Date: 3/15/26 12:10 pm From: Diana F. <diana.fru...> Subject: Re: [Arlington Birds] Re: Reduce lighting during migration
Hi Toshia
I will let Gino respond to this as he has done the research. His email is
<tbm2126...> if anyone wants to reach out to him directly.
Thanks
Diana
On Sun, Mar 15, 2026, 12:31 PM Toshia McCabe <toshia.fcolors...>
wrote:
> Hi Dianna,
>
> Huge thanks to you and Gino for encouraging people to speak out for birds
> and wildlife! In these times, we need people to do that more than ever. I
> feel so deeply about it that I'm compelled to respond to your message. I
> hope you understand that this comes from a sense of concern and caring.
>
> It looks like this organization has an AI for determining minimum useful
> lighting levels on streets at night, and they somehow integrate metrics
> from birdcast. That's pretty cool!
>
> However, I'd be extremely careful when using an AI to write letters for
> any legislative matter regardless of subject. I appreciate Gino encouraging
> people to speak up for wildlife, but using AI in this way can work against
> your cause in at least a few ways:
>
> 1. AI detection software exists. I don't know if lawmakers are using it
> yet, but I don't think it would be a stretch to envision why they might
> want to use it when receiving emails from constituents.
>
> 2. AI hallucinates. You definitely don't want your letter to contain false
> statements. False statements reflect badly on you. It might convince you to
> believe falsehoods, and it might discredit your letter. Even an AI that's
> been trained on environmental issues (presumably like the one Gino is
> advocating for) can hallucinate or mix facts up. AI has not come far enough
> for us to trust everything it says. It's easier and better to gather the
> facts yourself than to let an AI spew out content and have to fact check it.
>
> 3. It's far better to write your thoughts in your own words for many
> reasons. You learn more about the issue when you do your own research and
> think deeply about why the issue matters to you. Also, if anyone questions
> what you wrote, you're far more equipped to provide rationale for the
> content than if an AI wrote it.
>
> 4. If you don't have time to author a letter yourself, organizations like
> Mass Audubon, National Audubon, and the ABC regularly host campaigns where
> you can just fill in a form and send a boilerplate letter to your lawmaker.
> While a personal letter is far better, at least a boilerplate letter from a
> trusted org has been vetted.
>
> Sincerely,
> Toshia
>
>
> On Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 7:55:59 AM UTC-4 Diana F. wrote:
>
>> Also at the Birders Meeting yesterday, Gino Ellison presented this
>> information of this AI tool that will write a letter for you to send to
>> your city officials with information on how to reduce street lighting
>> during migration. Night lighting disrupts and disorients birds during
>> migration. I have attached the slide here. It is very easy to do.
>>
>> Thanks
>> Diana Fruguglietti
>> Woburn
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
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