Did You Know This About Dark Sky Compliance?

Did You Know This About Dark Sky Compliance?

So what is the dark-sky movement? It’s a campaign to help reduce the amount of light pollution. Light pollution is mostly caused by the over use of poorly designed lighting fixtures. But, here at Steel Partners lighting, we believe in the importance of well designed, handmade lighting fixtures and helping to reverse the affects of light pollution. Here’s some information on making sure your rustic modern outdoor lighting is Dark Sky Compliant.

If you’ve ever looked up at the sky at night hoping to see a mass of twinkling stars, but see a halo of bleary light instead, that’s light pollution. Not only does the dark-sky movement want to make the night sky more visible, but also to help cut down on the amount of energy being used and reduce the impact unnatural light has on the environment. Here are some tips for making your lighting Dark Sky Compliant:

When picking rustic modern outdoor lighting fixtures, make sure that they’re fully shielded so the light is pointing downward. This cuts down on the light pollution, minimizes on glare, and facilitates better vision at night. You can also reduce light waste by only lighting areas that need it. This also means turning your lights on only when needed, or setting them onto a timer or sensor to help reduce the amount of light waste. Contact us for more information on how we can add sensor features to your lighting purchase.

Some examples of our  shielded, Dark Sky Approved lighting

LEDs are a great option for when white light is needed because they’re energy efficient, cutting down on energy waste. Dimmable LEDs are an especially great option for outdoors since they can be turned down completely.

 Few examples of our dimmable capable, Dark Sky Approved LED lighting

Blue light is known to be harmful to not only nature and the wildlife in it, but also to humans. While LEDs are great energy efficient lights, they tend to contain larger amounts of blue light. Therefore, lights should have a color temperature of no more than 3000 Kelvins. Look for “warm” lighting, or bulbs with an amber color, like our Kahki or White Mica lenses that lower the color temperature like low-spectrum LEDs.

 Some examples of our Dark Sky Approved, “warm” lighting

Make sure your lights aren’t unnecessarily bright. Figure out the minimum amount of brightness you need to safely navigate in the dark and make sure that the lighting you choose meets that minimum.

Some other examples of our Dark Sky Approved lighting

Steel Partners Lighting strives to reduce light pollution in every fixture we make and help bring back the beautiful night sky.
You can help by choosing lighting that meets the standards of Dark Sky Compliance. If you’re wanting to find out more on our Dark Sky Approved lighting, or reducing light pollution in your home by changing out your lighting fixtures, contact us below.  We look forward to speaking with you soon.

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