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1. Use only the light needed. Don't over-light, and don't spill light off your property. Specifying enough light for a job is sometimes hard to do on paper. Remember that a full Moon can make an area quite bright. Yet some lighting systems illuminate areas 100 times more brightly than the full Moon! More importantly, by choosing properly shielded lights, you can meet your needs without bothering neighbors or polluting the sky.
2. Aim lights down. Choose "full-cutoff shielded" fixtures that keep light from going uselessly up or sideways. Full-cutoff fixtures produce minimum glare. They create a pleasant-looking environment. They increase safety because you see illuminated people, cars, and terrain — not dazzling bulbs.
3. Install fixtures carefully to maximize their effectiveness on the targeted area and minimize their impact elsewhere. Proper aiming of fixtures is crucial. Most are aimed at too high an angle. Try to install them at night, when you can see where all the rays actually go. Properly aimed and shielded lights save money. They can illuminate your target with a low-wattage bulb just as brightly as a wasteful light does with a high-wattage bulb.
4. Put lights on timers where feasible. Business lights should turn off after closing time. Put home security lights on a motion-detector switch, which turns them on only when someone enters the area; this provides a great deterrent effect!
Replace bad lights with good lights!
You'll save energy and money. You'll be a good neighbor. And you'll help preserve our view of the stars!
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