Want to help wildlife? Turn off your lights

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A study of zebra finch birds found chemical markers of stress in birds exposed to dim lighting in 
a lab after just three weeks, but scientists don’t yet know what that means for bird health long 
term, says Valentina Alaasam, a study author and biologist at the University of Nevada, Reno. 
And while birds and insects are often highlighted as light pollution victims, artificial light 
impacts all animals, says Kyba. Even plants are disrupted by light cues. 
Turn off, dim, and shield your lights 
Unlike removing pollution from the air or water, light pollution can be eliminated immediately. 
Reducing light pollution can be as simple as turning off the lights, installing motion sensors that 
limit when lights are on, or adding dimmers that reduce the light coming from a single bulb. 
“The best part of a lot of these [solutions] is they save everyone money,” says Alaasam. “If you 
can turn off lights more often, it saves electricity and [reduces carbon emissions] and it’s kind of 
a win-win.” 
Energy efficient LED light bulbs are cheaper and longer-lasting than their incandescent 
predecessors, but their widespread adoption has caused problems for wildlife. LED bulbs 
produce a short-wave blue-tinted light that attracts more insects and birds and disrupts 
circadian rhythm in mammals. But bulbs with yellow-tinted filters can minimize these impacts. 
“The kind of light we use really matters,” says Alaasam. “For birds, if you use a warmer, 
yellower hue, you don’t see nearly as many effects.”
Shielded coverings for street lamps and outdoor lights help concentrate light directly down to 
where we need it, preventing it from leaking out and up.
Simply closing your blinds and curtains can also help prevent artificial light from shining into the 
environment. One study looking at two decades-worth of bird collisions in Chicago found that 
reducing light leaking out of windows by just half could reduce bird collisions by 60 percent.