Posts Tagged ‘ecology’

Sea Turtles at Tulum Beach

September 22nd, 2011

Coco Tulum, by simply being what it is -an ecological, affordable, communal, friendly hotel- offers its visitors a variety of simple, basic natural gifts. These gifts are there for the taking, but in the hustle and bustle of our urban lives many of us forget they exist: the sunset, a soft breeze, the sand under our feet, and, of course, the fascinating animal world.

Perhaps one of the most intriguing animal species that we have the opportunity to see at Coco Tulum is also one of the most primitive: the sea turtle. These beguiling creatures have been on this earth for more than 70,000 million years and are survivors of the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs. They spend almost their entire life in the ocean. The males, once they have hatched, never return to the shore, but the females come ashore once a year under the cover of the night, to lay their eggs.

Coco Tulum has the incredible fortune to be located right in the middle of the coast that is the main nesting ground for two species of sea turtles: the Loggerhead Turtle and the Green Turtle. Turtles do not like noise, people or lights, which makes the coast of Tulum a very appealing place for them. With still relatively few tourists and little electricity, it is not uncommon to find a large female sea turtle creeping up the sand on the Tulum beach in the dead of night to lay her eggs.

Hatching season is another truly fascinating event. The baby turtles fight their way out of the eggs and sand and rapidly scurry to the water. They are tiny; smaller than the palm of your hand. It is amazing to realize that they will one day become huge, pre historic creatures who roam the seas.

Turtle nesting and hatching season is from May to October. If you are lucky enough to see either the female laying her eggs or the tiny turtles scurrying to the ocean, please remember that they do not like noise or light. If you are going to be visiting us during that time and want the chance to have the unforgettable experience of watching turtles, please bring a red or yellow flashlight and remember to be very, very quiet!

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Ecological sustainability today

December 1st, 2009

Now more than ever, as the citizens of the world face a changing climate, people are recognizing the toll that over-consumption of energy takes on the Earth.  The use of fossil fuels contributes to political unrest and the heating of the Earth’s climate, which will contribute to changes in the way we live our lives.

The development and production of energy using renewable energy (solar, wind, geothermal are the most often cited) can help us to live sustainable lives.  It can also help us to lower our energy costs, which is useful in an unstable global economy.

An ecologically sustainable existence means not leaving a “carbon footprint” – keeping our environment in balance and not using more energy than the environment can sustain.

To effectively use both solar and wind power, one needs a set up in which you can harness the heat of the sun or the movement of the wind.  The most common ways are using solar panels, which are made up of photovoltaic cells, and windmills, which harness the wind currents to turn the turbine (the blades at the top of a windmill) to generate movement.  Both convert these resources into electricity, which can be stored in large batteries (kind of like car batteries) so that you can use that power even when it’s not sunny or windy.

Using the resources that are freely available creates the possibility of living in a completely sustainable manner, so that our manner of living does not cause harm to the Earth, energy costs don’t create a burden on our finances, and we can still live with the comforts that define our modern life.  Sustainable living doesn’t have to mean going without heat and electricity – we can still live lives of comfort without damaging the environment.

If everyone used renewable energy, we wouldn’t leave our grandchildren with the burden of our wasteful way of life.  As the danger of climate change becomes more of a threat, we can only hope that there will be more of a movement toward sustainability through the use of renewable energy, and that it is more freely available to anyone who wants to live a sustainable life.

www.cocotulum.com

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