Energy-saving LEDs increase light pollution

The switch from conventional lightbulbs to more energy-efficient LEDs is likely to lead to greater light pollution, meaning that the nights in urban areas appear less dark than they would under natural circumstances, the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam research institute says in a press release. Light pollution is understood to have adverse effects on plants, animals, and humans alike. “Both the intensity of artificial light and the area covered by it have increased by two percent annually since 2012”, the Helmholtz Centre says. The researchers also argue that the energy and money saved by replacing conventional lamps with light-emitting diodes (LED) could lead to a “rebound effect”, leading consumers to invest extra money in even more lamps.

Find the press release in German here, and a science journal article in English here.