Defending Florida's State Parks: A Call to Action to Prevent Proposed Development
Release Date: 08/26/2024
Millimeters That Matter: The Sea Level Rise Threshold Coastal Wetlands Can't Survive
How To Protect The Ocean
Sea level rise. It's a phrase everyone's supposed to be afraid of, and almost nobody can picture. A couple of millimeters a year sounds too small to matter, until you find out coastal wetlands have an exact, measured speed limit for how fast they can keep up, and the ocean is closing in on it. Marshes and mangroves have kept pace with a rising sea for thousands of years by building their own soil upward, layer by layer, as plants grow, die, and get buried in place. That strategy has a hard limit. Peer-reviewed research puts it at roughly 6.1 millimeters of sea level rise a year, the point past...
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What the Coast Is Worth: How a Dollar Number Is Already Funding Its Protection
How To Protect The Ocean
A boat's wake looks harmless right up until you watch it happen over and over. Every wake a boat throws off chips away at a shoreline that took centuries to build, and it happens on calm days, sunny days, days with no storm anywhere near. A NOAA study at Snow's Cut, North Carolina found that roughly half of all boat wake heights on that stretch of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway exceeded the largest wind driven waves measured there, and boats moving at the slow, considerate seeming "plowing" speed threw the tallest wakes of all. Habitat pushes back, and now that push has a number attached...
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Red Tide, Decoded: Why It Isn't Random, and How to Track It
How To Protect The Ocean
No smell. No warning. Just a beach full of people who start coughing at the same time, grab their towels, and leave. That's red tide, and it feels completely random until you know what's actually happening in the water. Karenia brevis, the algae behind it, produces a toxin called brevetoxin that rides the wind and waves into the air along the shoreline, which is why people can start coughing with no visible sign anything's wrong. The 2017 to 2019 Southwest and Southeast Florida bloom cost the region an estimated $2.7 billion, mostly in tourism losses, and it wasn't a freak event. Follow the...
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Nature's Kidneys: How Coastal Wetlands Stop Ocean Pollution
How To Protect The Ocean
Green water. A smell that won't go away. Sometimes, dead fish washing up on shore. That's what too much nitrogen does to a coastline, and it's easy to hear stories like this and feel like the ocean is just losing. This episode is the opposite of that. Here's what most people don't know: a healthy stretch of marsh or mangrove can pull nitrogen straight out of the water before it ever becomes a problem. A single restored 100-acre wetland cut nearby ammonia by 62 percent and total nitrogen by 37 percent, and saved local water systems about $17,000 a year, all within three years. Then there's...
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Blue Nitrogen: The Nutrient Story Coastal Wetlands Have Been Hiding
How To Protect The Ocean
Every time this podcast talks about coastal wetlands, the conversation goes straight to carbon. Marshes, mangroves, and seagrasses pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and lock it in soil for centuries, and that story has earned coastal ecosystems a real seat at the climate table. Dr. Adam Langley, a global change ecologist and professor of biology at Villanova University and a research associate at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, thinks there's a second story hiding in that same soil that could matter just as much, or more: nitrogen. Langley and 37 co-authors just...
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Who Pays for Plastic? Inside the Law Quietly Shifting the Bill to Producers
How To Protect The Ocean
For decades, the honest answer to "who pays to deal with plastic packaging once it leaves the shelf" was taxpayers, quietly, through municipal budgets that funded garbage trucks and recycling plants running at a loss, whether or not the packaging actually got recycled. That's the system extended producer responsibility (EPR) is built to replace: a legal requirement that the companies making and selling packaging fund what happens to it after a customer buys the product, not the city that collects it afterward. Seven US states have now passed packaging EPR laws. Oregon has been charging...
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Inside Ocean Conservancy's Fight to Make Washing Machine Filters the Law
How To Protect The Ocean
Ocean Conservancy's "Not Safe for Wash" campaign is built around a simple premise: the fix for washing machine microfiber pollution already exists, so the fight isn't about inventing new technology, it's about forcing a nearly two-decade-old idea into law. Its own May 2026 poll of 1,010 Americans found concern about microplastics up 32% since 2023, nearly 9 in 10 people concerned, and 81% in favor of requiring filters on new washing machines. The public isn't the obstacle. The real opponent is AHAM, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, the trade group representing the companies...
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Your Washing Machine Sheds Up to 18 Million Microfibers a Load
How To Protect The Ocean
Every wash cycle sheds plastic. Last Monday, Andrew talked with Dr. Anja Brandon of Ocean Conservancy about microfiber pollution, and one question from that conversation stuck with him: has anyone actually fixed this yet? In this solo follow-up, Andrew traces a microfiber's actual path, from the moment agitation, heat, and detergent work it loose from a shirt, through the drain, into a wastewater treatment plant, and out the other side into biosolids, farmland, rivers, and the ocean, with a growing body of research suggesting some of it ends up in human lungs and even in the human placenta....
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Can Bacteria Actually Eat Plastic?
How To Protect The Ocean
Bacteria that eat plastic sounds like the fix everyone's been waiting for, and Andrew gets sent videos about it constantly. So on this solo episode, following Monday's interview with Dr. Anja Brandon of Ocean Conservancy, he goes looking for the real state of the science. The short version: it's promising, it's roughly a decade of real research deep, and it is nowhere close to running at the scale the ocean plastic crisis actually needs. The bacterium that started this whole field, Ideonella sakaiensis, was discovered breaking down PET plastic in Japan in 2016. A 2025 breakthrough from NREL,...
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The 90 Percent Fix Hiding in Your Laundry Room
How To Protect The Ocean
Every time you run a load of laundry, your washing machine sheds plastic. Not metaphorically: synthetic clothing made from polyester, nylon, and rayon releases microfibers with every wash, and depending on the study, a single load can shed anywhere from a few hundred thousand to millions of them. Most of us have never thought about it, because unlike a plastic bag on the beach, you can't see it happening. In this episode, Andrew talks with Dr. Anja Brandon, Director of Plastics Policy at Ocean Conservancy, about the plastic pollution problem hiding in plain sight behind the more familiar...
info_outlineAndrew Lewin discusses the beauty of Florida's natural landscapes and the importance of defending state parks. You are all encouraged to come together as a community to protect these parks. The episode addresses a listener-requested story and emphasizes the significance of taking action to preserve the ocean.
Andrew welcomes story suggestions from the audience and invites them to connect on LinkedIn or Instagram at @HowToProtectTheOcean.
Tune in to learn more about protecting parks and advocating for a better ocean.
Link:
https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/single-post/state-parks-threatened
Sign Up for Updates on the process: www.speakupforblue.com/oceanapp
Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@speakupforblue
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YouTube: www.speakupforblue.com/youtube
Florida state parks are facing a significant threat from proposed developments, such as resorts, golf courses, and other amenities, which are putting these natural areas at risk. The episode highlights how nine state parks in Florida are in jeopardy due to development proposals that could potentially alter the landscapes and ecosystems of these parks. Some of the proposed changes include adding resorts with up to 350 rooms, disc golf courses, pickleball courts, multiple golf courses, and clubhouses encompassing over 1,000 acres.
The episode emphasizes the importance of these state parks as natural areas that provide essential ecosystem functions, such as biodiversity preservation, natural drainage, and acting as buffers against natural disasters like flooding and hurricanes. By paving over these natural areas and introducing developments like resorts and golf courses, the delicate balance of these ecosystems could be disrupted, leading to potential consequences for water quality, erosion, and overall environmental health.
The proposed developments are driven by state government decisions, raising concerns about the prioritization of economic interests over environmental conservation. The episode underscores the need for public engagement and advocacy to protect these state parks. Floridians and concerned individuals are encouraged to participate in public meetings, provide public comments, and voice their opposition to the proposed developments that threaten the integrity of these natural areas.
The episode also highlights the potential long-term impacts of these developments on Florida's environment, especially in the face of climate change challenges. With Florida already at risk from climate change consequences like sea-level rise and increased storm intensity, preserving these state parks as natural areas becomes even more crucial to maintain the resilience of the region's ecosystems and protect the well-being of local communities.
Overall, the episode serves as a call to action for individuals to stand up for the conservation of Florida state parks, emphasizing the importance of preserving these natural areas for biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and the enjoyment of nature by all.
Protecting state parks is crucial for various reasons, as highlighted in the podcast episode. State parks play a significant role in preserving biodiversity, maintaining natural drainage, and ensuring mental well-being.
Preserving Biodiversity:
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State parks are designated to protect natural habitats and ecosystems, providing a safe haven for a diverse range of plant and animal species.
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By preserving these areas, we safeguard the biodiversity within them, ensuring the survival of various species and maintaining ecological balance.
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The loss of state parks to development can lead to habitat destruction, fragmentation, and loss of species, impacting the overall biodiversity of the region.
Maintaining Natural Drainage:
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State parks serve as natural buffers against flooding and other natural disasters by allowing for proper drainage of water.
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These areas are often left untouched, allowing for natural processes to occur, such as water absorption and filtration, which helps in managing water levels and preventing flooding.
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Paving over state parks disrupts these natural drainage systems, leading to increased risks of flooding, erosion, and water quality issues in surrounding areas.
Ensuring Mental Well-being:
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State parks provide opportunities for people to connect with nature, unwind, and improve their mental well-being.
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Spending time in natural environments has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, promoting overall mental health.
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By preserving state parks, we ensure that individuals have access to green spaces where they can relax, rejuvenate, and enjoy the benefits of nature.
In conclusion, protecting state parks is not just about preserving natural landscapes; it is about safeguarding biodiversity, maintaining essential ecosystem functions like natural drainage, and promoting mental well-being for individuals who seek solace and connection with nature. It is essential to prioritize the conservation of these areas to ensure a sustainable and healthy environment for current and future generations.
Advocating for the Protection of Florida State Parks
In the podcast episode, Andrew Lewin emphasizes the urgent need for a call to action to protect Florida state parks from proposed developments that threaten their natural landscapes. He highlights the importance of public participation in upcoming public meetings to advocate for the preservation of these parks. The proposed changes include the construction of resorts, golf courses, and other amenities within the state parks, which could have detrimental effects on the environment and the surrounding communities.
Why Public Participation is Crucial:
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Preserving Natural Areas: State parks are designated to protect natural habitats and biodiversity. By participating in public meetings, individuals can voice their concerns about the potential destruction of these vital ecosystems.
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Environmental Impact: The proposed developments, such as resorts and golf courses, could lead to habitat destruction, increased pollution from fertilizers and pesticides, and altered drainage patterns. Public input can highlight these environmental concerns.
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Climate Change Resilience: Florida is already at risk from climate change consequences, including sea-level rise and increased storm intensity. Preserving natural areas like state parks can help mitigate these impacts by providing natural buffers and maintaining ecosystem functions.
Taking Action:
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Attend Public Meetings: Participating in public meetings allows individuals to directly express their support for protecting state parks. By voicing concerns and presenting alternative solutions, attendees can influence decision-makers.
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Engage with Advocates: Engaging with conservation advocates like Carissa Cabrera and Erica from "Whales We" on platforms like TikTok can provide valuable information and updates on the situation. Collaborating with like-minded individuals can amplify the message of park preservation.
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Use Social Media: Utilize social media platforms to raise awareness about the importance of preserving state parks in Florida. Sharing information, encouraging others to participate in public meetings, and contacting relevant authorities can help mobilize support for the cause.
Call to Action:
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Visit floridaspringcouncil.org for updates on public meetings and ways to get involved.
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Attend public meetings to voice support for protecting Florida state parks.
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Engage with conservation advocates and share information on social media to raise awareness.
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Contact the governor's office and express concerns about the proposed developments in state parks.
By actively participating in public meetings, engaging with advocates, and utilizing social media platforms, individuals can play a crucial role in advocating for the protection of Florida state parks and preserving these natural treasures for future generations.