Why is Turtle Glass Important for Coastal Homes?

Living on the coast can be an amazing experience. Coastal living offers picturesque views, a sense of luxury, instant access to the beach, as well as a strong sense of relaxation and peace of mind. Nevertheless, these benefits come at a cost. Namely, as a coastal property owner, you need to ensure that your homes are built with materials that are coast-friendly. For instance, the glass used for doors, windows, etc., must be made from a material that is conducive to the complexities of living on the coast. With that in mind, here is a closer look at why turtle glass is important for coastal homes.

What is Turtle Glass, and Why is it Important?

For those who are yet unfamiliar, turtle glass is a type of glass that has been tinted to reduce light projection and has a visible light transmittance of 45% or less.

The reason turtle glass is important is pretty simple: to protect turtles. More specifically, during the sea turtle nesting season in Florida, female turtles lay their eggs and bury them in the sand before returning to the sea. Then, after approximately two months, the eggs hatch, leaving the baby turtles to slowly meander their way into the sea as well.

Evolution has caused turtles to lay and bury their eggs at night to prevent seagulls and other hungry predators in search of easy prey. Unfortunately, the luxuries of humanity are interfering with the animal’s ability to live their natural lives. So, although the baby turtles are genetically wired to seek the moonlight, which lights their way into the sea, these newly hatched turtles sometimes confuse the lights emanating from coastal homes and condos for the moonlight they are seeking. This can result in the death of these hatchlings due to dehydration, exhaustion, or hungry predators.

The Solution

Given the fact that the bright lights from beach homes and condos were disrupting the lifecycle of sea turtles on the Florida Coast, the Florida Department of Natural Resources adopted the Model Lighting Ordinance for Marine Turtle Protection in March 1993. This ordinance requires local municipalities to develop guidelines that make it possible to manage and reduce beachfront lighting in order to protect the habitat of sea turtles.

In other words, businesses, homes, and condos located along the coast must find ways to reduce the projection to a visible light transmittance of 45% or less. This is where turtle glass comes into play.

Benefits of Turtle Glass

If you are wondering about the benefits of installing replacement windows, some are as follows:

• Save the Turtles: One of the most obvious benefits of turtle glass is that it helps save baby turtles. Baby turtles are virtually defenseless and need all the protection they can get. Otherwise, it could result in sea turtles becoming endangered or even extinct.
• Get in Compliance with the Lighting Ordinance: If saving baby turtles doesn’t make you feel warm and fuzzy, perhaps the ordinance will bring you back to reality. You don’t have to care about baby turtles to face fines and other penalties for failing to comply with the ordinance.
• Unique Aesthetic: Turtle glass is also uniquely tinted in a shade of green, which many find to be charming and aesthetically pleasing.
• Worry-Free Protection: Additionally, while some believe they can simply purchase blinds and close them each night, this is not as simple as it seems. There may be times in which you are too tired to do so, times in which you may accidentally do it improperly; you may have blinds that are not dark enough or missing vanes; you may do it too early or too late, etc. Just one incident could negatively affect the turtles or result in financial consequences.
• Shield Your Home: The protection being derived from turtle glass works both ways. On the one hand, you will be protecting sea turtles from harmful bright lights. On the other hand, you will also be protecting your home from harmful UV rays emanating from the sun and reducing your overall impact on the environment.
• Durable Materials: Many people choose to install turtle glass in the form of storm windows, impact windows, and more. Therefore, you can protect not only the environment but also your home.

When is Sea Turtle Nesting Season?

For those who are yet unaware, sea turtle nesting season takes place on the Coast from May through October. Therefore, residents of Florida living on the Coast need to ensure that they are limiting the amount of light emanating from their homes and business after 9 pm for the entirety of the season.

As mentioned, this must be done each night consistently. Failure to do so could result in fines or citations being issued to your home or office building. Over time, those who accrue large amounts of fines, complaints, and citations may be asked to relocate to areas that do not require turtle glass.

Ready to Install Turtle Glass?

Overall, if you live or do business in Florida on the coast, installing turtle glass is essential. Rather than attempting to control your lights manually, which can lead to human error, installing turtle glass can ensure that your home or business is always in compliance with the Model Lighting Ordinance for Marine Turtle Protection. Rather than attempting to go it alone or install your own solutions, turtle glass offers a professional solution that is durable and stands the test of time. Contact your friends at Wallaby Windows for a quote and more information.