Many people are surprised to learn that placing LED lights along streets is great for the environment. There are many reasons for this.
Why LED Streetlights are Best for our Environment
Some of the main reasons why these LED lights are best for our environment include:
- They consume less energy than the traditional high-intensity discharge (HID) lights
- Last up to three times longer than HID lights
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Cost less than HID lights to maintain
- Emit direct illumination so there’s less light trespass
These are great reasons for cities to start using these lights, but they must also consider that different colors are emitted – not all of which are appropriate for outdoor lighting. For instance, white light that’s enrichened by bright blue will cause issues for people and wildlife alike. This is why warmer colors are best.
Understanding the Color Temperature (CCT) of LED Lights
With CCT you’ll know both the hue and the tone of the white light. This is measured in Kelvin (K) – something similar to Celsius (C). Each temperature on the Kelvin scale represents a different color. For instance, 2000K – 3500K looks more orangish yellow so it’s referred to as ultra-warm or a warm white light. As the Kelvin temperature increases, color becomes more naturally white but finally results in a bluish-white (a.k.a. cool white) at 5100K – 20000K.
Recommended Streetlight CCT
According to the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) the recommended CCT is a maximum of 3000K. This will emit a nice, warm, white glow that is safe for both people and wildlife. They also recommend a 6500K CCT during the day, which will emit a pretty bluish white light.
LED Lights and Your Circadian Rhythm
Unfortunately, what these guidelines fail to take into consideration is how warm white light will interrupt people’s melatonin production and disrupt their circadian rhythm. This can lead to issues with your immune system, your hormones not being properly regulated, migraines, insomnia, cancer, and IBS. This is because throughout daylight hours light changes from a warm white in the morning to an ultra-warm white at sunset – a cycle the human body has grown accustomed to. It’s important to maintain a balanced circadian rhythm so your body generates the right amount of dopamine, melatonin, serotonin, and cortisol throughout the day.
Conclusion
As you can clearly see, there really is a whole lot of information that you must take into consideration here. Choosing the right light not only impacts human activity, but it also impacts the wildlife we share our environment with. Once you understand the circadian rhythm that’s at work here, you must also have a good understanding of CCT. All this can easily feel overwhelming, making you wonder whether making the switch to LED is worthwhile, but it honestly is. So when you’re ready to make the move to LED lights or have some of your questions about them, there’s one name customers have come to trust over the years: America’s Best LED is there regardless of what you need. Get in touch with them today!
Picture Credit: Reynaldo