1) It is a growing human health issue:

•There is a growing concern among certain health professionals that exposure to light at night (LAN) is detrimental to human health.  There is a direct link between exposure to bright LAN and breast cancer growths, and an indirect link between LAN exposureand colorectal cancer. This is caused by an interruption in the normal nightly secretion of melatonin. 

•Melatonin is an anti-cancer hormone and strong antioxidant made by the part of the brain called the pineal gland.  Nightly melatonin production is needed for good health, yet light acts as a drug by inhibiting the melatonin secretion.  Since it is a circadian (light-dark cycle) driven event, the production of melatonin is suppressed by exposure to LAN. 

•Always ensure bedrooms and surrounding areas remain as dark as possible throughout the night.

2) It wastes money:

•Outdoor lighting is one of the most inefficient uses of energy today. The USA spends over $3 billion per year in energy costs from wasted light at night.  This translates into 6 million tons of coal, or 23 million barrels of oil per year. 

•Hawai‘i has the highest cost of electricity in the U.S. The average cost of electricity is 8 cents per kilowatt hour, but in Hawai‘i the cost averages 13.39 cents per kilowatt hour. Ninety percent of Hawai'i's electrical power is generated by imported oil used in power plants. Hawai'i needs to develop alternative sources of energy like wind power, solar power, and ground source heat pump systems.

The state legislature needs to offer large tax incentives to buyers of hybrid, electric, and hydrogen fuel cell cars, trucks, and buses.

 

3) It is damaging to the ecosystem:

•It is important to the health of ecosystems to minimize exposure of plants and animals to light at night.  Increased illumination affects foraging, reproduction, communication or other critical behaviors. 

•Animals are often disoriented by illumination at night, or else mistakenly orient toward a source of light which often causes fatalities.  

•In addition, the greenhouse gasses that are produced add to global warming.