ and pedestrians’ visibility is affected,” said the specialist, who also recommends reducing the power of the light bulbs in cases where the ratio exceeds 4: 1.

Companies should also intend to bring to a minimum the percentage of light that is projected upward from the luminaires when designing the illuminated ads.

All these good practices and choices can prevent light emission projected directly into the atmosphere, and contribute to stop light pollution.