As a child, I vividly remember the warm, peachy-orange glow of sodium lights welcoming me home—an inviting hue that carried a sense of nostalgia and character. Today, as an adult, I return to streets bathed in the harsh, glaring brightness of LED lights, which not only disrupt the night but also affect our health and environment in ways that demand attention.
My concern stems from both personal experience and emerging evidence. The cold, intense illumination of LED streetlights creates widespread light pollution, straining our eyes and leaving many, including myself, feeling drowsy or uncomfortable. Nighttime no longer feels restful—it’s as though cities have been transformed into sterile, over-lit spaces, reminiscent of a Walmart parking lot or a street blasted with a 2700K flashlight. This isn’t just a matter of aesthetics; it’s a public health issue.
Studies, including one published in Chronobiology International, highlight how LED lights suppress melatonin production due to their high blue light content, leading to poor sleep, increased oxidative stress, and disrupted recovery. In contrast, sodium lights emit a natural spectrum akin to sunrise or sunset—a light our bodies and eyes have evolved to thrive under. With lower blue light and higher red light, sodium lamps support balanced hormones, better sleep, improved mood, and overall eye health. Multiple studies reinforce these findings, suggesting a return to sodium lighting could benefit human well-being significantly.
Beyond human health, the shift to broadband visible-spectrum LEDs has created challenges for astronomers and astrophysicists. Unlike sodium lights, which could be filtered out using 500-nanometer filters, LEDs interfere with observations of the night sky, hindering scientific discovery. Wildlife, too, suffers from this unnatural light, as it disrupts ecosystems and animal behavior—a consequence we cannot ignore.
I implore you to replace all LED lights with sodium streetlights or at the very least, exploring regulations to mitigate the downsides of LEDs—perhaps through warmer color temperatures or reduced intensity. The current trajectory is slowly compromising our vision, health, and connection to the natural world. I believe the right leadership could restore a balance that honors both human needs and the environment.
