Sea Turtles Rejoice! Green Mountain Energy Sun Club Donates New Water Purification System

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas, December 5, 2023 /3BL/ - Sea Turtle Inc. is protecting the environment and marine life with their newly installed UV water purification and silo system, thanks to a sustainability grant from Green Mountain Energy Sun Club.

Sea Turtle Inc. will soon open a new 15,000-square-foot hospital, which will be the largest fully enclosed sea turtle rehabilitation facility in the world, doubling their patient intake capacity. The neighboring Laguna Madre is a natural water source with both naturally occurring and man-made toxins, bacteria and pathogens that can further sicken the hospitalized sea turtles.

Until recently, the organization relied on chlorine to kill any potential pathogens in the water, and the existing infrastructure fulfilled only 22 percent of the facility’s needs for on-demand, chemical-free water. The new structure, consisting of a sand filter and two silos with pumps, piping, and a heat/cool system, will safely clean more than 250,000 gallons of recycled water from Laguna Madre. Green Mountain Energy Sun Club donated nearly $145,000 to fund this initiative, which will meet 100 percent of the facility’s needs, further supporting the hospital expansion for endangered sea turtles.

“At Green Mountain Energy, we support projects that advance sustainability with our Sun Club program,” said Mark Parsons, vice president and general manager for Green Mountain Energy. “We look forward to helping Sea Turtle Inc. save even more turtles in the coming years.”

With help from customers and employees, Green Mountain Energy Sun Club has advanced sustainability by donating more than $13 million to 156 nonprofit organizations across Texas and the Northeast. Sun Club^® supports projects related to renewable energy, sustainability education and environmental stewardship.

“Sea Turtle Inc. is dedicated to not only the conservation and care of sea turtles but to the protection of our waterways,” said Wendy Knight, chief executive officer for Sea Turtle Inc. “This new sustainable water purification system will allow us to have on-demand access to the water required to save these amazing animals while protecting the ecosystem.”

The new UV system eliminates the use of chemicals, which is healthier for wildlife, better for the environment, and reduces purification time from three days to two hours, saving $10,000 annually to reallocate to life-saving care for endangered sea turtles.

Sea Turtle, Inc. was founded in 1977 by Ila Fox Loetscher, better known as “The Turtle Lady of South Padre Island.” In 1999, Sea Turtle, Inc. moved from Ila’s backyard into its current location. Originally this organization was formed to aid in the protection and recovery of the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle.

Their mission has since expanded into three parts: to rescue, rehabilitate, and release injured sea turtles; educate the public; and assist with conservation efforts for all marine turtle species. In the last 10 years alone, Sea Turtle Inc. has protected or intervened to aid more than 80,000 sea turtles along 50 miles of the south Texas coast.

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About Green Mountain Energy Sun Club

Green Mountain Energy is inspiring hope, motivating action through the use of clean energy, and advancing sustainable communities through the work of Green Mountain Energy Sun Club. Since its founding in 2002, Sun Club^® has donated more than $13 million to 156 nonprofit organizations across Texas and the Northeast. Sun Club collaborates with nonprofit organizations on projects that focus on renewable energy, energy efficiency, resource conservation, and environmental stewardship. To learn more about Green Mountain Energy and Sun Club or to apply for a Sun Club grant, visit greenmountain.com/sunclub.

About Sea Turtle Inc.

Sea Turtle, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) non-profit sea turtle hospital and education museum in South Padre Island, Texas. From South Padre Island, Texas, to the world, Sea Turtle Inc. protects sea turtles through conservation, medical care, applied research and education. Sea Turtle Inc is responsible for more than 50 miles of shoreline, protecting and treating sea turtles, and educating more than a quarter of a million people a year in the South Padre Island facility at 6617 Padre Blvd. To learn more about Sea Turtle Inc. visit www.seaturtleinc.org

GME Media Contact

Estefanía Joy 
713-537-5735 
media@greenmountain.com 
Twitter: @GreenMtnEnergy

Sea Turtle Inc. Media Contact

Sanjuana Zavala 
956-761-4511 ext.105 
info@seaturtleinc.org