Florida is still reeling from a disastrous 2018 in which south Florida waterways suffered a double whammy of blue green algae and red tide. Meanwhile, here in the panhandle the powerful Hurricane Michael caused historic damage and highlighted continued weaknesses in our sewage infrastructure. Now, the Florida legislature has just convened, and we’re pushing for […]
Florida legislators begin to address algae and water crisis Read More »
A bit of bipartisanship snuck into the holiday season, and thousands of acres of dunes, seagrass beds, and other coastal habitat in Florida is all the better for it. On December 21, 2018, President Trump signed into law H.R. 5787 the Strengthening Coastal Communities Act of 2018. Out of 435 members of the House of
A holiday gift from Washington: Good news for the Florida coast Read More »
The House of Representatives actually got something right. In an age of growing frustration at political divisions that create legislative gridlock, the House did something that most citizens say they want more of: They passed a bipartisan bill. Even better it’s one that’s good for our environment and the Gulf of Mexico. In this case,
Common sense and bipartisanship work for the Gulf Read More »
Imagine showing up for a day at the beach and being told that you’re on private property and have to leave. That’s what’s happening on Gulf beaches in the Florida panhandle, where the public’s ability to simply dip their toes into the waters of the Gulf is at risk. The flashpoint in all of this
If you can’t get to the Gulf, how can you care about the Gulf? Read More »
As the sun is still rising into a warm fall day, I pile into a large pickup with four folks I met only five minutes before, prepared for a 12 hour day of hurricane relief work. Onboard is an architect, interior designer, audio-visual installer, and a nonprofit consultant. As the chatter begins, I’m pretty sure
In the shadow of Hurricane Michael a day of helping others Read More »
As with all who are following the devastation from Hurricane Michael, I’m shocked and saddened by the destruction. Michael hit an area of the coast that I know and love, and it will be a long time before it is whole again. My first step after the storm was to contact as many friends and
Helping people, communities, and the environment after Hurricane Michael Read More »
1985 seems like a long time ago. For those who care about clean water which is pretty much everybody 1985 was a landmark year in the quest to restore our nation’s waterways. That was the year that the Clean Water Act set as a goal for eliminating all direct discharges to our rivers, lakes, bays,
Cleaning-up our waterways 33 years overdue, but still not too late Read More »
When the toilet flushes, we never expect to see it again. And we all know what I mean by “it.” Yet raw sewage is bubbling up in the streets from failing infrastructure in many Florida communities, putting public health and the environment at risk. Raw sewage can contain various disease-causing organisms, including viruses, bacteria, and
Sewage: out of sight and mind…until it’s not Read More »
A message from Florida-Alabama coastal organizer Christian Wagley:In order to realize a healthy and restored Gulf, GRN relies on thousands of people and organizational partners in communities all along the Gulf coast. Our friends in Southwest Florida are experiencing another epic tragedy as massive flows of freshwater are being diverted down the Caloosahatchee River to
Guest blog: The Caloosahatchee Conundrum Read More »
Gazing out at its usually calm waters, one would never know that Pensacola Bay is missing 90% of its seagrass the Bay’s single most important aquatic habitat. That’s why it’s vitally important that we protect the remaining seagrass. A recent Federal decision to rebuff plans to dredge some of the remaining seagrass for a deeper
Protecting Florida’s seagrass Read More »