We hope that more and more tourists and locals will help us to reach our goal to be contamination free by the year 2005. The current growth rate compounded with the lack of infrastructure means it will take everyone pitching in and helping in order to counteract the destruction of the paradise we all know and love. In the near future, we will provide a list of government officials and other contact names so you can write them directly about your concerns. In the meantime, we would like to encourage you to speak out and let local businesses know you support their efforts to do all they can to help preserve our environment.

Here are just a few things you can ask the businesses to do:
1. Utilize Advance Waste Management Technology such as compost toilets and constructed wetlands.
2. Turn out lights and avoid bon fires during the turtle nesting season.
3. Use recyclable products and not Styrofoam or plastic straws.

We accept letters and comments from you and will pass them on to the local businesses. We will post your comments, with your permission. Here are a few examples of what others are saying:

Jill Lindstrand
Communications Advisor
WCB-Alberta
780-498-7420
I'm sorry to hear they (local Akumal Hotel) are not taking the environment seriously enough. I know as a tourist if I was told the reasons why the lights were out, no bonfires, etc. I would applaud their dedication to the environment so they must not be communicating the information to the tourists. You're right they need to be educated and then it's their role to tell the tourists. I work in the communications field maybe I could come live in Akumal and help you educate the residents and tourists about the environment (ha ha). Seriously that would really be my dream!! In March and April what will be happening with the turtles? Are there snorkeling tours from somewhere near the CEA Center? I really want to come and visit your center and understand turtles better!!

When asked her if I could quote her for the Internet and she said:
Sure you can quote me on your website "I would applaud local businesses promoting the importance of protecting the environment to tourists. I don't know a lot about sea turtles but I can recall snorkeling a couple years ago when a guide pointed to a turtle and indicated I should swim to the top. As we surfaced she told me to stay away from the turtle or I might scare him and cause him to have a heart attack. I worked very hard to stay away from him because the last thing I wanted to do was to kill such a magnificent creature. If the locals explained to me that the lights needed to be out because the turtles may get confused I would be fascinated and would completely understand. Just because I'm a tourist it doesn't give me the right to invade and disturb nature, I just think it's amazing to be a part of their world."

Linda Jones
Houston, Tx
lindanjones@cs.c
om Thanks Lydia... great numbers of turtle nests & hatchlings…We saw many nests on the beaches in July, but were not privileged to see hatchlings like the year before…great experience. I read the recent CEA report of the water quality improvement in Akumal Bay. I thought the coral in the bay looked healthier this summer than in recent years & glad to know it wasn't my imagination! Everyone can help by trying to book only accommodations that utilize a constructed wetlands system for sewage. And of course, by supporting the CEA. Maybe soon many more large schools of fish will return to the bay, like the one out close to the reef this summer… It was spectacular!

When asked if I could quote her she said:
Lydia,
Yes, it is OK to quote me as a visitor interested in supporting Akumal businesses that have switched to the constructed wetlands sewage system. I, as well as others I'm sure, periodically check the CEA eco-directory & take mental note of the businesses that support CEA in some way. I also follow the vital efforts of CEA to construct a large wetlands system for Akumal Pueblo, which will support the rapid population growth now and in the future. Clean run-off into Akumal Bay (and the surrounding bays) is basic to keeping the bay alive with everything loyal visitors come back for year after year. Without a healthy reef, fish, & turtle population, we would not have a reason to bring our families to this special place. We are three generations in my family visiting Akumal for many years & hope to make it many more years & with future generations too…Lydia, I enjoy your enthusiasm for Akumal & commend your efforts to get the CEA word out to those on these message boards. You have done a marvelous job with the new CEA website. I hope you will find additional grant funding soon, to continue your projects with the CEA…
Sincerely,
Linda Jones