Keeping Us Safe With Fall Colors

Written by Judy Bortman


There’s something about fall that grabs our attention and stimulates our senses. Is it the aroma of pumpkin spice lattes? The taste of fresh-picked apples? Or the evolving palette of orange we see while walking, biking or driving?

As nature transforms trees in the fall, they morph from a not-being-noticed shade of green to varying shades of red and orange, beckoning us to stop and stare. The trees shout “look at me” before shedding their leaves and, like us, hunkering down for the winter.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve associated orange with fall, pumpkins, and most recently as a safety advocate, a color that helps you stand out and be seen. Orange wasn’t my favorite color in the big box of crayons, but it always got a workout around Halloween.

Besides being a visually beautiful time of year, fall is when daylight hours start to dwindle. It gets dark earlier (groan) making it harder for motorists to see people walking and biking. During fall, we would be wise to take a cue from Mother Nature and don bright-colored clothing so that we, too, are noticed.

It’s hard not to notice the trees and their changing colors, each transitioning at their own pace. In my neighborhood (pictured above), maple trees are leading the fall color parade and adorn the path where I like to walk. It’s as if I’ve gone from watching a black and white movie to a free colorized version overnight.

Oscar Wilde has said that “Life imitates art...” Like fall leaves, orange and bright neon colors are popping up in many products and cultural phenomenon. Of course, thanks to the recent television hit, we all know “Orange is the New Black.”

Walk into any store that sells athletic shoes or apparel. It’s obvious that reflective and neon colors have made their way into merchandising. Just like the bright colors of fall trees, they stand out and for a good reason. They help keep us safe.

A recent and innovative way that life and Mother Nature are imitating art is a company called Glowing Plant. This San Francisco start-up is using genetic engineering to create plants that literally glow.

The goal of Glowing Plants is to provide a sustainable light source and in the process provide a new way that color can help keep us safe. Imagine walking, biking or driving down a dark road that’s illuminated by trees!

The first glowing or bioluminescent plant was made in 1986. Changes in genetic engineering and funding from a recent Kickstarter campaign have quite literally “lit” the way to a brighter future.

According to Glowing Plant, there is potential in using nature as a sustainable energy source that can illuminate and replace expensive street lights.

Take a cue from Mother Nature and Glowing Trees; wear bright or reflective clothing. It will help you be noticed while walking and biking especially now as daylight hours are dwindling. Being seen helps you stay safe.

And there's good reason for all of these oranges and yellows! As we continue to be blanketed in orange thanks to the changing leaves, pumpkins and mums, we remember that as kids we learned that orange comes from mixing red and yellow; so does its meaning.

It's no accident that our signage, signals and emergency vehicles use a variety or reds, yellows and oranges in their color schemes.

Colors have their own meanings and evoke specific feelings and responses without us even knowing it. Traffic lights are an example of color association. We see green and think “go,” see yellow and start to “slow down, approach with caution and prepare to stop” and know that red means “stop.”

This color signal system first started for railways and was then implemented on roads.

Remember that wearing bright or reflective colors helps you to be seen and stay safe. Enjoy being outside during fall and marvel at Mother Nature’s color palette as it evolves during the next few weeks. It’s the best free show in town!