The Lighting Retrofit Program
Lighting Retrofits: Restoring Natural Darkness at Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches
Light pollution has wide-ranging impacts on human health, the economy, and wildlife. Excessive artificial lighting disrupts natural sleep cycles, contributing to health issues such as insomnia, stress, and increased risk of chronic conditions. Economically, inefficient and unnecessary lighting leads to higher energy consumption, increased public and private costs, and wasted resources. Reducing light pollution improves public health, lowers energy expenses, and supports more sustainable and resilient communities.
Artificial lighting poses a serious threat to sea turtles by disrupting critical nesting and hatchling behaviors. Bright coastal lights disorient hatchlings, causing them to move inland instead of toward the ocean, which increases exhaustion, dehydration, and predation. Artificial light can also deter adult females from nesting or alter nest site selection, reducing reproductive success. Reducing light pollution is essential to protecting nesting beaches, maintaining natural orientation cues, and ensuring the long-term survival of these endangered species.
In Puerto Rico, light pollution is one of the most significant threats to nesting sea turtles and hatchlings. Light Pollution Law #218 establishes standards to reduce the impacts of artificial lighting on ecologically sensitive habitats.
The Puerto Rico Lighting Retrofit Program, led by Urbanativa, plays a key role in restoring natural darkness at nesting beaches while supporting compliance with local regulations.
If your property is located next to an ecologically sensitive area—such as a sea turtle nesting beach, bioluminescent bay, or other critical habitat—you may be eligible to participate in this program.
Step-by-step
