The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today welcomed both the Hampton Inn and Courtyard by Marriott into the Florida Green Lodging Program. The designations are the first for Brevard County and the 37th and 38th for the program.
As land is developed in Florida the native flora is removed and usually replaced with non-native vegetation. Wildlife habitat is reduced, water, fertilizer and pesticide usage increases, and the appearance of Florida is altered. But urban and suburban dwellers can reduce the damage being done to our ecosystems by viewing their yards as part of the natural system. This means using native plants and doing it in a way more attuned to natural places.
Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services is assisting Florida farmers and ranchers in producing bio-fuel crops to help reduce the nation’s dependency on foreign oil. Commissioner Bronson believes that Florida can be a leader in the effort of producing energy from crops and timber because of the vast amount of farm acreage in the state and its mild climate, which permits crops to be grown virtually year round.
Bill Young, a researcher and disaster relief expert at the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), will give a free presentation for the general public on disaster preparedness using renewable energy technologies on February 22.
As 2005 draws to a close and we look forward to the new year, I found this information on Citizens Against Government Waste. CAGW is the source of information on government waste and, backed by our members, CAGW works tirelessly everyday to win cuts in wasteful spending.
Ever wonder about your “Nocturnal Neighbors”? Spend a Day learning about Florida’s Sea Turtles! Learn how to join NESTS — Neighbors Ensuring Sea Turtle Survival
I don’t know where you stand on the topic of school prayer. For me, I think our public schools need us to pray for them. But rather than send everyone off in one direction or the other, the subject of this article is how we all misperceive our government and how it works.
A visit to Forever Florida and the Crescent J Ranch is like a romp through the terrain that once dominated this State. The unfortunate part is trying to figure out where we will show our children this amount of unspoiled land in the future?
Florida’s Future – is a Choice. How we choose to build that future is up to us. To address just that, and promote sustainable building and more repsonsible development, Florida’s Green Building Coalition was formed. And to get the word out, the FGBC presents Greentrends 2005 from May 25-27, 2005 in Sarasota.