One Way to Get Involved

Contributed by Joe WHYTE
 

Have you ever visited the Everglades ?
This vast area in southern Florida, covered largely in sawgrass, is home to awesome wildlife and delicate and endangered ecosystems. For many decades, this wonderful area has been threatened by, agriculture and land development, even oil drilling. Recently, more people have come to believe that the Everglades needs to be restored and receive a greater degree of protection. If you feel this way, you may wonder how you can get involved.

The key to environmental awareness and protection is education. Teachers, especially in the natural sciences, are on the front lines of providing the knowledge and appreciation of the environment that encourage communities to protect special areas like the Everglades.
An appreciation of the Everglades begins with an understanding of its unique role in Florida. This special area contains sawgrass marshes, hardwood hammocks, cypress swamps and stands of mangroves where fresh water meets the sea. Each of these ecosystems is home to amazing wildlife, from menacing alligators to elegant great egrets. However, it is not only the Everglades wildlife – it is its key role in supplying almost half of Florida’s fresh water through feeding the porous aquifers underneath it. An understanding of the Everglades comes through basic knowledge of geology, agriculture, meteorology, hydrology, environmental restoration – and understanding how the governments work and finance our well being.
In a teaching training you can acquire the background for further exploring these topics and many others as well. 


 

In the 1970s and 1980s, the environmental movement brought pressure on state and federal lawmakers to begin protecting and preserving the Everglades. Although a part of the Everglades was dedicated as a National Park in 1934, this offered protection to only the southern section of this ecosystem. It became clear that more needed to be done, not only to protect all of the Everglades, but also to restore some of the sections that had been drained for agriculture or dammed for water control or diversion. The Everglades Forever Act was passed in 1994 to mandate cleanup of the chemical-laden runoff that was the product of agricultural activity in those areas that had been drained for crops. Everglades restoration was promoted in 2000 with a law to remove some of the levees and dams dating from the 1940s and 1950s. The purpose of this legislation was to return to a more natural and unimpeded flow of water through the area, freshwater that also feeds our wells.
Understanding of and being an advocate for the Everglades and other environmentally sensitive areas requires good skills in oral and written communication. An online teaching degree provides those skills, along with the ability to present facts in a clear, concise way. As an environmental advocate, you might be asked to write a letter to the editor, send an email to your representative in Congress or the state legislature, prepare an informational brochure or speak at a local meeting of concerned citizens.
 
Did You Know ?

The Everglades are often described as having only two seasons- the wet and the dry. Most hot summer days are punctuated by quenching afternoon thunderstorms that bring life-giving water to the park.

Even if you have never visited the Everglades, knowing that it has been designated as one of only 3 wetland areas of global importance indicates the need to be concerned about its protection and preservation. Nowadays, you can take an advantage of earning a teaching degree online, without the sacrifice of your regular salary and time off.  Earning an online teaching degree can be the first step to becoming an advocate for the Everglades and other threatened areas of the world. You will have an understanding of and the ability to speak and write well about the causes that concern you and, above all, you will be educating others to act on behalf of the environment, now and in the future.

The author volunteered this contribution. He has been writing on education resources, digital marketing and business for over 10 years.  He has helped hundreds of businesses generate more revenue and more profitability through his consulting.

Sorry, Earth

Author: David SUZUKI
Canadian environmentalist and broadcaster
(published in the Huffington Post on Jan. 2, 2012)

In 1988, hundreds of scientists and policy-makers met in Toronto for a major international conference on climate change. They were sufficiently alarmed by the accumulated evidence for human-caused global warming that they issued a release stating, "Humanity is conducting an unintended, uncontrolled, globally pervasive experiment whose ultimate consequences could be second only to a global nuclear war."
They urged world leaders to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2005. Had we heeded that warning and embarked on a campaign to meet the target, Canadians would now be healthier (because of reduced air pollution), have greater reserves of energy and more jobs. We'd also be a world leader in renewable energy and could have saved tens of billions of dollars.
The year was significant for environmentalists. In 1988, George H.W. Bush ran for the highest office in the U.S. and promised to be an "environmental president". He didn't have a green bone in his body, but public pressure compelled him to make a commitment he ultimately didn't keep. That year, Margaret Thatcher was filmed picking up litter. She turned to the camera and said, "I'm a greenie, too."
Canada's Prime Minister Brian Mulroney was also re-elected in 1988. He appointed a bright new political star, Lucien Bouchard, as environment minister. I asked Bouchard during an interview what he considered to be our most important environmental issue. "Global warming," he responded. I continued: "How serious is it?" His answer: "It threatens the survival of our species. We have to act now."
In 1988, the environment was a top public concern, scientists spoke out and politicians said the right things. Global warming was a pressing and present issue. Now, 25 years later, carbon dioxide emissions continue to rise, and we're already seeing the consequences -- more extreme weather events, melting glaciers and Arctic ice, rising sea levels, reduced water flows in rivers and climate-related illness and death, among others. It's driven in part by rapid economic growth in countries like China, India and Brazil. At the same time, most industrialized nations, whose use of fossil fuels created the problem of excess greenhouse gases, have done little to reduce emissions.
Humans are distinguished from other species by a massive brain that enables us to imagine a future and influence it by what we do in the present. By using experience, knowledge and insight, our ancestors recognized they could anticipate dangers and opportunities and take steps to exploit advantages and avoid hazards. Scientists and supercomputers have amplified our ability to look ahead. For decades, experts have warned us that human numbers, technology, hyper-consumption and a global economy are altering the chemical, geological and biological properties of the biosphere.
In 1992, more than 1,700 eminent scientists, including 104 Nobel prizewinners, signed the "World Scientists' Warning to Humanity", which included this urgent warning: "No more than one or a few decades remain before the chance to avert the threats we now confront will be lost and the prospects for humanity immeasurably diminished."
The document concluded that environmentally damaging activity must be brought under control and the integrity of Earth's ecosystems protected, critical resources managed more effectively, human population growth stabilized, poverty reduced and eventually eliminated, and sexual equality and guarantees of women's reproductive rights ensured.
The sooner we act, the easier it will be to overcome these difficult challenges. Every year that we stall makes it more costly and challenging, with increasing negative impacts on humans and our environment. There are signs of hope. Many countries -- as well as cities, states and provinces -- are taking global warming seriously and are working to reduce emissions and shift to cleaner energy sources. Some world leaders are even questioning our current paradigm, where the economy is made a priority above all else.
This is crucial. Over and over, the economy has determined the extent of our response, but how much value does it place on breathable air, drinkable water, edible food and stable weather and climate? Surely the economy is the means to a better future, not an end in itself. Surely it must be subordinate to a rich, diverse ecosphere that sustains all life. Let's hope this year ushers in a new way of living on and caring for our planet.
Learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org.


 
 

ALL IS CONNECTED

Not only by cell phones and internet. Above ground the whole of Everglades is connected and the water in it flows ! Unlike our forefathers considered it, it is not a stagnant swamp. And being the ‘sponge’ that Floridian peninsula is, even below the ground there is streaming in our aquifers that occasionally show off as sparking-clean springs. The fact of these flowing fresh waters changes the whole picture, our lives and of everything living around us.

Those flowing waters are all interconnected – just as WE are all connected with cars, planes, trains – and wired electronically with phones, radio, TV and, of course, the internet. What’s done “up North” affects the South – and vice versa, the same for East and West and points in between. Our life-blood, the essential primary ‘elements’ as they used to be labeled - AIR and WATER are taken for granted. But granted they are NOT. We need to be mindful of the fact that our resources, our water in particular, are NOT infinite. Remember – the Spaceship Earth ! When water is spoiled in one location, the affliction travels – and affects us all. This world is so small and getting smaller as we people rub elbows and bump into each other (right around the globe). We cannot afford dumping our pollution into our precious fresh-water.

Control that cattle - and its wastes

Waterflows become a very effective medium, eventually spreading the pollution that then travels, spreads and affects us all. It is infinitely more difficult (and expensive) to purify all that contaminated water when it is on the loose and reaches the environment around us as it moves, flows and spreads. We need to contain and remove our pollution early and ‘upstream’ before it spreads and becomes the creeping non-point source contamination as the science calls it. Long ago did we reach the point of thoroughly overwhelming mother nature’s ‘self-cleansing’ capabilities. No more of relying on that. We have to clean up. Appropriate BMPs can help - when enforced.


Control the fertilizer application

Agriculture manages to feed our exploding numbers by using huge quantities of fertilizers. Unfortunately, a great portion of these end up in water and wreak havoc on the environment – agricultural run-off making for a typical and significant non-point pollution source. To counter its deleterious effects, a multi-prong approach would make sense:
- Upstream: Develop, apply and enforce strict farm BMPs (Best Management Practices) including more effective use of more effective fertilizers, control of fertilizer applications, enforce the edge-of farm water collection, treatment and recycle. Naturally, the best is to prevent contamination in the first place.

Control and prevent agri run-off

- Downstream: Apply the best and most effective technology of P removal on an appropriate scale. Currently this is based on constructing and operating STAs. Develop radically new technologies particularly for Phosphorus removal (and recovery if feasible).
- Establish and enforce clean-up policies – and determine who pays for them.
It can be expected that such logical and necessary measures become a hot issue in the State of Florida with agricultural business and even industrial lobbies, state agencies and environmentalist NGOs working overtime just like we have seen it in case of the numerical water quality criteria introduction. However, the writing on the wall is clear – no way to keep living as we have. Let’s face it, no way to stop progress as it creeps and flows just like that water contamination everywhere. And remember – all is connected. Flow with it, clean up - for nature’s sake, for our survival sake, for our children’s sake. Our generations are connected.

WHERE ARE WE ?

We are here, having a jolly good Florida wintertime. But where are the Everglades ? Of course, they did not move, still there – but how have we progressed on still having the Everglades ? It is in human nature at the end of the year to look back and see how we have done in the past year.
There is a great number of outstanding Everglades issues – some progressed, some have not, stuck on money and politics (turf wars, you know). When something gets done, all parties involved want to claim the credit, claim the “victory”. Why are we so insanely obsessed with the “victory” – rather than just getting things done ? No matter who claims the victory here and there, the Everglades should be the ultimate winner. We so need them – for our wellbeing, for fresh water.
There are so many things to do to preserve and restore our demolished Everglades, so many projects to carry out, so much money to invest -

While some got filled in, a number of canals are getting a facelift.

A new stretch of the Tamiami Bridge being constructed (left)

But the Tamiami Trail bridge is being constructed and that’s good. Only just how long it will actually come to we still don’t know. Hopefully, it will not end up in mid-air.

A whole stretch of the Kissimmee River was returned back to its original meandering resemblance. The surgical, frighteningly straight cut of the canal there was filled – the wound is healing and, for our and wilderness’ benefit, Mother Nature is taking over.
In watersheds of the Kissimmee and Lake Okeechobee is where water contamination problems arise from urbanization, cattle farming, agriculture, river and spring pollution, together with aquifer depletion. We hear the noises from the giants in the battlefield – the US-EPA and the FDEP. The major accomplishment is the agreement between those two turf warriors who seem to have grudgingly agreed on a compromise for water quality numerical criteria – both claiming a victory. Who cares – as long as the Clean Water Act can be upheld. Big-gun judges try to make sure of that.


Reinforcement of Hoover Dike

In the middle of Florida peninsula, Lake Okeechobee is sitting still not-so-pretty as for its contamination but with a tightened grip of Hoover Dike safely reinforced. That is crucial as a major element in flood control. Its water releases to the eastern and western sides wreak havoc on the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers. So far, the surplus water has nowhere else to go. That much for that greatest ‘reservoir’.

L8 reservoir and others being constructed

Those reservoirs create quite contentious issues as they are needed for storing our seasonally uneven rain water supply and equalizing it into expanded STAs for optimized phosphorus removal.
Mentioning the P-word leads us to the heart of the problem – phosphorus contamination is the focus of so much friction and concerns in Florida ! Cleaning up that and channeling the water flow south into the Everglades still remains a major challenge. Enormous and expensive task.
And who will pay for that ?
The Florida Constitution says that at least for the EAA it should be the ‘polluters’ – but will they ?
Stand by for 2013 and farther into the mists of the future. And read more on the many Everglades problems and rumblings on EvergladesHUB.com – thank you for your interest and clicks.
Happy New Year to the Everglades - and to all.

RE-PLUMBING THE EVERGLADES

Florida Everglades is the most engineered ecosystem, the largest laboratory, in the world.  And nowadays we know that a number of things are seriously wrong with it, endangering the very existence of millions of people inhabiting the Florida peninsula.  But let’s face it, the Everglades can be ‘restored’ as much as time could be reversed. The first step in solving any problem is recognizing that there is one. We do seem to know the problem and we could only hope, being (slowly) already on our way (e.g. CERP, Water Quality Plan, CEPP), to be able to correct the mistakes of our forefathers who drained a huge portion of the unique and vital Florida Everglades eco-system.
Unfortunately, in their quest for land and livelihood (greed ?) they did not know any better. 

Lake Okeechobee and the EAA south of it

Just let’s get our re-plumbing right ! Do the homework, listen to the relevant science, manage reasonably and cost-effectively. The problem seems to be in the very word used here – ‘reasonably’. Because people can hardly ever agree on just what is, or is not, ‘reasonable’ – under the circumstances. Let's avoid extreme and unrealistic positions, science is here to guide us, use it. 

By now, we learned that we need to re-establish the flow into and through the Everglades and manage the wild seasonal fluctuations in dwindling Florida fresh-water supply.  The focus must remain on flood control and cleansing the polluted water by both modes combined - prevention and cleaning up. Together with serious and forceful application of Best Management Practices, all that comes through building reservoirs with water-cleansing STAs with a priority of fixing the largest reservoir of them all, Lake Okeechobee and its Hoover Dike.

All these problems always boil down to just who will foot the bill for such undertakings. Amidst the squabbles, it is somehow escaping us that for a dollar invested in this, there are four dollars in future benefits. It is only hoped that all the stakeholders will come to their senses, the administration turf wars and wasteful law-suits will cease and through precious dollar-by-dollar real and meaningful steps we come closer to the correct solution.

Including enforcement of the Florida 'polluters pay’ constitutional amendment. Of course, the ultimate alternative always remains – just the way we flooded in – to evacuate South Florida as the ocean is pouring in.

Will south Floridians have to follow this classical bunch ? It would not be so funny.
("Hillbillies" from the TV comedy series)