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Sometimes they are used in shops, but indoors the slightly peachy- away from those damned lights. I could actually do the work once I white colour does not look quite as good as it does outdoors. got out of the classroom."™ If quality had a higher priority and we had an energy system that So what is it, then, that causes FL to have this effect on some peo- could support it, we could of course replace all of the above with halo- —_ ple? Flicker (and sometimes disturbing noise) is something many gen floodlights and thereby get a bright, warm-white, crystal-clear people seem to be aware of consciously. But apart from that and the light that does not become weaker or change colour as it ages. These —_ unnatural colour and discontinuous spectrum, the radiowave, X-ray are now usually only used at building sites or in the odd parking lot. and possible mercury vapour emissions already mentioned, it may Some people also have them as outdoor lighting at home, which I also be that it is too bright for that person, especially if it shines from think is a very good idea, especially if used with IR detectors that turn above the head—because this, in my experience, tends to activate the them on only when needed. That way, you save energy without hav- —_ whole body. When sitting down in class or at work, you want your ing to compromise on quality. body to be relaxed and your mind to be alert—not the other way Another energy-saving option that is now starting to gain a foothold —_ around, right? Besides using only incandescent light—which really in the market is the use of solar-powered streetlights. Unfortunately, can help put you into a state of relaxed concentration—it may also this technology so far only allows for the use of cool-white FL and _ help if most of the light is concentrated on the work area or the teacher orange LPS lamps, and, if one is willing to pay more, the better-quali- or whatever one is meant to focus on, and if the rest of the room is ty warm-white HPS lamps that require special ballasts.” It still seems dark enough and, ideally, quiet enough not to scatter your attention. like a huge step in the right direction, though, and hopefully the quali- That is why they light theatres, concert halls and cinemas that way. ty of the light will eventually be improved, too. As a naturally sensitive person myself, I also feel that FL is a dead Another problem with outdoor lighting is what some call "night sky _ light that actually steals energy from the body and that it may turn pollution", which prevents many of us from seeing the stars due tothe —_ one's subtle energy centres off, thereby inhibiting the flow of bio- excess light from unnecessarily bright night-time illumination of energy (also known as chi, prana, etc.) needed for staying healthy and streets, buildings, billboards, convenience stores, etc. According toan —_ functioning optimally. excellent article by Alex Wilson,” light pollution may also pose more On the other hand, incandescent light—possibly because fire is a or less serious threats to certain animals living element just as earth, water and air and trees, besides causing a huge waste are—seems instead to assist the energy of electricity and money and often flow, facilitate the connection with one's being counterproductive when it comes inner self, and even open centres that to safety and crime prevention. What previously have been turned off—espe- dark-sky advocates recommend is to: cially the heart centre which, at least in control glare by requiring luminaires Try for yourself and see sensitive individuals, appears to need that are shielded to direct light down- how you feel and function some form of firelight to blossom. wards; limit the height of luminaires rel- . . Perhaps this is the reason why anthro- ative to the property boundary, thus pre- under different types of light. posophical architects—who generally seem to be more aware than usual of what is healthy, beautiful and supportive for both consciousness and life, and mainly use energy-creating things like natural materials, flowing water and venting light trespass onto adjoining properties; require downwards directed top-lighting for advertising signs that are externally illuminated; and prohibit certain types of advertising lights, such as searchlights and laser lights.* colour-washed walls—also tend to prefer using incandescent light (or sometimes even candlelight), especially in Car Headlights health clinics and schools. Unfortunately, it seems that the top-quality halogen light in car Try for yourself and see how you feel and function under different headlights is being phased out, too, with more and more of the new _ types of light. If you, too, feel more or less turned off by FL but still cars produced now coming equipped with fluorescent xenon light have to spend much time in it, for example at school or at work, even from micro metal halide lamps. These produce a very bright and cold —_ adding as little as one single incandescent lamp placed fairly low and violet-silver-white light that is meant to improve driver visibility and _ close to the body may be enough to keep the heart centre open and traffic safety, but which I find very glaring and distracting when meet- _ give a little energy. ing it on the road due to the unnatural colour that keeps shifting as it And although it seems that some studies (by Mayron et al., 1974; approaches. Ott, 1976; Wolfarth and Sam, 1982) could have indicated a positive effect of "full-spectrum" fluorescent light (FSFL) on hyperactivity in Lighting, Hypersensitivity and Hyperactivity children, these were not all conducted perfectly, according to the From around seventh grade I was starting to become consciously review by McColl and Veitch. Other, better-controlled studies aware of feeling tense, restless, unfocused and uncomfortable under (Ferguson and Munson, 1987; Norris, 1979; Schulman, 1989) have the cool, harsh light in school classrooms, on subway trains, in streets not managed to find clear, replicable effects from using FSFL etc., and being able to relax, concentrate and feel comfortable only in compared with other FL lights, so the matter is still subject to some the much softer light at home or in other people's homes—i.e., in controversy.”* incandescent light, although at the time I did not know the technical Personally I find class-I (FSFL) tubes easier to bear than poorer- difference. And I am not alone in reacting like that. This is how quality ones, if they are of a warm-white instead of a blue-white another sensitive person describes it: colour. But even if "full-spectrum", I still cannot relax and "Fluorescent lights drive me batty. In school I used to get into concentrate in it as I can with incandescent light and natural trouble on purpose so I could get sent out into the hall. The lightingin — daylight. This might possibly be due to the fact that all types of FL the hallways was not fluorescent. I would drag my entire school desk —_ seem to increase beta activity in the brain, according to a study by out into the hall. I would act up and do just about anything to get Kiiller and Wetterberg (1993) that compared the effect of both dim Try for yourself and see how you feel and function under different types of light. Car Headlights Unfortunately, it seems that the top-quality halogen light in car headlights is being phased out, too, with more and more of the new cars produced now coming equipped with fluorescent xenon light from micro metal halide lamps. These produce a very bright and cold violet-silver-white light that is meant to improve driver visibility and traffic safety, but which I find very glaring and distracting when meet- ing it on the road due to the unnatural colour that keeps shifting as it approaches. Lighting, Hypersensitivity and Hyperactivity From around seventh grade I was starting to become consciously aware of feeling tense, restless, unfocused and uncomfortable under the cool, harsh light in school classrooms, on subway trains, in streets etc., and being able to relax, concentrate and feel comfortable only in the much softer light at home or in other people's homes—i.e., in incandescent light, although at the time I did not know the technical difference. And I am not alone in reacting like that. This is how another sensitive person describes it: "Fluorescent lights drive me batty. In school I used to get into trouble on purpose so I could get sent out into the hall. The lighting in the hallways was not fluorescent. I would drag my entire school desk out into the hall. I would act up and do just about anything to get JUNE — JULY 2003 NEXUS = 45 www.nexusmagazine.com