By Dee McCreary
The Thomas Hart Benton Sierra Club Legislative Committee works to influence local decision-making with respect to the environment. Last Fall, “LegComm” began to consider LED streetlight technology as a recommendation for Kansas City’s 2021 Climate Change and Resiliency Plan. At that time, the city had not yet announced a forthcoming initiative to convert high pressure sodium streetlights to more efficient technology, one of many recommendations for Kansas City’s energy future. LEDs are the lighting technology of the 21 st century and are more efficient than the legacy streetlights. They are a superior technology but there has been a learning curve for cities in getting the right amount of light. Quality varies greatly depending on the manufacturer and products selected. In December, 2020, city leaders decided to move forward with an LED streetlight plan that had already been partially installed. It was no small coincidence that LegComm had just completed a review of scientific literature of the environmental impact of artificial light at night in general and LED streetlights in particular. We were shining a light in the right place at the right Time.
LegComm also gathered information about other cities’ experience with streetlight conversions, and found that Kansas City’s proposed system is similar to those of “early adopter” cities. (Many of these “early adopters” have since modernized their systems as the technology improved and residents became aware of negative health and environmental impacts of specific types of LED streetlights.) Kansas City, located on a primary bird migration route, has 90,000 streetlights. LegComm united behind the idea of improving the ambiance and livability of the city at night for all living things and bringing the experience of other cities to the forefront. The team contacted city offices, wrote letters to City leaders, consulted with staff and lighting experts at the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) and contacted local Audubon and Astronomy organizations, which shared information with their membership through newsletters and a presentation. Other civic groups were also engaged and contacted city leaders to support environmental considerations. As of this writing, Kansas City has not yet announced their final plan. LegComm’s goal continues to be a sustainable streetlight system that improves the lives of all Kansas City residents and mitigates harm to other species. You can read their statement here: www.sierraclub.org/missouri/thomas-hart-benton