Turtles, Tattoos, Totes and Telescopes

Palm Beach County’s Sea Turtle Education and Dark Sky Awareness

Campaign

Palm Beach County = nesting density

0 50 100 150 200 250

Nassau

Duval

St. John's

Flagler

Volusia

Brevard

Indian River

St. Lucie

Martin

Palm Beach

Broward

Miami-Dade

0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000

Nassau

Duval

St. John's

Flagler

Volusia

Brevard

Indian River

St. Lucie

Martin

Palm Beach

Broward

Miami-Dade

PBC -~26% of FL nesting (19,500) 30% of leatherback (500) 25% of green (3,700) 21% of loggerhead (15,300)

Central and SE Florida- 90% of sea turtle nesting in the US

Loggerhead

Leatherback

Palm Beach County

• 1.3 Million people (1 hatchling/person/year) • Transient coastal population• Tourism critical component of economy• Constantly educating people• Repeat Message• Repeat Message• Repeat Message• Repeat Message• Repeat Message• Repeat Message• Repeat Message

Welcome to our world

Probable Cause of Disorientation Palm Beach County 2011

Parking Lot2%

Sky glow45%

Condo Exterior18%

Condo Interior12%

No Lights Observed17%

Too Many1%

Condo Exterior2%

Restaurant/Bar1%

Condo Interior1%

Single Family Home Exterior1%

62% No Specific Lights

Sky Glow

• Looking West from Blue Heron Bridge in Riviera Beach, Florida • Sea Turtle Lighting Ordinance controls lighting 600 feet west of the

mean high water line but development extends 10-15 miles inland• Need to educate inland residents• Advocate for darker skies

Palm Beach (Southeast)

WPB (South)

Port West

“Of all the pollution we face, light pollution is perhaps the most easily remedied. Simple changes in lighting design and installation yield immediate changes in the amount of light spilled into the atmosphere and, often, immediate energy savings.” - National Geographic article Our Vanishing Night by Verlyn Klinkenborg

“It is estimated that only around 10 percent of the population of the United States is able to see the night sky in its natural, unpolluted state.”

– National Park Service

What to Do About It?

Join with astronomy and bird conservation communities

Educate about loss of night sky Point out wildlife and human impacts Economics Green initiatives Provide alternatives Regulate

50 Beach Access Signs$2,650

24,000 Tattoos$2,520

2,000 Stickers$2,040

1,000 Totes$2,250

15 Bus Wraps“Moving billboard”

$1,950

27,000+ msgs

$11,000

Trying to reach 1.3 M people

Brochures Distributed: 19,500

Post Cards Sent to Coastal Properties Annually: 750

Other formats:• Web• Flickr• YouTube• Radio shows• Newspaper articles• TV news• TV PSA ads

Repeat MessageRepeat MessageRepeat MessageRepeat MessageRepeat MessageRepeat MessageRepeat Message

Next:• Expand the campaign; broader audience; grow advocates • Astronomy and Birding Community • Dark Sky Festival

• “The City Dark” Movie Screening (Feb 22, Eckerd College)• Exhibits- Lighting Design Firms, Env Groups,

International Dark Sky Association, Panel Discussion, Star Party• Dark Sky land development ordinances (unincorp PBC, Boca Raton)

Be a part of Earth Hour March 31, 2012

Turn off lights for 1 hour at 8:30pm. Check out those stars!Spread the word in your community.

Additional Resources

www.need-less.org.uk/www.darksky.org/

www.earthhour.comwww.thecitydark.comwww.nature.nps.gov/air/lightscapes/

THANK YOU!

Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Managementwww.pbcgov.org/erm 561-233-2400