Cut Back on Light Pollution with Landscape Lighting Ottawa

Light pollution is so common these days that it hardly seems possible that we'll ever see a clear sky in the city again. But does the state of sky affairs need to be so grim? You can make a conscious effort to reduce the amount of light pollution that you emit as an individual and as a household with residential landscape lighting.

If you want to decrease the amount that your household impacts the environment, then there are techniques you can begin to use with your Landscape Lighting Ottawa outdoor lighting services to do so. Landscape Lighting Ottawa can help you adjust your residential landscape lighting appropriately without affecting your safety, security, and curb appeal.

What are the cons of light pollution?
Light pollution is more harmful than you may realize. Its most evident effect is its tendency to reduce the visibility of the stars and sky. However, lighting pollution has, in recent studies, been thought to contribute to weakened vision, headaches and migraines, hypertension, and increased cancer development.

Prevent light trespass
Do you know that irritating light that comes through your window at night from your neighbour's yard? That's called light trespass, and odds are, your lights are doing the same thing in their homes. This is a benign form of light pollution of which most homeowners are entirely ignorant. Once you become aware, however, you can take measures to prevent it.

If you want to prevent light trespass with your Landscape Lighting Ottawa outdoor lighting services, an easy technique to use is down lighting. Down lighting creates a more contained beam than uplighting. Uplighting shines up into the sky, creating more light pollution than its counterpart down lighting.

Less is more
When it comes to residential landscape lighting, less really is more. If you over light your lawn, you're going to affect both your curb appeal and your safety.

Minimalism is key. Only add the amount of fixtures that is necessary to accent the highlights of your home and to add safety to your property.

Choose subtle lighting. When illuminating your property, use subtle, low-voltage residential landscape lighting. Subtle lighting creates a more beautiful shadow effect against your shrubbery and home.

Only use what is necessary
Are you using your backyard? Is your pool in use tonight? If the answer to both of these questions is no, then why not turn the lights off? At night, you only need to turn on those lights that you're actually using. If you're not using your backyard, then you don't need your gazebo lights on. When spending the night in, keep on only those Landscape Lighting Ottawa fixtures that are required for security. Any lights that are purely for aesthetics can be switched off around 10 p.m.

Use dimmers and fewer indoor lighting
Light pollution doesn't come only from residential landscape lighting. Light pollution can come from inside your home as well. Any light that shines through your windows can contribute to light pollution.

While you're trying to reduce light pollution, try reducing the amount of light that shines through your windows. Consider light dimmers to do this. Also make sure that, just as you turn off outdoor lights that aren't in use, also turn off indoor lights in unoccupied rooms.