Rethinking Occasional Outdoor Lighting: A Kinder, Gentler, More Nature-Friendly Glow
When considering holiday lighting for outdoors, spare a thought for the neighbors—and we don’t mean the human kind. Ecologists would rather see no unnecessary exterior lighting, but they do extend the caveat that warm light, used in moderation and dimmed, is “less bad.”
Lights in the blue spectrum brighten the night sky more than any other and should be avoided as insects, frogs, bats, and larger mammals are more sensitive to icy white, blue, green, and UV.
Perhaps this will connect with a memory of fireflies in June, their twinkling lights bringing the starlight down to the ground.
Red berry lights, which do not disappear in the darkness.
Photograph by Jim Powell.
Speaking of fireflies (and glow worms in Europe), warm white impedes reproduction, since they rely on their own bioluminescence to attract mates. In summer, use hooded shades directed downwards and as close to the lit subject as possible (close to the ground for a path or illuminating just a table).
Stargazer Garden Lights Color Story Bulbs, Pumpkin Spice ($58 for 21 bulbs; strand sold separately), from Terrain.
Orange lights for Hallowe’en easily translate as gold for the winter holiday. Terrain’s socket strands with interchangeable bulbs are designed to be used inside or out.
Photograph by Jim Powell.
Orange fairy lights, better for everyone than cold white.
In her book , Mary Reynolds suggests that the human desire to light everything up is due to our inherent fear of the dark.
PC Portable Lamp designed by Pierre Charpin for Hay, $99.