Inside The SUSTAINABILITY Issue

Sierra Club, Central Florida Group
September & October 2011
www.CentralFloridaSierra.org
Inside The SUSTAINABILITY Issue:
Urgent Announcement
What is a “Carbon Footprint”?
Homegrown: Central FL’s Local Food Cooperative
Help with Action Alerts
Case Study: Vanilla
Bacteria Tests and Florida Beaches
Freecycle!
Monterey Bay Seafood Watch Info
“Save Our Seas, Beaches and Shores” Campaign
Volunteer in Spotlight: Tony Miller!
Florida Politicians and Their LCV Scores
Upcoming Programs, Outings, AND MUCH MORE!
Explore, Enjoy, and Protect The Planet
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SIERRA CLUB — FUN TOUR:
SIERRA CLUB FUNDRASIER: St. Johns River Boat Tour October 8th, 2011, 1 - 4 pm.
Enjoy a 3 hour afternoon cruise on the St. John’s River with your fellow Sierra Club
members and friends from the Central Fla environmental community. We’ll go rain or
shine. This is a private boat tour starting at Hontoon Island Marina in Deland. Sierra
Club has chartered the boat with Captain Gary S. Randlett from Blue Heron Boat
Tours. Passengers are treated to scenic views of the river, as it meanders through
the lush green Florida wilderness. The slow-flowing river is the longest in the state of
Florida (310 miles). The boat will make frequent stops to point out wildlife, including
manatees. Passengers are welcome to bring a picnic basket with wine and cheese for
the trip. Children over the age of 10 are also welcome. Cost: $35.00 per person.
To RSVP: Contact Mary-Slater Linn at 407-481-4398 or fl[email protected]
Executive Committee
CHAIR:
Maria Bolton-Joubert........................407-325-4495
VICE-CHAIR:
John Evans Henderson....................407-595-9559
SECRETARY:
Mary-Slater Linn...............................407-481-4398
TREASURER:
Julie Levine.......................................435-602-9580
POLITICAL:
Cecilia Height....................................407-657-9582
CONSERVATION:
Marge Holt.........................................407-679-6759
INNER CITY OUTINGS:
Dawn Landon....................................407-562-8732
MEMBER AT LARGE:
Anthony Miller....................................407-832-4799
Committee Chairs
OPENINGS FOR FUNDRAISING, MEMBERSHIP &
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR!
OUTINGS:
Mary-Slater Linn...............................407-481-4398
POLITICAL, POPULATION, LAKE JESUP:
Cecilia Height....................................407-657-9582
PROGRAMS:
Mary-Slater Linn...............................407-481-4398
PUBLICATIONS:
Maria Bolton-Joubert.........................407-325-4495
RIVER ISSUES, CONSERVATION, SPRAWL:
Marge Holt.........................................407-679-6759
TRANSPORTATION:
John Puhek.......................................407-996-5295
WEB MASTER:
Chuck Amburn....webmaster@centralfloridasierra.org
WILDLIFE:
Patty Lillie...........................................407-679-1426
Published bi-monthly by the Sierra Club Central Florida Group,
P.O. BOX 941692, Maitland, FL 32794-1692
This newsletter is intended to educate and inform local
members, and interested non-members about activities
and pending environmental issues critical to Lake, Orange,
Osceola, & Seminole Counties. Subscriptions are included
with a Sierra Club membership. Non-members or members
from other groups; subscriptions are $6 per year.
Change of address: Mail your name, old address, new
address, and a Sierra address label to:
Sierra Club Membership Services
P.O. BOX 52968
Boulder, CO 80322-2968
or send email to:
page 2
[email protected]
CHAIR ARTICLE:
Greetings, Fellow Sierrans!
What does the word “sustainable” mean to you?
The Webster Dictionary states that sustainable is, “of, relating to, or being a
method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or
permanently damaged.”
I associate the word “sustainability” with: a smaller carbon footprint, eating
local, driving less, living more within my means, reusing, and recycling. I asked
my husband Andrew what he felt about the word “sustainability,” and he stated
that, “Sustainability and responsibility are definitely two concepts that should go
hand-in-hand.” (Can you see why I married him!?) This makes me think of the word,
“Stewardship” —Something that the Sierra Club certainly encourages!
We are creatures of habit. And because of this mind-set, sometimes it is difficult
to break out of our routines. If we take a moment during our actions that we go
through daily and think, “how can I accomplish what I am doing in a more sustainable way,” I feel this would cause us to become more self-aware and potentially
strive to become more sustainable and eco as well. What do you think?
For example: Plastic Bags. Are you still using them? For obvious reasons, plastic
bags are toxic to the earth. They are rarely recycled. They clutter landfills. They
clog roadside drains. They drift in the oceans. And they fill sea turtle bellies and
strangle other wildlife. Calculations extrapolated from data released by the EPA in
2001 on US plastic bag, snack, and wrap consumption, is that somewhere between
500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are consumed world wide each year. It takes
months to hundreds of years for plastic bags to eventually break down. And, as
they do break down, tiny, toxic bits seep into the soil, lakes, rivers, and oceans.
(YIKES!) This info from: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/09/0902_
030902_plasticbags.html
The more I learn about how toxic plastic bags are, the more I don’t want to use
them! It finally dawned on me, to just leave all my reusable bags in the passenger
seat of my car. That way, they’re always within an arm’s reach, and I’ve got
no excuse not to use them. By using reusable bags, I’m setting a positive, eco
example to those around me as well! Just last month, I invested in some reusable
produce and seed (or also loose bean) bags. I LOVE using them!!! I bought these
online at www.reuseit.com — an awesome website! I definitely recommend
sharing this link with others. I’m so happy with my purchase that I sent a product
inquiry to both corporate Whole Foods and Publix, requesting that they start carrying these two items, as a way for people to help cut down even more on plastic bag
usage. Maybe we’ll see these on their shelves soon. (Hoping!)
Another “bad” habit of mine that I recently broke had to do with iced coffee. I used
to go out and get a take-way (one-time usage), plastic cup. Sure, I would recycle it
— BUT, I finally invested in a reusable container, for both hot and cold beverages.
AND, I actually use it! I’ve made my coffee routine a little more sustainable by
remembering to bring my reusable cup by placing it near my keys now.
Old habits can be altered to become new, eco-minded ones. I think this just takes
some self awareness, and a few times to commit these new, positive changes to
memory. I think living more sustainable is a great goal for everyone to strive for.
We with the local Central Florida Sierra Club Group hope you enjoy what we have
to offer in this newsletter on sustainability. We hope this gives you some inspiration
and potential guidance on going more eco in your own daily life.
Here’s to more conservation efforts,
Maria Bolton-Joubert
URGENT: CALL FOR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS
The Central Florida Sierra Club Nominating Committee is accepting nominations for individuals to run for the Executive
Committee (EXCOM). The group EXCOM governs the local group and meets in-person once a month and daily by email.
Four vacancies need to be filled by suitable candidates. The four candidates receiving the highest number of votes, will be
elected to serve for two years. Nominating Committee members are: John Puhek, 407-766-8988 or
fl[email protected] , Sonia Stephens, 407-996-0911 or [email protected] , John Henderson, 407-595-9559 or
johnevans@cfl.rr.com . To run for office, you must be a Sierra Club member, and you will take office in January. Please
submit nominations to these committee members BEFORE October 1st .
What is a “Carbon Footprint”?
By Maria Bolton-Joubert
What is a “carbon footprint”? A relatively new term,
Wikipedia says, “ a carbon footprint is “the total set
of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an
organization, event, product or person. Greenhouse
gases can be emitted through transport, land clearance, and the production and consumption of food,
fuels, manufactured goods, materials, wood, roads,
buildings, and services. For simplicity of reporting, it
is often expressed in terms of the amount of carbon
dioxide, or its equivalent of other GHGs, emitted. The
concept name of the carbon footprint originates from
ecological footprint discussion. The carbon footprint
is a subset of the ecological footprint and of the more
comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
The main influences on carbon footprints include
population, economic output, and energy and carbon
intensity of the economy. These factors are the main
targets of individuals and businesses in order to
decrease carbon footprints. Scholars suggest the
most effective way to decrease a carbon footprint is
to either decrease the amount of energy needed for
production or to decrease the dependence on carbon
emitting fuels.“
So, essentially everything around us has its own
carbon footprint. From the grapes at the supermarket that come from as far away as Chile (further
than some people travel in one lifetime!), to the
gadgets we buy brand new coming from China
or Japan. Think about how these products were
potentially created and then shipped to sell across
the globe.
Take the footprint of some electronics for example:
Minerals obtained from moutains/soil in Africa
are used in some motherboards and video cards.
Maybe the plastic was created and formed in
China. Labor and assemblage of the electronic
device perhaps was done in India. Then, all the
packaging used (plastic and cardboard) will assist
in safer shipping of these said objects across the
globe, to then end up on merchant shelves to the
consumer here in the US. Don’t forget about all
of the oil/fossil fuels used for transportation of
all aspects of the device. And what about where
those shipping containers (once off the ships) end
up when they’ve reached our shores? ::phew:: It’s
pretty surreal once you think of all the portions of
the globe and all the types of resources that were
potentially involved with just getting a new cell
phone or laptop. (Or with buying some grapes!)
This doesn’t mean you have to “sacrifice” what
you’re doing day in and day out, but perhaps
to become more self-aware, and make smarter
choices with your money and for the environment.
Afterall, we vote with our dollar, and It’s all about
supply and demand. If we demand products that
last longer, made of better quality, that were
built closer to home, maybe made from recycled
or reclaimed material, than this would lessen said
product’s carbon footprint, and then our own
carbon footprint when we buy it. Another thing
to consider is maybe buying something used,
refurbished (also known as OEM), or just “settle”
with not updating to a new phone every year,
because of the new technology that’s out. We’ll be
exhausting less resources, and in turn, making our
own carbon footprint smaller by being a smarter
consumer. Some more great info on this can be
found at www.storyofstuff.com
A great film to watch out our own carbon footprint
is National Geographic’s “The Human Footprint”,
which within 1 1/2 hrs, shows you what the average
American consumes and uses (whether they know
it or not!) within just one lifetime. It’s incredibly
eye-opening, and you’ll want to share this movie
with others. This movie made me become more
aware of what I do as an American everyday, and it
helped me curb some of my own “bad” habits.
If you’d like to determine what your own Carbon
Footprint might be, Sierra Club has put together a
nice online guide for getting this guesstimate:
www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/co2carbon-dioxide-center/
(If you google search “Carbon Footprint Calculator”
you’ll find that many conservation organizations (and
some companies too) have set up similar calculators online, in order to help you determine what your
footprint might be.)
More carbon footprint calculators online:
EPA’s website: www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html
WWF’s version: www.wwfmaps.org/CC/carbon_
calc.php
The Nature Conservancy’s version:
www.nature.org/greenliving/carboncalculator/
index.htm
After you determine what your carbon footprint is,
these organizations typically offer you an option
to buy some “carbon credits/ offsets.” This is
the mitigation of carbon footprints through the
development of alternative projects. The money
you donate could go toward solar or wind energy
plants, or toward reforestation efforts. Buying
offsets is a good way to take immediate action. It
just comes down to what organization you would
like to help more directly, and how much you’d like
to give.
15 Great Suggestions for Lessening
Our Own Carbon Footprint More:
1. Buy locally sourced food (Check out
Homegrown Coop in Orlando, see p5) and help
save vast amounts of energy in shipping. (Most
produce in US supermarket travels an average
of 1,500 miles before it is even sold!) Buying
organic helps lessen the amount of chemicals and toxins we are placing in our soil and
watershed too. Heard of the Dirty Dozen? The
Shopper’s Guide put out by the EWG (Environmental Working Group), lists the top 12 fruits
and veggies that you SHOULD avoid buying
unless they are organic. This is because these
12 listed when in “conventional form” are likely
to hold the most toxins and pesticides that you
would then ingest. Learn more, and get the
complete guide here:
www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/
2. Replace atleast one beef meal with a
vegetarian one atleast once a week and
help prevent some 300 lbs of greenhouse gas
emissions from entering the atmosphere!
Learn more about the Meatless Monday Movement here: www.MeatlessMonday.com
3. Go native. Planting native plants reduces the
amount of water used and encourages native
wildlife. Also helps clean the air! A great local
guide for researching native plants: http://publicserver2.sjrwmd.com/waterwise/search.jsp
4. Pay attention to packaging. Maybe buy
the loose fruits and veggies, vs. those packaged on a foam tray and then wrapped in more
plastic. Bring your reusable bags, too. A GREAT
website for reusable bags and all things eco:
www.reuseit.com
page 3
5. Ditch the bottled water. Bottled water
has a HUGE carbon footprint. It’s bottled in
one location (taking water away from that
water shed), and then shipped to another.
Then, all that plastic (much of which is not
recycled) ends up in landfills, and the caps
may end up in the bellies of birds and other
animals curious for a “potential” meal. Two
GREAT movies (both available on Netflix,
play-now option) that I can highly recommend you watch are “BLUE GOLD: World
Water Wars” and “THIRST” —*take note
you want the WATER related THIRST movie.
Both movies I’ve listed are VERY eye-opening,
and empowering. An amazing photographer
who shows what plastic is doing to birds is Chris
Jordan. View the photos here:
www.ChrisJordan.com/gallery/midway/
6. Energy proof your home. The best way to
determine steps in which one can improve your
home’s energy efficiency and performance is
to conduct an energy audit. RIGHT NOW, Sierra
Club Green Home has started a brand new
Energy Audit First Campaign! As part of the
campaign, which is designated to help lower
the carbon footprint of 1,000 American homes
within 60 days, they can offer you a home
energy audit for a dramatically reduced rate of
only $50, or FREE for the first 5 people to sign up
if you can provide for them the background info
on your power and gas usage for their database.
Excited!? Learn more here, and sign up today:
www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/home-energyaudit-center/?openform
7. Buy Energy Star Appliances. ENERGY STAR
is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department
of Energy helping
us save money and
protect the environment through energy
efficient products and
practices. “Results are
adding up. Americans, with the help of
ENERGY STAR, saved
enough energy in
2010 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions
equivalent to those from 33 million cars, all
while saving nearly $18 billion on their utility
bills.” (Always look for the ENERGY STAR logo!)
Learn more even more: www.energystar.gov
*Progress Energy is offering some rebates right
now, like on a new solar water heater. Learn
even more about this here:
www.progress-energy.com/florida/home/saveenergy-money/index.page
F94Q W3304 1
Print this out, Enclose Payment info & Mail to:
Sierra Club Membership Services
P.O. BOX 52968
Boulder, CO 80322-2968
page 4
8. Unplug appliances that are not in use.
Even stuff on standby (when the red light is still
on) is still using what is called phantom electricity. This uses energy, and is still costing you
money! Unplug, unplug, unplug.
9. Replace incandescent bulbs with CFLs or
Photo by Chris Jordan
LEDs (You can buy LEDs in bulk cheaper online,
and LEDs are better for the environment since
they contain no mercury, and don’t need to be
specially dropped off/recycled because of this.
They have come down considerably in price as
well — and will last about 30,000+ hrs longer
than a traditional bulb! A bright idea, right!?
10. Set your water heater to 130 degree F,
and turn down the thermostat in winter,
and then up in the summer. (Add or take off
layers to accommodate oneself, or also get a
space heater for the “colder” Florida months.)
11. Retrofit one showerhead and 2 faucets
with high-efficiency models and this will
help reduce water usage by some 50-70%, while
still maintaining the same user experience!
(I can contest to this as well.)
12. Follow the three R’s when you can:
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.
13. Get a more fuel efficient car. Take mass
transit. Walk/Ride Bike. Carpool. Always make
sure your tires are inflated to proper recommended levels too in order to get the most out
of your tank. And combine trips and errands
when you can. Whatever you can do to save on
gas. Learn additional tips on becoming a more
eco driver here: www.fuelly.com
14. Have friends or family over. Preparing
meals is more efficient in larger groups. It saves
on energy, and also helps prevent wasted food.
(Now to just clean my house . . . )
15. Buy Carbon Credits/Offsets I try to do
this every time I book a flight. I usually go with
www.carbonfund.org/trees (We’re always in
need of trees and clean air!) More great tips can
be found:
www.carbonfund.org/site/pages/save_energy
Bottom line though: Knowledge is power.
If we do our research with how things are produced, and continue to ask questions, and get
answers, than we are on the right path to making
better choices for ourselves, but also for the environment. Here’s to smaller carbon footprints, and
treading lighter on the earth!
Building a Sustainable Local Food System for Central FL:
Homegrown Local Food Cooperative
Provided by Emily Ruff
Since 2007, Homegrown Local Food
Cooperative has operated an online
farmers’ market that has enabled
Central Floridians convenient access
to local food through a network of
sustainable and organic farms, ranches
and independently owned artisan
kitchens. Recently, the Co-op has
opened a small, retail convenience store
located on the north side of downtown
Orlando. The complete online
inventory includes over 1,000
items sourced from more than
50 local artisans, farmers,
ranchers and even backyard
gardeners. Farm fresh choices
include fresh seasonal produce,
eggs, cheese, grass-fed beef,
pastured poultry, ready-to-eat
prepared foods and bakery
breads and pastries. Other
available products include
juices and drinks and bulk
dried foods, herbs and spices,
along with natural personal
and pet care products, organic
gardening supplies and sustainable home
improvement technology.
You can pre-order through the online market
twice per week and pick up your items or
have them delivered to your home or office
on Wednesday or Saturday each week. The
Farm Store is open for walk-in purchases
by
non-members
and members alike,
from 10 am to 7 pm,
Wednesday through
Sunday.
Regarding the Coop’s development,
Market
Director
Michael Tiner says,
“It’s exciting to see
Homegrown Co-op
grow to help more
Central
Floridians
commit to a diet that
is sourced locally.
Eating local not only tastes great, it creates
sustainable jobs and develops a unique
culture for our community. It’s healthier and
better for the environment too. We’re using
cooperative principles to create a robust,
transparent and democratically controlled
Want to ADVERTISE with us?!
This Newsletter is published online bimonthly: 6 issues a year, available at www.CentralFloridaSierra.org
Typical Ad Sizes are:
3-1/2” x 2” (biz. card size) - $35 (Size of THIS Ad)
4” x 3-1/2” - $70
Quarter page - $80
Purchase 5 ads, the 6th is free! (So, 2 months of free
ad space). *We prefer that you provide us with a “printready” ad, but if needed, we can help you with this.
If interested email: [email protected]
Complete the Cycle!
Buy Recycled Plastic Products.
Available at Whole Foods.
Check out their whole line of 100%
recycled & sustainable products.
www.preserveproducts.com
food system for area residents.”
The Co-op is member-owned, and
members receive benefits including
voting rights, member prices, and patronage dividends. The Co-op requires
all producers to complete a rigorous application process to ensure that the food
is produced sustainably. Every detail
counts, from water conservation and land
conservation, to fertilization and seed saving.
Local environmentalists want a transparent
access to their farmers, and to know what is
going into the food they are eating. Homegrown Co-op makes that happen, providing
convenient and consistent access to sustainably, locally produced foods. It has been a
driving force in the preservation of agricultural lands, jobs, and culture in our community
- with an emphasis on total sustainability.
Location: 2310 N. Orange Ave.,
Orlando, FL 32804
Contact: 407-895-5559
Hours: 10 am - 7 pm, Wednesday - Sunday
www.homegrowncoop.org
(*It’s the BRIGHT ORANGE building, across from
the hospital.)
“As someone who shops here, the food is always
fresh, organic, and you can taste the difference!
It feels good supporting local, and being part of
a movement like this!”
— Maria, current CFL Sierra Club Chair
Sierra Club Calendars and Planners
Now for Sale — A GREAT GIFT IDEA!
The Inner City Outings (ICO) Program of the
Central Florida Sierra Club is now selling
Sierra Club calendars to raise funds for ICO.
You can choose between the wall calendar
or the planner, at the low cost of $12.95 plus
tax,and $13.95 plus tax, respectively.
Both are published on high quality paper
and filled with exquisite nature photographs from all areas of the United States.
These make wonderful Thanksgiving Day,
Christmas, Chanukah, or any occasion gifts.
And remember, proceeds go towards funding trips for low-income kids from
Central Florida.
Please contact Dawn at [email protected] to place your orders.
Thanks for your participation!
page 5
Want to Join Others in Assisting Sierra Club on
Important Issues at Hand?
We’re collecting contact info for those who would like to be added to our ACTION ALERT database. What are Action Alerts? This is when we
would ask of you the public (members and non-Sierra members alike) via email, to assist us on various issues/topics that need immediate
attention. Perhaps an urban sprawl project is happening in a wildlife corridor and we need your concern voiced on this. Or a campaign is going
on to benefit the environment in some way, and it needs immediate support/action. What our Action Alerts ask of the public is simple: Either an
email or a phone call in support of whatever Sierra Club’s view is on said topic— which is always pro-environment. If you’d like to help us, and be
notified of these Action Alerts via your email, please email [email protected] and include your full name, the email you’d like Action
Alerts to be sent to, your phone number, and your zip code. Thank you in advance for wanting to assist us with our mantra of: Explore, Enjoy and
Protect The Planet. As you well know, the Sierra Club is a grassroots organization, and we need all of the support that we can get in order to
help our environment as pristine as possible. Thanks for caring!!!
Case Study: VANILLA
This article is being reprinted from www.Costcoconnection.com/connection/
201108#pg28 (Provided by Marge Holt and Mary-Slater Linn)
“Since Big Box Stores aren’t going anywhere, it is refreshing when a company like Costco is trying to become more sustainable.”
— Maria Bolton-Joubert
FOR MANY YEARS, Madagascar has been the
leading producer of fine vanilla beans, supplying
some 70 percent of the world’s supply. But storms
and political unrest have often disrupted production—leaving supplies unreliable, driving up
prices for fine vanilla extract and putting money
in the hands of traders, not farmers. Seeking
another source of high-quality vanilla, Costco
turned to Uganda, which has excellent conditions
for growing vanilla beans. Through an ambitious
program that involved Costco, UVAN, a Ugandabased vanilla bean processor,
a Danish flavor company and the Danish government, the Ugandan vanilla industry today has become a key player in the world’s vanilla industry.
And its success is based on sustainability.
The development program, initiated five years
ago, focus on educating the farmers about the
best vanilla growing and harvesting methods,
and on improvements in the communities. Vanilla
bean farming wasn’t new in Uganda: Farmers had
tried it before, but the industry had never brought
fair returns because of poor production practices
and limited access to world markets. One early
step under the development program was to show
the farmers the value of allowing the beans to
mature on the vine. Traditionally,
farmers picked the beans early
for quick cash—and to avoid
having them stolen. Beans that
are allowed to mature have higher vanillin content—thus a richer
vanilla extract and significantly
higher value on the market,
explains Kristen Hayes, Costco’s
buyer of vanilla products. Also,
UVAN established a curing station so the beans
could be cured to high standards, consistently.
This eliminated a system of middlemen and enables the farmers to get premium prices for high
quality beans. But perhaps the program offering
the biggest long term impact is new village savings and loans that offer families access to loans.
Many of the families live in remote areas without
any banks. The savings and loans offer them cash
to diversify their businesses and increase their incomes. For example, Kristen says, a family could
borrow money to buy chickens for eggs—which
they could eat or sell—or seeds to grow and sell
vegetables. “In a country where financing is difficult to get, these small loans make an incredibly
big difference for these families,” says Kristen.
And Costco’s role? The company is partnering
with the farmers to create a reliable supply of
high-quality vanilla. This partnership offers a
steady market for the farmers and helps them
plan for the future. The vanilla is blended and
sold as Kirkland Signature™ Pure Vanilla and
is also used to flavor Kirkland Signature Vanilla
Ice Cream. It all translates into huge savings
for members: The price for a 16-ounce bottle of
Kirkland Signature Pure Vanilla is below $7. Today, about 9,500 Ugandan farmers are involved in
the program. “We are essentially partnering with
these families to produce the best vanilla in the
world,” sums up Kristen. “It’s a system where
everybody wins. That’s sustainability.”
Want to Help Salvage Some Native Plants?
Native plants are a great way to help the environment, save on water, and save you money! They’re sustainable!!!
The Tarflower Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society salvages plants for relocation from areas to be developed. They have been regularly
salvaging upland plants from the natural area of the Pine Ridge Landfill (located in west Orange County) and will resume activities starting
the first Saturday in October, and thereafter, the first Saturday of the month. If you can stand the heat, we will be glad to arrange a special
event to save some native plants! Contact: Jackie Rolly 407-620-6963 or Marjorie Holt 407-679-6759. Thank you!
page 6
Florida Will End
Weekly Bacteria Tests
at Some Beaches
Testing at other sites might take place every
other week instead
9:26 p.m. EDT, August 5, 2011
TALLAHASSEE — The state plans to stop
weekly testing for bacteria at 55 beaches
statewide, including several in Central
Florida, because of budget cuts that have
wiped out resources to continue the Florida
Healthy Beaches program on its current
scale.
The Florida Department of Health has cut
$525,000 from beach-water-testing funds
this year, leaving only an expected $539,000
federal grant to pay for all testing statewide. That means that beaches with fewer
problems or low traffic will get axed from the
program, which currently tests water quality
at 304 beaches, and the remaining sites will
only be tested every other week. However,
local health departments can opt to do additional testing.
“Overall, Florida has very good water
quality,” said Jessica Hammonds, a DOH
spokeswoman. “Only 1 percent of our water
samples are considered poor. There is no
reason to believe that the overall water
quality at these sites will change based
on these program changes. Any long-term
changes in water quality will still show up in
the monitoring we will still be doing.”
Still, the changes elicited some concerns
from locals and tourists who frequent Florida’s popular and picturesque beaches.
“It bothers me immensely. On a scale of 1 to
10, it gets an 11. They should test the water
for the public’s safety,” Justin Hixenbaugh,
32, of West Palm Beach said.
The state Health Department held public
meetings across the state to seek public
input on the changes. At one meeting in
Volusia County, nobody showed up except
reporters.
In Volusia, the beaches being dropped from
regular testing are at Villa Way and Flagler
Avenue, both in New Smyrna Beach. Brevard
County is slated to lose its testing site at
Patrick Air Force Base.
Though New Smyrna Beach is a popular
beach destination for Orlando residents, Villa
Way has fewer visitors.
Also, the New Smyrna area will still have two
active test sites: at the jetty, a top destination for Central Florida surfers, and at
27th Avenue Park. Health officials said the
number of beachgoers was a key factor in
deciding where to maintain the testing.
Hammonds said the factors used to decide
where to stop monitoring included water-
quality history, beach usage and cost effectiveness. However, 15 of the 55 beaches that
will no longer receive weekly monitoring are
considered higher-risk because they have
had 21 or more advisory days during the past
five years linked to high bacteria levels. That
includes St. George Island in the Panhandle,
named the sixth-best beach in the country
in an annual survey this year by a Florida
International University professor.
In 1998, the department began a pilot
program conducting beach-water sampling
in 11 coastal counties every two weeks and
reporting the results on the agency’s website
and in the news media. In August 2000, it expanded to include the 34 counties currently
being tested and in 2002, moved to weekly
sampling.
The DOH is revising its work plan to submit
to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
for approval next week. It expects to enact
the new testing schedule in September.
Staff writers Jaclyn Rosansky, Philippe
Buteau and Ludmilla Lelis contributed to this
report.
[email protected] or 850-224-6214.
Follow her on Twitter @khaughney
Pulled from: www.orlandosentinel.
com/health/fl-state-halts-beach-testing20110805-11,0,3358389.story
FR EEC YCL E !
By Maria Bolton-Joubert
Join the
Central Florida
Sierra Club
at this year’s Veg Fest!
Saturday, Oct 22nd
10 am - 6 pm
Loch Haven Park
Contact Dawn to help volunteer at
our booth: [email protected]
Hope to see you here!
We all know of the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse,
and Recycle. But have you ever heard of
“freecycle”? Have an old couch you’d like
to see get a new home? Changing out your
garden, and have some plants to get rid of?
Getting a new wardrobe, and like to donate
your clothes? Tired of the old exercise
equipment taking up room in your garage?
Typical Image of a Landfill
Well, other than having a garage sale, using
Craigslist’s “curb-alert”, or donating to your local thrift store, a website I can recommend that’s easy to
use and free to place an ad to help get rid of good stuff is, “ www.Freecycle.org ” *All you have to do is
sign up, and become a member!
The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,977 groups with 8,718,137 members around the world! It’s a
grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in
their own towns. It’s all about reusing and keeping good stuff out of the landfills. There are local groups
in most all towns, and Orlando has two groups, with one dedicated in the Dr Phillips area. Each group
is moderated by local volunteers, and membership is totally free. You just sign up by going unto www.
freecycle.org and plugging in Orlando, and follow the instructions.
FreeCycle.org is a cool (and sustainable) way to get free, used (and sometimes even new) stuff, and help
lessen our environmental impact as a species by placing less into landfills — which means less water, air
and soil pollution. Total win-win!
page 7
Monterey Bay
Seafood Watch
Info taken from:
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx?c=dd
SEAFOOD WATCH INFO:
Seafood Watch (which is put on by the Monteray
Bay out in California) raises consumer awareness through our pocket guides, website, mobile
applications and outreach efforts. We encourage
restaurants, distributors and seafood purveyors to
purchase from sustainable sources.
Seafood Watch recommendations are sciencebased, peer reviewed, and use ecosystem-based
criteria. Since 1999, we’ve distributed tens of
millions of pocket guides, our iPhone application
has been downloaded more than 240,000 times,
and we have close to 200 partners across North
America, including the two largest food service
companies in the U.S.
What Is Our Vision of Sustainability?
At Seafood Watch we help sustain wild, diverse and
healthy ocean ecosystems that will exist long into
the future. We do this by encouraging consumers
and businesses to purchase seafood that is fished
or farmed in ways that don’t harm the environment. When there is scientific uncertainty, we err
on the side of conservation.
Why Do Seafood Choices Matter?
Nearly 75% of the world’s fisheries are fished to
capacity, or overfished. Our seafood choices have
the power to make this situation worse, or improve
it. Seafood Watch recommendations don’t hinge
on any single issue. Instead, they consider the
fishery, habitat, species, management, and a host
of other factors that affect each species. In this way,
Seafood Watch offers a complete vision of sustainability.
How Does Seafood Watch Develop Recommendations?
Our scientists research government reports, journal
articles and white papers. They also contact fishery
and fish farm experts. After a thorough review,
we apply our sustainability criteria to develop an
in-depth Seafood Watch Report. All of our reports
are reviewed by a panel of experts from academia,
government and the seafood industry and are
available on our website. From our reports, we create our seafood recommendations.
Our website offers a complete list of Seafood Watch
recommendations, with background information.
We also print handy, condensed pocket guides that
consumers can use when shopping or dining out.
Pocket guides are available for six regions of the
U.S.: West Coast, Southwest, Central U.S., Southeast, Northeast and Hawaii. Each contains a short
list of recommendations for the most popular items
in that region. We also have national and sushi
versions of the pocket guides. All of our guides are
updated every six months. We also offer applications for iPhones and other mobile devices.
To download your sustainable Seafood
Watch pocket guide today, go here: http://
www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/download.aspx
_______________________________________
Like documentaries? Two GREAT movies to watch
that discuss issues within the Fishing Industry
are, “THE END OF THE LINE” and “SHARKWATER.”
Both are very educational, and will make you more
aware of the types of fishing practices that are
currently going on within the industry — some are
definitely less sustainable than others. Know about
“bycatch” for example? Bycatch is a term used for
fish that are caught unintentionally in a fishery
while trying to catch other fish. Bycatch contributes
to fishery decline and is a mechanism of overfishing and unintentional catch. The highest rates of
bycatch exist with shrimp trawling (You should
always avoid seafood caught from trawling, it’s
like a bulldozer on the sea floor!) In 1997, the Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO) documented the estimated bycatch and discard levels from shrimp fisheries around the world.
They found discard rates (bycatch to catch ratios)
as high as 20:1 with the world average of 5.7:1
Taken from: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bycatch
We should all try to be more sustainable with
seafood. I highly recommend printing a Seafood
Watch Pocket Guide, and keep it on your person.
Reference it when at the grocery store, or when at
restaurants. Everyone’s efforts add up, and we can
turn back the tides on bycatch and depletion of our
sea life.
NO OIL DRILLING IN FLORIDA WATERS:
Save our Sea, Beaches, and Shores, Campaign
(IF YOU ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE, PLEASE PRINT THE NEXT PAGE (PAGE 9) IN THIS NEWSLETTER
Read, Sign (Print Page 9) & Mail it to: “Save our Seas, Beaches and Shores, Inc., PO BOX 6686, Tallahassee, FL, 32314 )
Friends and Fellow Floridians:
The Florida Wildlife Federation (FWF), and many other citizens and groups, (Including the Sierra Club) want the public to have the chance to vote
on near-shore oil drilling and to ban the possibility of this destructive practice. Our state relies on clean beaches for our economic and environmental
well-being. Oil drilling in our state marine waters, which extend approximately three miles into the Atlantic Ocean and 10 miles into the Gulf of Mexico,
is simply too great a risk to take. Unfortunately, some of our elected leaders disagree, and as recently as the 2009 Legislative Session, voted to end
the present statutory drilling ban.
Floridians asked the Legislature, at the Special Session held in July 2010, to place the issue before the voters. Unfortunately, the Legislature did not
agree to allow Floridians to vote to amend the State Constitution in the November 2010 general election. In light of the inaction of the Legislature, and
to forestall any future attempt to allow near-shore oil drilling, we have created Save our Seas, Beaches and Shores, Inc. (SOSBS) to coordinate a
citizens’ petition drive to place the ban on the November 2012 ballot. This will not be easy. We will need approximately 700,000 verified petitions.
As of today, we have received approval for the “Constitutional Amendment Petition Form,” from the Department of State, Division of Elections. This
effort will take all of us! Please join in!
1) Forms must be filled out completely and sent in to the address on the form. (PETITION included on the following page (page 9) in this newsletter. PLEASE print the next page, read, fill out, and mail to “Save our Seas, Beaches and Shores, Inc., PO BOX 6686, Tallahassee, FL, 32314)
2) While a signatory may insert either his or her Voter Registration Number or Date of Birth, having the Voter Registration Number will speed the processing by the Supervisor of Elections offices.
3) SOSBS, Inc. is a non-profit organization, but donations thereto are NOT tax deductible. That said, any financial support is welcome.
Thank you very much – this is our chance to save our coasts, our economy and our environmental heritage for ourselves and future Floridians.
Learn more at: www.sosbs.org and please ask your friends and family to help too. Thank you!
page 8
CONSTITUTIONAL�AMENDMENT�PETITION�FORM��
Note:�All�information�on�this�form,�including�your�signature,�becomes�a�public�record�upon�receipt�by�the�
Supervisor�of�Elections.�Under�Florida�law,�it�is�a�first�degree�misdemeanor,�punishable�as�provided�in�s.�
775.082�or�s.�775.083,�Florida�Statutes,�to�knowingly�sign�more�than�one�petition�for�a�candidate,�a�
minor�political�party,�or�an�issue.�[Section�104.185,�Florida�Statutes]�If�all�requested�information�on�this�
form�is�not�completed,�the�form�will�not�be�valid.�
�
Your�Name:�___________________________________________________�
�
�������Please�print�name�as�it�appears�on�your�voter�information�card�
�
Your�Residential�Street�Address:��________________________________________________________�
City�___________________________�Zip�_________________�County��_________________________�
Voter�Registration�Number�_______________________�or�Date�of�Birth�_________________________�
I� am� a� registered� voter� of� Florida� and� hereby� petition� the� Secretary� of� State� to� place� the� following�
proposed�amendment�to�the�Florida�Constitution�on�the�ballot�in�the�general�election.�
BALLOT�TITLE:�Prohibiting�oil�drilling�in�Florida�waters�seaward�of�Florida’s�mean�high�tide�line.�
BALLOT�SUMMARY:�Prohibiting�oil�drilling�for�exploration�or�extraction�in�and�beneath�Florida�waters�
from�the�mean�high�tide�line�to�the�outermost�boundaries�of�Florida’s�territorial�seas.��
ARTICLE�AND�SECTION�BEING�CREATED�OR�AMENDED:�Article�II,�Section�7�
FULL�TEXT�OF�THE�PROPOSED�CONSTITUTIONAL�AMENDMENT:�
BE�IT�ENACTED�BY�THE�PEOPLE�OF�FLORIDA�THAT:��
Article�II,�Section�7,�is�hereby�amended�to�add�the�following�subsection:�
To� protect� the� people� of� Florida� and� their� environment,� oil� drilling� for� exploration� or� extraction� is�
prohibited� in� and� beneath� all� Florida� waters� between� the� mean� high� tide� line� and� the� outermost�
boundaries�of�the�Florida�territorial�seas.�This�prohibition�shall�not�apply�to�transportation�of�oil�and�gas�
products�produced�outside�of�these�waters.�This�provision�is�self�executing.��
DATE�OF�SIGNATURE:_______________�������
�
�
�
��
�
�
�
X________________________________________�
���SIGNATURE�OF�REGISTERED�VOTER�
PLEASE�RETURN�TO:�Save�our�Seas,�PO�Box�6686,�Tallahassee,�FL�32314��
Paid�petition�circulator’s�name�and�address�(if�applicable)�______________________________�
_____________________________________________________________________________�
Pd.pol.adv.�Save�our�Seas,�Beaches�and�Shores,�Inc.,�
�PO�Box�6686,�Tallahassee,�FL�32314� �
�
�
�
�
�
SERIAL�NUMBER���10�01�
�
DATE�APPROVED���8/18/2010�
Congress Votes for Harmful Policy Riders
NOTE: In order to properly view this page:
Download this newsletter. Once you have opened
this (in Adobe Reader), and read the portion below,
go to the VIEW tab in the upper left of your screen,
scroll down to ROTATE VIEW, and click CLOCKWISE. *OR, consider printing this page.
Learn more at: www.lcv.org/scorecard/
Provided by Cecilia Height
The Continuing Resolution: Congress passes an
extension to the Continuing Resolution for short
term funding of the Federal Government until
the final budget is agreed upon and sent to the
President for his approval. Continuing Resolutions include deadlines for enacting legislation
to fund the remainder of fiscal year, in this case
2011, until the final resolution is passed by
Congress and signed by the President as law.
During these periods, legislation is debated and
voted upon. Many of these votes have included
numerous assaults of the environmental programs and issues listed in this scorecard.
The League of Conservation Voters released a
Continuing Resolution Special Edition National
Environmental Scorecard, revealing member
scores for environmental, public health, and energy votes taken on amendments to the Housepassed spending bill. The introduced text of
H.R. 1, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations
Act of 2011, contains numerous so-called “policy
riders” that block enforcement of vital environmental and public health laws, which jeopardize
the provisions undermining the Clean Air Act,
the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species
Act, and the federal “Wild Lands” policy.
The scores of the Central Florida Delegation
are as follows with Rep. Corrine Brown as our
environmental heroine:
Corrine Brown - District 3 (96%),
Richard Nugent - District 5 (0%),
Clifford Sterns – District 6 (8%),
John Mica – District 7 (4%),
Daniel Webster – District 8 (16%),
Bill Posey - District 15 (0%),
and Sandy Adams –District 24 (4%).
page 10
VOLUNTEER IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Anthony Miller
Anthony Miller writes: “While working in Miami as a professional photographer in the mid-1980s, shooting
commercial sales and corporate materials for such clients as General Development Corporation and Arvida,
I had the opportunity to visit many of their new communities such as Port Charlotte, Palm Bay, and Country
Walk. What struck me, was the wasteful development patterns and wholesale destruction of Florida’s
natural systems. In 1987, I left the photography business, and moved back to Central Florida to pursue a
degree in botany.
I am a graduate of the University of Florida with High Honors, earning an interdisciplinary degree between
the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the College of Natural Resources. A major component of my
studies at UF was the completion of a 372-page thesis entitled, “Guide to the Endangered Plants of North
and Central Peninsular Florida”, which served as the template for Florida Natural Areas Inventory’s Field
Guide to the Rare Plants and Animals of Florida.
Following graduation, I moved back to the Orlando area to work first as an environmental consultant, then
contract work with The Nature Conservancy, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, and UF. For the past 17 ½
years, I have worked as a permit reviewer for the St. Johns River Water Management District, the last four of
which have been as the District’s regulatory coordinator and primary contact with the Florida Department
of Transportation. During my tenure as FDOT coordinator, I have had the opportunity to guide significant
advances in wildlife crossing design and use in Central Florida, and to minimize adverse design elements through early coordination and intervention.
In early June of this year, I resigned from St. Johns River Water Management District to pursue other interests. One of these interests is to utilize my regulatory experience, ecological knowledge, and natural strengths of ideation to promote conservation of our remaining natural systems, restoration of our
degraded natural systems, and development of creative solutions to our ever increasing environmental challenges. “
Anthony Miller can be reached at: [email protected] or by cell at: (407) 832-4799
*We want to welcome Anthony (aka Tony) Miller as our latest and greatest edition to the Executive Committee Member (EXCOM) Team!
He’s currently a Member-At-Large, and we look forward to working with Tony toward making this Central Florida Sierra Club Group better and more eco than
ever! Here’s to helping the environment more, and working toward positive changes and compromises!
We thank YOU, Tony, for wanting to join the Team! — Maria Bolton-Joubert
UPCOMING PROGRAMS:
All programs are held the 3 rd Wed of the month at 6:30 pm, at Harry P. Leu Gardens, 1920 N Forest Avenue, Orlando Florida.
For directions to Leu Gardens, visit: www.centralfloridasierra.org
Door opens at 6:30 pm, with light snacks and socializing. A great way to meet more environmental folk and network.
Programs are held from 7 - 8:45 pm. A brief discussion of environmental issues precedes the program.
Admission is always free, and the public is invited — So come on down, and bring your friends!
WED. SEPT 21 st PROGRAM:
The Tao of Everest by Ian Woodall. In a totally unique program, Ian brings the triumphs
and tragedies of climbing the highest mountain in the world directly to his audience. Between 1995 and 2003 Ian conceived, planned
and led four expeditions to Everest. In 1996, Woodall was the leader of the controversial first South African Mount Everest expedition, during which one member of the party died. In May 1998, Woodall and his climbing partner were again on Everest when they
encountered their friend Francys Arsentiev during her last hours in life. They called off their own attempt to reach the summit and
tried to help, but because of her condition and the location, they were finally forced to abandon her. In 2007 Woodall led an expedition, The Tao of Everest, with the purpose of burying the bodies of Arsentiev and also of Tsewang “Green Boots” Paljor, who had
died during the 1996 Mount Everest disaster. Bad weather delayed the attempt, and on May 23, 2007, Woodall and Phuri Sherpa
were unfortunately only able to recover Arsentiev’s body, and after a brief ceremony, drop her body off the North Face to join others
in their mountain grave.
WED. OCT 19 th PROGRAM: Come hear from UCF professor Anna Lillios as she speaks on her book: Crossing the
Creek: The Literary Friendship of Zora Neale Hurston and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. The title Crossing the Creek refers to an
event in July, 1942 when these well-established writers meet in St. Augustine, Florida. The Pulitzer Prize-winning white woman is
hosting the black woman. It’s an outrageous situation at that time and in that place. Lillios’s book explores the cultural and personal
significances of an unusual interracial friendship. Lillios lays out ways in which the two women positioned themselves to allow such a
relationship to grow. Each was able to reach the other’s sympathetic ear in times of major personal struggles. The book also explains
ways in which each writer portrayed the life of small Florida communities, Eatonville and Cross Creek.
page 11
UPCOMING OUTINGS:
Participants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a standard liability waiver.
To read the waiver prior to the outing, contact the Outings Department at 415-977-5528 or visit us online at
www.sierraclub.org/outings/chapter/forms/ Sierra Club is a Florida Seller of Travel Ref. No. ST37115. CA Seller of Travel CST 2087766-40.
(Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.)
Saturday Sept 17th: Day hike at Lake Kissimmee State Park. Meet at 9:30am on SR 535 at the McDonalds, just north of I-4, to carpool. To meet at
the park, the address is: 14248 Camp Mack Road, Lake Wales, FL 33853. Florida’s cowboy heritage comes alive with living history demonstrations of
the early Florida “cow hunters” in an 1876-era cow camp. White-tailed deer, bald eagles, sandhill cranes, turkeys, and bobcats have been seen in the
park, located on the shores of lakes Kissimmee, Tiger, and Rosalie. We’ll hike 7 miles, so bring lunch and plenty of water!
RSVP to leader: Rodney Posey after 5:00pm at 321-436-2349 or rposey1@cfl.rr.com Cost: $6.00 park fee
Saturday Sept 24th:
Today is National Public Lands Day and we’ll join Orange County for the 5th Annual National Public Lands Day Event from 912pm. Hosted by the Environmental Protection Division Green PLACE Program, we’ll meet at Savage Christmas Creek Preserve, 11046 NW Christmas
Road in Christmas, FL. Bring gloves, and we’ll help with trail maintenance and the removal of debris and invasive plants. Bring lunch and plenty of water.
Children are welcome. RSVP to leader: Mary-Slater Linn 407-481-4398 fl[email protected]
Sat & Sun Oct 8-9th:
Weekend backpacking trip in Ocala National Forest. Meet Saturday morning (CALL to find out time) and we will hike about 6
miles to the Hidden Pond campsite and then back out the next day. Moderate. Open to the public. *No pets please. Camping is free, but you have to pay
to enter the park. RSVP to leader: Rodney Posey after 5:00pm at 321-436-2349 or rposey1@cfl.rr.com
Saturday Oct 8th: SIERRA CLUB FUNDRASIER: St. Johns River Boat Tour from 1 - 4pm. Enjoy a 3 hour afternoon cruise on the St. John’s River
with your fellow friends from the Central Fla environmental community! Rain or shine. Private boat tour starting at Hontoon Island Marina in Deland.
Sierra Club has chartered the boat with Captain Randlett from Blue Heron Boat Tours. Passengers are treated to scenic views of the river, as it
meanders through the lush green Florida wilderness. The slow-flowing river is the longest in the state of Florida (310 miles). The boat will make frequent
stops to point out wildlife. Passengers welcome to bring a picnic basket with wine and snacks for the trip. *Children over the age of 10 are also welcome.
Cost: 35.00 per person. RSVP to leader: Mary-Slater Linn 407-481-4398 fl[email protected]
Sunday Oct 16th: St. Francis Hike. This is one of Rodney’s favorite hikes! Meet at the Toys R Us at Seminole Town Center at 8:30am to carpool to
the trailhead. The 7-mile St. Francis Trail takes you all the way out to the St. Francis historical site on the St. Johns River, near DeLand. You won’t be
able to see much of the old town, just a few artesian wells and the remains of the old pier along the river. Bring water and lunch.
RSVP to leader: Rodney Posey after 5:00pm at 321-436-2349 or rposey1@cfl.rr.com
Saturday Oct 22nd: Makinson Island Kayak Camping Trip. We will kayak to this island in Lake Tohopekaliga near Kissimmee. Lots of old history
with Chief Osceola believed to have been born and lived on this island. It is now an Osceola County Park with boat dock, camp area, pavilion and
potapotty. There are hiking trails around the island, so plan to do some hiking. Contact Leader to RSVP with meeting times. No rentals available.
RSVP to leader: Rodney Posey after 5:00pm at 321-436-2349 or rposey1@cfl.rr.com
Central Florida Group
Post Office Box 941692
Maitland, FL 32794-1692
NONPROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
MID FLORIDA, FL
PERMIT 547
page 12