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WORLD NEWS Monday 24 october 2022

Jairo Vrolijk, Space and Nature Aruba Foundation

“Houses, hotels, buildings were built without any thought to light pollution”

ORANJESTAD – Space and community with help of
Nature Aruba Foundation Vrolijk indicated that they the international associa-
posted a poll on their Face- are receiving information tion Dark Sky, they have a
book page to find out how from the survey, until Fri- lot of materials to educate
well-informed the Aruban day, 82 people had com- people on how to install
community is regarding pleted it. The survey will re- lights and what the impact
light pollution and its ef- main available for at least of light is on our flora and
fects. two more weeks in order fauna. We will distribute this
to get more responses, so information in the neigh-
A hundred years ago, they can continue sharing borhoods where there is a
people could look up and information and give more lot of light intensity to begin
see a spectacular sky brim- practical recommenda- creating awareness in peo-
ming with stars. Nowadays, tions so that the commu- ple”, he commented.
millions of people cannot nity can make changes
experience the universe process to get such certi- that contaminates even at home and commercial Vrolijk said that they also
because of light pollution fication is very lengthy. At reaching the water in the spaces. have the goal of consulting
which negatively affects the end of 2021, Vrolijk be- sea or our drinking water. with government agencies
the environment, security, gan working on this process “But light pollution is still a Once they find out from like Department of Nature
electricity usage, and peo- to exchange information bit unknown and doesn’t the community if they have and Environment, Arikok
ple’s health. and ideas. He said his sta- get a priority in our com- heard of light pollution or National Park, Tortuga
tus within the association munity. There are houses, if they are willing to make Aruba Foundation, among
Excessive or inappropriate changed from Advocate hotels, buildings that were changes, the foundation others, to see how they can
use of light, which is known to Delegate, and once his built without any thought will approach the commu- work together to share this
as light pollution, can have status changed, he came on how they emit certain nity through different work- information. “Particularly if
grave consequences for on the world stage of In- pollution without our knowl- shops to explain the impact we want to transform the
human beings and the ternational Dark Sky Asso- edge”, Vrolijk points out. of light pollution and what Arikok National Park, in the
environment. This includes ciation. People can now can be done about it. They sense that we can certify
excessive brightness caus- approach him to get more For this reason they carried will also give information re- with International Dark Sky
ing visual discomfort, light information on light pollu- out the survey “Impact/ garding the local flora and Association for it to be-
in the night sky in inhabited tion and he can promote Knowledge regarding Light fauna, people’s health, come a Dark Sky Park. This
areas, or a light that is situ- awareness for Dark Sky in Pollution” on the Facebook vision and security, how is a two-to-three year long
ated where it is not need- Aruba. “But in Aruba, it is Page “Space and Nature much people can save by process, because certain
ed. not easy. That’s why we Aruba Foundation”, where installing adequate light- requirements need to be
want to measure the in- they reach out to the com- ing – and in this they want met. But once it is certified,
During an interview with terest and the knowledge munity to think about light to reach the tourism sector. we can begin promot-
our reporter, president of people have on this topic pollution. They ask if the ing Aruba worldwide as
Space and Nature Aruba of light pollution”, he said. community is willing to Vrolijk mentioned that Aru- a country having a place
Foundation, Jairo Vrolijk adapt the way light is in- ba receives tourists from certified as a Dark Sky Park,
explained that in 2020 they There are many aspects stalled, if certain neighbor- big cities like New York and and then you will attract
began consulting with the of pollution – gas emissions hoods would be willing to Amsterdam. These are cit- another branch of tourism
International Dark-Sky As- like those emitted by wa- modify this and even make ies with a high intensity of to Aruba.”
sociation, a world founda- ter and energy plant WEB; the lights less bright during light where people can-
tion established in the Unit- air pollution like that com- certain hours of the night not see a single star in the Vrolijk says that it will be a
ed States with the goal of ing off the dump in Parki- – or even turn them off en- sky. “They cannot enjoy long road, as some chang-
expanding awareness re- etenbos; waste pollution tirely. how beautiful our universe es in law are necessary the
garding light pollution and is. And little by little, if we same as regarding sound,
promote what they call do nothing, Aruba will but this can be done for
Dark Sky, which is the dark surely lose this too”, Vrolijk light.
skies at night, with the main warned.
goal of protecting these for Aside from their Facebook
the future generations. He says that local tourism page, Space and Nature
can benefit if our visitors Aruba Foundation, they
“They also certify places, can come to Aruba and have another Facebook
for example parks or com- enjoy what is left of a sky page called International
mon areas for recreation, full of stars, that they can- Dark Sky Association Aru-
they can be certified as not see at home. ba. On these two pages
Dark Sky Park or Dark Sky they will publish the results
Place”, according to Vro- “We will do it in the context of the survey. q
lijk. He explained that the of letters. We will enter the