Let there be (less) light

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TortuGuiones needs your help! You may have seen a recent report naming Nosara the fastest growing surf town in the world news.co.cr/nosara-costa-ricas-guiones-beach-considered-worlds-top-surf-break/58561/. Did you know that the study based its rankings on light visible in satellite imagery?

This fact is extremely concerning for turtles and other nocturnal wildlife, and it also means our stupendous starry night sky will become less and less visible as artificial light increases. Light pollution is also bad for us humans. Recent studies suggest that even the light emitted by cell phone chargers in your bedroom can throw off your biological rhythm.

The good news is that this is a manageable issue, as these before and after photos show.

You can help by being mindful of the amount of light you use. Even small actions such as closing your curtains at night can make a huge difference.

TortuGuiones plans to distribute educational materials and offer talks on reducing light pollution through simple measures. If you can help spread the word and distribute materials to local tourism businesses — vacation rentals, builders, architects, restaurants, etc. — please contact Vanessa at 8351-4000 or tortuguiones@gmail.com

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