Why are street lights orange, and should they stay that way?
While LED technology appears to outperform traditional high-pressure sodium (HPS) street lights in almost every category, the transition is not as simple as it seems. This video examines the environmental and technical trade-offs involved in replacing our familiar orange street lighting.
The transition from high-pressure sodium lamps to LEDs involves complex considerations beyond simple efficiency. While LEDs are generally superior, they introduce new factors such as electronic waste management, spectral sensitivity of the human eye, and the impact of blue light on light pollution and sky glow.
The analysis draws on research regarding spectral misalignment and environmental assessments of LED components compared to the mercury and sodium found in older systems. These factors suggest that the choice of street lighting technology requires balancing modern performance with long-term environmental and biological impacts.
