Shucking Oysters: How Illuminating
By Alex Allen
“There’s another disadvantage to the use of the flashlight: like many other mechanical gadgets it tends to separate a man from the world around him. If I switch it on my eyes adapt to it and I can see only the small pool of light it makes in front of me; I am isolated. Leaving the flashlight in my pocket where it belongs, I remain a part of the environment I walk through and my vision though limited has no sharp or definite boundary.”
– Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire
You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your neighbours. We all know this bon mot. Some of us are extremely lucky. Most of our neighbours are mindful when it comes to noise, like using power tools and playing loud music. But there is one area, where we all seem to suffer in silence. The neighbour’s ubiquitous exterior lights pointing aggressively at our properties. These exterior lights have nothing to do with home security – more like home insecurity. Why else would you have a 3000K metal halide lamp shining outwards all night long while you are fast asleep?
Artificial light has been a problem since the light bulb was invented. From street lights to sporting stadiums to flaring gas in oil fields, light pollution affects around a quarter of the Earth’s surface. The invention of light-emitting diodes, LEDs, has further exacerbated the problem. “One of the biggest things is the cheapness of LED lights,” said Bernie Hasselman, a member of the light pollution abatement committee with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. “Bright white gives off a lot of blue light and blue light is… a serotonin inhibitor.”
“You might look at LEDs and think, “This is great because it’s so low energy usage compared with everything else. You get a lot more light for the amount of energy.’” Hasselman warns us that we can quickly run into a concept known as Jevons’ Paradox. This happens when things get easier or cheaper to use, we start using them even more, resulting in the unintended consequences of technological progress and resource utilization.
Local laws governing outdoor lighting vary. The CVRD passed a dark sky policy in 2007 to “guide commercial, industrial and multi-family residential development to have exterior lighting that does not negatively impact the quality of life for adjacent neighbours nor create any light pollution.” In 2022, the UBCM endorsed amending the BC Building Code to give local governments control on regulating lighting fixtures – including intensity and direction – for all new construction and major renovations. Islands Trust have also had discussions this past year on implementing a dark sky policy.
According to a 2025 University of Helsinki study, artificial light influences not only humans but also wildlife. Migration is critical for many bird species, ensuring they reach breeding and feeding grounds essential for their life cycle. Disruptions caused by artificial light threaten their ability to complete these journeys, ultimately impacting bird populations and biodiversity. The loss of even a fraction of migratory birds can have ripple effects on ecosystems, affecting everything from insect populations to plant pollination.
Oliver Millman writes in The Insect Crisis, that “the link between action and consequence can seem a little blurred.” Flicking on the porch light “doesn’t immediately provoke a wave of guilt over food shortages and scores of tormented creatures.” But light pollution is one of the “most intractable problems for insects.” If those LED lights hurt your eyes, what do you think it’s doing to a moth?
If you still need more proof, read The Darkness Manifesto: On Light Pollution, Night Ecology, and the Ancient Rhythms that Sustain Life, by Swedish conservationist, Johan Eklöf, who urges us to appreciate the natural darkness, its creatures, and its unique benefits. Eklöf shows the “startling domino effect of diminishing darkness: insects, dumbfounded by streetlamps, failing to reproduce; birds blinded and bewildered by artificial lights; and bats starving as they wait in vain for insects that only come out in the dark.”
On Hornby, we have the worst exhibit of unnecessary obnoxious exterior lighting. Just drive up or down Sollans and pass the Cop Shop (as we affectionately call the building) and experience the sensory blinding floodlights. I have been lobbying for over 12 years for the RCMP to switch to motion sensor lighting. Once again I’m informed it’s all about safety, yet glaring, blinding floodlights while your driving is not.
Here’s a solution for all you insecure homeowners: motion sensor lights (aimed downward and shielded). These units not only turn on upon detecting movement and save you electricity costs, but they won’t piss your neighbours off either. It’s all about thoughtful practices and responsible illumination. Now, will the last person on the planet please turn off the lights?
