Lights Out Boston is a voluntary partnership of the City of Boston, large commercial property owners and managers, and the Massachusetts Audubon Society that is working to turn off all architectural and externally-visible internal lighting in Boston’s tallest office buildings by 11 p.m. every evening, and to leave them off until daylight. The goal of the program is to reduce energy consumption, reduce the risks of climate change, and protect birds during the migration season. 

Turn off the lights in your office when you leave for the evening. If you are working late, draw your blinds or curtains and, if possible, use a desk lamp instead of overhead lighting.

As we all know, the cost of electricity has increased along with that of other sources of energy. Every reduction in electricity consumption reduces a building’s operating costs. Conformity with the Lights Out Boston guidelines can reduce the amount of electricity used for lighting by up to 25 percent.

The energy used to heat, cool, and power the activities in buildings accounts for about 70 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions in Boston. Reducing lighting in buildings also reduces the emission of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, associated with the production of electricity. The increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is the primary cause of climate change.

On April 12, 2007, Mayor Thomas M. Menino issued an Executive Order Relative to Climate Action that reiterated the City of Boston’s short-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012 and established a long-term reduction goal of 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. The City has put many programs in place to achieve these goals. For more information, see
http://www.cityofboston.gov/climate/.

Migrating birds have difficulty adapting to an urban environment. When a city skyline—especially buildings over 30 stories —is brightly lit at night, the lights can confuse the birds. Scientists are unsure of the exact reason for this problem, but do know that birds can fly as low as 500 feet during inclement weather and skyscrapers are the most visible part of the city to migrating birds. The initial time period for Lights Out Boston is from now to October 31, the peak of the fall migration season.

Additionally, Lights Out Boston partners will represent millions of square feet of commercial office space in Boston. These skyscrapers are potent symbols and will set an example that encourages everyone to use energy carefully.

No recent data exists on migratory bird fatalities in the Boston area or how many birds migrate through the area. While there is uncertainty about total number of birds that migrate through the region, we do know that this region is a major avenue for birds during the migration seasons. Among the birds that migrate through the Boston area are the Blackburnian Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Blue Headed Vireo, Magnolia Warbler, and White-throated Sparrow.

The reasons vary. Some buildings were designed with architectural lighting to increase their prominence in the city skyline; additional electricity expense was seen as an advertising or public relations cost. Some have older lighting systems in which all the lights on a floor are controlled by one switch. Cleaning crews, who are often restricted to working later in the night, sometimes prefer to turn on all lights on one floor or several floors. Lights Out Boston will assist buildings in evaluating their lighting use, identifying obstacles to joining the campaign, and finding ways to overcome these obstacles.

No, participation is completely voluntary, and we encourage all buildings to sign up with the Massachusetts Audubon Society. In this first phase, Lights Out Boston is reaching out, in particular, to commercial buildings over 30 floors (see Q. Why does Lights Out Boston target Boston’s tallest skyscrapers and how will it help migrating birds?).

Building managers will ask tenants who are working late to draw their blinds or curtains and, if possible, to use a desk lamp instead of overhead lighting.

The City of Boston, Mass Audubon, and prominent commercial property owners and managers are committed to extending Lights Out Boston to the spring migration season and, ultimately, year round. Lights Out Boston will evaluate the success of the fall campaign, and then potentially relaunch it for the spring migration season, which starts March 15, 2009.