Here in the H2O Zone we always try to put a positive spin on the topics of water conservation and sustainability. That isn’t always easy, of course, since there’s really no avoiding the issues and problems we’ve been experiencing with extreme climate events. These problems are particularly evident in a place like Florida which has historically been impacted by extreme variations in the weather. This month, however, without really meaning to, we managed to track down a selection of stories, almost all of which take a positive look at the kind of steps being taken to protect the landscape and inhabitants of Florida. There’s one exception, admittedly, which is the fact that Tampa Water Department has had to buy in water from outside agencies to maintain their own supply, but elsewhere the news is pretty good.
These good news stories include farmers working together to ramp up the effort to protect the Everglades from damaging runoff and the Jacksonville Jaguars, no less, helping to promote the cause of water conservation. In terms of educating people about the issues around sustainability we looked at the aforementioned Tampa Water District offering free webinars for local residents and the University of Miami taking part in a global initiative on sustainable development. In addition, we flag up other positive steps taken state-wide, such as help for the long-suffering manatee population and thousands of volunteers turning up to clean our beaches.
Put it all together and you arrive at Florida being named the 5th most sustainable state in the United States, a result which indicates that, while there is still plenty to do, things are moving in the right direction.
