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lighting as “natural” and accept
it even when it’s a nuisance.
The glare across the water
from shoreline lighting also
disrupts navigation by late-
night boaters, who can’t see the
floating hazards in the channel.
That leads to drifting out of the
navigable channel and collisions
with flotsam.
What can we do?
Most problems occur primarily
between late evening and early
morning, when most people are
sleeping. These outdoor lights
serve no human purpose because
there is no one around to monitor
the illuminated property, but
they undermine the natural
behaviourofanimalsacrossthe
countryside.
The brightest light of the
natural night is the full moon.
But the moon’s illumination
is only one-tenth of what is
required for most people to read
a sign or a map, so if you need to
read, you need more light.
The solution is to limit the
extent of the affected area by
shielding your light fixtures.
Don’t let your lights shine off
your property; if you can see
a lamp from down the road,
it’s not shielded well enough.
Also use the dimmest practical
illumination.
Dim or turn off your lights
when you’re indoors. When
watching TV or sleeping, youAll-night architectural lighting scatters off the water surface and shines
across the lake. It’s a nuisance for both boaters and neighbours who would
rather see the stars.