Why Amber Light Matters

Good outdoor lighting is about precision, not brightness. Many commonly used blue and white exterior lights spread far more light than necessary, contributing to light pollution and interfering with wildlife that depends on natural darkness. By choosing warmer light, directing it carefully, and using only the amount needed, exterior lighting can remain functional while supporting both local ecosystems and the night sky. 

For exterior lighting, choose:
• Amber light (2200K)* 
• Full cutoff (fully shielded) fixtures** 
• Motion sensors
• The lowest brightness needed for the task

A simple, practical option: CREE Lighting Smart LED Bulbs — set them to 2200K and 50% brightness or less.

* Amber light means 2200K LED light sources, and NBA (Narrow Band Amber) LED light sources (also known as "turtle lighting")

** Full cutoff fixtures (also called zero uplight or fully shielded fixtures) mean a light fixture that does not emit light upward, the light bulb is not directly visible, and the projected light is below the horizontal plane

Southold note: As per Southold Town Code Chapter 172, exterior lighting fixtures installed in residential and commercial settings must be full cutoff fixtures.

The benefits of switching to amber light
1) Increase your home’s value
The right exterior lighting can improve curb appeal: it sets the mood, feels welcoming, and looks intentional. Amber light creates a soft, warm glow—while bright blue security lights often feel glaring and intrusive. A study on curb appeal suggests that improvements can increase home value by 7–14% (Johnson, Tidwell, & Villupuram 2020).

Lighting color doesn’t deter crime—smart lighting does
Brighter, unshielded lights can actually decrease safety. Glare shines into our eyes, constricts pupils, and makes it harder to see clearly.

A better approach:
• Use motion-sensor lighting (porch / pathway / driveway)
• Adjust sensitivity so it’s not a nuisance “hair trigger”
• Reduce the detection zone and range so it’s useful and targeted

Sudden, well-placed lighting can alert neighbors and increase awareness without turning your yard into a stadium.

2) Fewer bugs at the door
Light sources that emit mostly longer wavelengths (yellow/orange/red) are less visible to many insects. Amber lighting gives you enough illumination to safely use stairs and entryways—without creating a “bug superhighway” into your house when you open the door. Amber lights are sometimes marketed as “bug lights.”

3) See the stars again
“Sky glow” brightens the night sky and makes stargazing harder. Amber light produces less sky glow than blue/white light. Blue light scatters more in the atmosphere because it travels as shorter waves.

Also, brightness (measured as lumens) contributes to sky glow. Since LEDs are easily dimmable, set brightness to the minimum needed. 

4) Safer driving
High-Kelvin lighting (above 3000K) produces harsh glare and can reduce nighttime visibility. In driving safety terms, this can create disability glare—light that makes it harder to see what’s ahead.

5) Better for your health
Blue light at night can disrupt circadian rhythms (your body’s day/night timing). Large surveys have found that brighter residential nighttime lighting is associated with:
• reduced sleep time
• poorer sleep quality and more daytime sleepiness
• impaired daytime functioning
• obesity

The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends streetlights with the lowest blue light possible.

6) Better for wildlife (including moths)
Multiple studies show amber light is generally less disruptive to fish, birds, mammals, and plants than blue/white light (Longcore 2018). Ecological light pollution can alter:
• migration patterns and reproductive rates
• foraging behavior and predator-prey interactions
• community composition and habitat connectivity (Schirmer et al. 2019)

Lightning bug note: All colors of artificial light significantly suppress courtship flashes. Help your local lightning bugs (fireflies) by using lights only where and when necessary (Owens & Lewis 2021).

Already being done
This is not a fringe idea—it’s already become policy.
• Southold Town, NY: All exterior lighting fixtures installed after July 2010 must be fully shielded (zero uplight) fixtures with light bulbs rated no greater than 3000 Kelvin (soft white glow), preferably rated at 2700 Kelvin (warm white)
• Suffolk County, NY: All new and replacement lighting purchased and installed by the County on County-owned facilities must use fully shielded fixtures and lamps with a color temperature no higher than 2200K (Suffolk County Law Chapter 149 Light Pollution; amendment approved 12/21/21).
• Flagstaff, Arizona: Outdoor lighting standards require fully shielded fixtures and prioritize amber lighting (low blue content) for general illumination such as roadways and parking lots as a critical dark-sky protection strategy.
• City of Brisbane, California: City code mandates fully shielded outdoor lighting and limits the correlated color temperature (CCT) of exterior lights to 3,000 K or less, effectively encouraging warm-toned/amber lighting while preventing light pollution and glare.
• Town of Manchester, NY: Outdoor lighting regulations require fully shielded or full cutoff fixtures for exterior lighting across residential and commercial districts to prevent uplight and light spill. eCode360
• The International Dark-Sky Association adopted a board policy on January 28, 2021 recommending amber lighting for most exterior installations.

A simple takeaway
With more people working from home and spending time on screens, “blue light” is already a household term—so it makes sense to reduce it outdoors, too. Amber light is a small change that improves how your home looks, protects wildlife (including moths), and restores the night.

Quick checklist
If you want to do one thing this week:
• Switch exterior bulbs to 2200K amber
• Use fully shielded/full cutoff fixtures
• Add motion sensors (adjust sensitivity so it’s not a nuisance “hair trigger” and reduce the detection zone and range so it’s useful and targeted)
• Dim to the lowest practical brightness
• Keep wildlife-rich areas naturally dark

References
Johnson, E.B., Tidwell, A. & Villupuram, S.V. (2020). Valuing Curb Appeal. Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, 60, 111–133.

Longcore, T. (2018). Hazard or Hope? LEDs and Wildlife. LED Professional Review, 70, 52–57. https://www.led-professional.com/resources-1/articles/hazard-or-hope-leds-and-wildlife

Owens, A., & Lewis, S.M. (2021). Narrow‐spectrum artificial light silences female fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). Insect Conservation and Diversity, 14(2), 199. https://doi.org/10.1111/icad.12487

Schirmer, A.E., Gallemore, C., Liu, T., et al. (2019). Mapping behaviorally relevant light pollution levels to improve urban habitat planning. Scientific Reports, 9, 11925. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-48118-z