Synergy Lighting is a company that works closely with and strongly supports the efforts of the Turtle Conservancy, Mote Marine Laboratories, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Protecting the Sea Turtle species and other wildlife is a socially and commercially responsible act. Lighting pollution is a serious threat to many types of wildlife. Each year, artificial lights cause disruption of behavior, injury and death to thousands of migrating birds, sea turtles and other reptiles, amphibians, and mammals, and invertebrates. Only 1 in 10,000 Sea Turtle Hatch-Lings will survive.

The Basic Principles Of Turtle Friendly Lighting

Keep it LOW – Mount the fixture as low as possible to minimize light trespass, and use the lowest amount of light needed for the task

Keep it SHIELDED – Fully shield the light so bulbs and/or glowing lenses are not visible to minimize light trespass to beaches

Keep it LONG– Use long wavelength light sources (Amber’s and Red’s) in the appropriate lighting fixtures

Adapting To Turtle Friendly Lighting Compliance

Coastal properties especially are required by law to comply with light pollution standards in the protection of Sea Turtles. Each year nearly 20,000 hatch-lings are disorientated by artificial light and most do not make it to the ocean waters.  The lighting pollutions standards are designed to prevent disorientation and conserve sea turtle populations. Adapting to Sea Turtle Friendly Lighting can seem daunting for many property owners who at first glance raise the concern for human safety over Sea Turtle Conservation. Property Owners and Managers must be aware that the preservation of Sea Turtles with stringent lighting requirements is in no way to limit the safety of residences, guest and customers of properties located nearby nesting areas. Each facility faced with adapting to Sea Turtle Friendly Lighting is actually becoming masterful in lighting design through simple and affordable methods. Dark Sky and Wildlife Friendly / Turtle Friendly Lighting incorporates the highest standards of energy efficiency and light control by eliminating wasteful light emission.

Turtle Friendly Light Bulbs

Approved Amber LED, Light Bulbs and Light Fixtures

Synergy Lighting carries the largest selection of Approved “Wildlife Certified” Turtle Friendly Lighting Fixtures and Approved Fluorescent and LED Light Bulbs. With aid of our Trained and Certified Lighting Specialists, Synergy Lighting experts can recommend and provide the appropriate light fixtures and light bulbs to ensure your facility is 100% compliant with the requirements for Coastal Lighting, thus preventing your home, facility or business from facing potential fines for light pollution and Sea Turtle Disorientation

Wildlife Approved Light Bulb and LED Light Bulbs

Turtle Friendly Light Bulbs use long wave lengths of light emission typically 600 Nanometers and Higher (Amber & Red). This can be referred to similar to the longer arches of a rainbow. Green and Blue tone light emits shorter wave light spectrum’s that are more attractive to Sea Turtles and cause disorientation.   All light bulbs used to comply with light provisions of Sea Turtles must pass a spectrometer test by a Certified or Supervisory Personnel within the Sea Turtle Program as well as UL Certification, LM79 and LM80 Testing. Just because a lamp is Amber or Red, does not mean that it will pass. CFL’s, Colored tube guards, gels and colored filters are no longer accepted due to fade and color shift. Currently the following lamps meet this requirement:

Turtle Friendly Lighting Fixtures

Turtle Friendly Light Fixtures are Approved Light Fixtures that prevent light trespass to the coastal waterways. These fixtures must direct either downwards, or down and out away from beaches. Several fixtures may require accessories items such as shields and louvers in additionally to preclude wall washing and direct view exposure.   Each of the approved fixtures may require these accessories depending on placement and mounting heights. Ask Synergy Lighting for assistance on choosing the fixture that will work best for your facility or residence. Each fixture must be paired with an approved Turtle Friendly Light Bulb to form a completed package.

FWC Approved Wall And Ceiling Mounted Fixtures- Turtle Friendly Lighting

FWC Approved Landscape and Area Lighting – Turtle Friendly Lighting

All FWC Approved Pagoda and Louvered Bollards used for Sea Turtle Friendly Lighting must be accompanied with Beach Front Shields installed to prevent any light emission in the direction or direct view from beach nesting areas.  Due to salt water corrosion, Synergy Lighting only uses FWC Approved Poly Carbonate, Fiberglass, Special Coated Aluminum, Brass and Stainless Steel fixtures.

For more information on FWC Approved Turtle Friendly Lighting, view our website and call Synergy Lighting for a free estimate and consultation.

Phone: (941)-756-4844

Toll Free: (877) 220-5483

e-mail: sales@synergylightingusa.com

Synergy Lighting, a Florida Corporation specializes in coastal lighting design and modification to accommodate Sea Turtle Friendly Lighting requirements. Through our work with Mote Marine Labratories, and the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife, Synergy has distinguished itself as offering the most cost affective alternatives to preserving the life of these species.  Turtle Friendly lighting to many customers such as condominiums and hotels, resorts and homes can seem like a difficult and expensive task to meet the requirements by the State and Local Governments. Synergy Lighting uses a combination of innovative lighting fixtures, LED light bulbs and specialty lamps to create the perfect balance between human and turtle needs.

According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection:

“Sea Turtle populations have suffered worldwide declines, and their recovery largely depends upon our managing the effects of expanding human populations. One of these effects is light pollution – the presence of detrimental artificial light in the environment. Of the many ecological disturbances caused by human beings, light pollution may be among the most manageable. Light pollution on nesting beaches is detrimental to sea turtles because it alters critical nocturnal behaviors, namely how each turtle chooses nesting sites, how they return to the sea after nesting and how hatchlings find the sea after emerging from their nests.”

FMRI Technical Report TR-2

Do I have to go without lights?

It may seem if faced with a warning letter from a government agency that your home or facility is facing a potential fine for light pollution along coastal beaches and that they want you to have no lighting at all. We assure you that is not the case. What these agencies are requiring you to do is very simple and usually affordable. This in most cases is a simple redirection of light, and selecting a product with a wavelength of light not in the visible spectrum of turtles.  Usually @ 450 nanometers. Lighting products that produce that wavelength of light are orange, yellow and red. By redirecting light and using these types of products, all requirements and conservation methods should be easily and affordably achieved. Each facility or location may vary in the application of products required, but consulting an expert from Synergy Lighting is always free of charge.

A New Turtle Friendly Lighting Product is born!

On July 16, 2010  Interelectric Corporation, received a Wildlife Lighting Certificate for final approval of its line of Orange colored 45o nm light bulbs which are available in F32T8/ORANGE  AND F40T12/ORANGE as well as their existing full line of Red Fluorescent Lamps. These fluorescent light bulbs can be used along walkways, in parking garages and for exterior lighting for retail stores, while maintaining compliance with Turtle Friendly Lighting requirements. This is a phenomenal breakthrough with the 450 nm lamp. Previously, customer had to remove fluorescent fixtures and purchase new expensive fixtures for these applications. Now with the Interelectric Orange fluorescent Lamps available from Synergy Lighting, compliance can be just a twist of a lamp away!

For more information on Turtle Friendly Lighting, view our website or call Synergy Lighting for a free consultation.

Phone: (941)-756-4844

Toll Free: (877) 220-5483

e-mail: sales@synergylightingusa.com