LED lighting may be more energy-saving but may have light pollution

LED lighting has gradually replaced incandescent bulbs because it typically consumes less energy and the bulbs themselves can last for quite a long time. More efficient lighting means something beautiful for the environment. Many modern cities are now changing from outdated lighting technologies, and scientists point out that we may have made a big mistake.

In a new study published in the journal Science Progress, researchers began to determine the extent to which light pollution is worsening globally. Their findings reveal bad news and even worse news. The bad news is that more and more areas of the world are lit by artificial light, and even worse news is that LED lighting is probably the culprit.

Using observations from powerful meteorological satellites, researchers can be sure that the entire planet is brighter than it was years ago, with the rapid disappearance of nighttime in Europe and the United States. But why does this happen?

According to scientists, several factors play a role, including the growing prevalence of LED lighting, providing cities with more opportunities for lighting while maintaining their current energy budgets. Instead of simply reducing the cost of LED lighting in many areas, simply adding more outdoor lighting. Most importantly, as the size of the city expanded and the first installation of outdoor lighting infrastructure in previously underdeveloped areas led to increased light pollution.

Experts stress that by covering some of the outdoor lighting only to illuminate a predetermined area can solve the problem, or at least significantly reduce the severity of the problem, but to achieve this requirement requires the joint efforts of various countries.