Dr. Kirt Rusenko, Marine Conservationist for the Sea Turtle Protection program at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton says:
My main concern for sound pollution is frequencies below 200 Hz which is the range of the heavy, thumping base heard from many cars on the road. Turtles do not hear well out of the water for the higher frequencies but the lower frequencies are literally transmitted through the entire body of the animal and it does disturb them. My concern for sounds at the restaurants is the low frequency bass that seems to be a part of every bar/lounge everywhere. I do not know if there is a noise ordinance in Lake Worth, but one may make this point moot."
This is the same sound that has been driving residents crazy who live near certain bars in the downtown. It is the same complaint that prompted the City to enact a Noise Ordinance. Helen and Bud Greene are thinking of moving from this city because the noise ordinance has not been effective.
There are still some bar supporters who believe that residents don't have any rights when it comes to a decent night's sleep. I am sure that these will be the same people who want our beach opened to 1am with open air restaurant bar band noise polluting the entire coastline of Lake Worth and beyond and calling us "old farts" for being the least bit concerned about it..
I went to Gumbo Limbo 2 months ago to watch the hatchlings be released. Our tour guide mentioned the street lights because from the beach you could clearly see the light from the old ones but you could not see the light from the new ones. Besides confusing the turtles the old lights actually waste energy by projecting it upwards.
ReplyDelete