the politics of Green and Everglades Restoration

the politics of Green and Everglades Restoration-

Recently I viewed another TV commercial urging Floridians to contact their Representatives and URGE them to BUY the Sugar Land..??? Although I was anxious and excited about the Original Proposal (CERP )while Charlie Christ was Governor, I quickly changed my mind after a Lecture and Meeting with Mr. Harold Wanless of USGS…!!!

The proposed Sugar Land that we salivate for is a Parking lot of Sand and Rock… US Sugar and Florida Crystal have depleted.,DEPLETED the land of Organic Materials, Sediment and Muck needed to Re-create a “River Of Grass”

I would like to Urge you to contact Florida Representatives and continue to SAY NO.. to the purchase of EX-Sugar Lands.

PRESS RELEASE: COMMUNITY FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH OCEAN REHAB FOR REEFS

June 7, 2011 

Community Foundation Link

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

William Djubin, Ocean Rehab Initiative, President

Ocean Rehab Initiative Link

 

(561) 308-8848, William_djubin@msn.com

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH OCEAN REHAB INITIATIVE AND CITIZEN DIVERS TO PROTECT OUR REEFS AND COASTLINES

 

(June 2, 2011) WEST PALM BEACH – Ocean Rehab Initiative, a Palm Beach County based Coral Reef Initiative is pleased to announce it has received a $2,500 matching grant from the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties with a total of $5,000 directed towards Coral Reef Conservation. Ocean Rehab Initiative will use these funds to support its Florida Reef Project and continue its mission of surveying the entire length of the Southeastern Reef Tract. 

The Florida Reef Project employs citizen divers to survey the reef, which stretches from the St. Lucie Inlet in Martin County, all the way to the Florida Keys. A major concentration of the portion of the reef which lies closest to shore is in Martin and Palm Beach counties. These divers are certified free of charge according to Reef Check International standards. They agree to perform two survey dives over the next two years. These dives will create the first ever baseline of the reef system, allowing for proper management in the future.

The grant, on behalf of the Wendy and Royall Victor III Fund for Environment and Landmark Preservation of the Community Foundation, will allow Ocean Rehab Initiative to certify twelve Palm Beach and Martin County divers. Those divers will then begin surveying the reef line that runs along Palm Beach and Martin Counties.

“A real progress in addressing environmental challenges is to involve a broad group of concerned citizens. The Ocean Rehab Initiative does exactly that by employing citizen divers in studying and mapping the reef structures off the east coast of South Florida, which is one of the most endangered marine environments extant,” says Royall Victor III, Chair of the Environmental Committee and the Vice Chair of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties Board of Directors.

 “Ocean Rehab Initiative is extremely grateful to the Community Foundation for this very generous grant,” said William Djubin, president of Ocean Rehab Initiative. “It is only because of foundations like the Community Foundation that we are able to exist, much less perform this work, which is very important to everyone who lives along Florida’s coast.”

Ocean Rehab Initiative is a 501(c) (3) Public Charity Non-profit volunteer organization Ocean Rehab’s next scheduled “Citizen Scientist” diver certification classes will be held the third week of  June 2011 thanks to the sponsorship of CFPBMC.  

Contact Ocean Rehab Initiative at http://OceanRehab.org or e-mail at info@oceanrehab.org for any inquiries.

 

The Community Foundation awards grants through a competitive application and review process. (Ask the Community Foundation to supply a quote regarding your project by emailing the Director of Communications and Marketing.)

About the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties

As one of Florida’s largest community foundations, the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties advances quality of life, citizen engagement, and regional vitality through its promotion of philanthropy. We have been in existence for more than 35 years, with permanent endowment now totaling more than $100 million. Last year, the Foundation awarded over $3.4 million in grants and led initiatives to address critical issues of common concern among our region’s communities, including hunger, homelessness, affordable housing, and the conservation and protection of water resources. We are the trusted steward of over 250 funds created by area families, philanthropists, corporations and private foundations for charitable investment in our region’s communities. To learn more, please visit www.yourcommunityfoundation.org or our You Tube Channel at www.youtube.com/palmbeachmartincf.

the Politics of Green and Oil Spill Damages; priceless

the Politics of Green and Oil Spill Damages; priceless

Fishery at Breakers Reef June 22, 2010 (Ocean Rehab)

Ocean Rehab Initiative Inc. pre- Oil Spill Surveys of Breakers Reef slideshow on Earth Rehab Flickr’ . click here and see what’s happening to protect Florida’s underwater eco-systems.

Slideshow Click.

 

the Politics of Green; Florida and the Clean Water Act

the Politics of Green; Florida and the Clean Water Act

A meeting will be held at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute on March 31, 2010 to discuss the Federal EPA Clean Water Act.

The meeting is intended to get scientific and public input regarding the nutrient criteria for establishing clean and healthy waters for Florida, and you are invited.

XL Image of Nutrient Enriched waters and Jupiter Inlet (click photo)

DATE AND TIME: Wednesday, March 31, 2010, 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
PLACE: Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University, Johnson Education Center Auditorium, 5600 US Highway 1 North, Ft. Pierce, Florida 34946

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and local scientists, is embarking on a process to engage those people familiar with Florida’s marine waters in the development of numeric nutrient criteria for estuarine and coastal areas. The primary purpose of numeric nutrient criteria is to protect healthy well-balanced natural populations of flora and fauna from the effects of excess nutrient enrichment. Implementation of these criteria can prevent over-enrichment from occurring, and can be used to identify waters impaired by nutrients in need of restoration. The criteria would also support full recreational use of the State’s predominantly marine waters.

The components of this estuarine/coastal nutrient criteria development process include:

• Engaging local organizations, stakeholders, and experts around the State to generate discussion and exploration of appropriate numeric nutrient criteria;

• Compiling data and scientific support on key ecological attributes and for recommended numeric nutrient criteria where such information is generated and available; and

• Ensuring that such information is accessible to both FDEP and EPA for consideration when moving forward with proposed numeric nutrient criteria. 

the Politics of Green and pollution; EU

Needed to post a few pics from my visit to Europe.

Very poor air quality on Barcelona 2009

Including Barcelona  Spain air quality pics, Livorno (Pisa) water pollution and roadside pollution, finally Cannes France with litter on rooftops and open ocean plastics in the seaweed line. Enjoy.

Very poor air quality on Barcelona 2009

Trash found everywhere roadside in Pisa Italy

Water Issues near a Glass Factory in Pisa, Bright Grey/Blue cloudy water?

Water Issues near a Glass Factory in Pisa, Bright Grey/Blue cloudy water?

Cannes rooftop litter 2009

Open Ocean Pollution; Cannes France 2009 seaweed line

Open Ocean Pollution; Cannes France 2009 seaweed line

Open Ocean Pollution; Cannes France 2009 seaweed line

The politics of Green and Water in Florida

As a Native Floridian and a lover of water I am pleased that the EPA has finally addressed our Water Quality Crisis. I have copied the following passage from this 2009 determination by the EPA:
http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/standards/rules/fl-determination20090114.pdf

Magnitude of Nutrient Over-Enrichment in Florida
Water quality degradation due to nutrient over-enrichment is a significant
environmental issue in Florida. Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection has acknowledged and documented the magnitude of over-enrichment. According to Florida’s 2008 Integrated Report,6 approximately 1,000 miles of rivers and streams, 350,000 acres of lakes, and 900 square miles of estuaries are impaired for nutrients in the State. To put this into context, these values represent approximately 16% of the assessed river and stream miles, 36% of the assessed lake acres, and 25% of the assessed square miles of estuaries that Florida has listed as impaired under the IWR. The actual number of miles and acres of waters impaired for nutrients is likely higher, as many waters currently classified as “unassessed” may also be impaired.
This conclusion is based upon a range of available information, including the vastmamounts of monitoring data that exist on nutrient-related parameters in Florida waters. With almost 800,000 nutrient-related data points in STORET (including nitrogen, phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity), Florida has substantially more data points than any other State or Territory to clearly characterize the magnitude of its nutrient challenges.

How can YOU help???
*Please sign our Enforce the Federal Clean Water Act for Florida petition: (many of you already have, Thanks.)
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/enforce-the-federal-clean-water-act
this petition is also available on Care2 and Facebook.

William Djubin
Founder
EarthRehab

Pirate Pipes Pollute Palm Beach

Try saying that 5x fast.

 

May 10th and May 11^th 2008 had unbelievable visibility in the waters off Jupiter Island. The Jupiter Island is home to many millionaires and celebrities and The Nature Conservancy Blowing Rocks.

Coral Cove Park is a local spot for great snorkeling and underwater digital photography.

I found 4 Pirate Pollution Pipes in 8 foot of water just off shore.

Someone once mentioned pirate polluting to me in the past, I had thought they we speaking of dumping toxins directly into storm drains, this appears to be a different species altogether.

Where do these pipes lead? Who is responsible for removal of the pipes? Can the pipes be closed off permanently?

Water Quality, Water rights, Water restrictions, & Sewage

2008 Noteworthy Water News facts links: 

North and South Florida battle for drinking water from 2 rivers.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080114/D8U5K15G0.html– AP Press News Link.

Jacksonville and Orlando want water rights to the Ocklawaha and St. Johns River.

The Orlando district developed the proposal after determining that areas of Central Florida could reach their groundwater limits within five years, and that by 2025 it will need 200 million gallons of water a day from alternative sources.Partly because of the fast growth of central Florida, half a billion gallons of water are being pumped out of the deep underground Floridan aquifer each day. 

Los Angeles, Orange County, California will soon drink treated Sewage water.http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-reclaim2jan02,0,7789563.story?coll=la-home-center – LA Times News Link

Public acceptance was also helped by the fact that since 1976 the county has been pumping about 15 million gallons of reclaimed sewer water a day into the groundwater basin to protect it from saltwater intrusion.

For decades, the aquifer has been plagued by saltwater that flows in as fresh water is pumped out of underground reservoirs along the coast. The condition can be checked and reduced by injecting treated water back into the ground to act as a shield. 

Environmental Groups vs. SFWMD and regulations on Pollution and Sewage Dumping into Lake Okeechobee, Florida – ENS News service Link

http://www.nbc4.com/news/14967385/detail.html

Friends of the Everglades, Florida Wildlife Federation, and Fishermen Against Destruction of the Environment, all represented by Earthjustice – contend that millions of gallons of polluted water coming off of half a million acres of sugar cane fields and cities are pumped into Lake Okeechobee by the South Florida Water Management District. 

South Florida’s tougher new water restrictions Begin January 15, 2008- Sun Sentinel

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1214214/south_floridas_tougher_new_water_restrictions_will_start_tuesday/index.html

“We have never seen water levels this low, this early in the dry season,” said water district spokesman Jesus Rodriguez. “These (restrictions) are about the immediate water supply concerns.”

Water Quality Monitoring for Coastal Palm Beach County- YourHub News link

http://tc.yourhub.com/Jupiter/Stories/News/About-Town/Story~415366.aspx

While contemplating where to start with the Coral Reef Initiative, much research has led me to understand that Florida does not have an existing Water Quality Monitoring program for the Inlets and Beaches. No program- No Funding- No-reporting. What a shame. A recent DEP report shows that of 1 in 5 Inland Water Basins, 272 bodies of water in Florida are classified as Impaired. (X5 = >1000 bodies).

the politics of Standards

Mentorship received a few years back:

A 2 time General manager of the Year at the #3 busiest restaurant in Orlando held a meeting with his Mgmt. team, I was a member and was present.

He asked for the current Assistant General Manager to leave the table and go into the kitchen and return with a cooking pan that meets our standards.

A short dispute arose on his return with a nice new clean pan; so the General Manger went to the kitchen and returned with a filthy, blackened from carbon, rusty Pan and exclaimed:

‘No, this is our current standard for cookware, simply because we allow it to exist.’

We fixed the cookware issue immediately and also terminated the bottom 12 personnel on the Staff, mixed from different departments.

We raised our Standards by 40% quickly and consequentially increased our volume.

Reason for the short story:

Water quality standards should not be judged at their best, nor should they be judged vs. other bodies of water from other locations.

If we (Florida) have 272 known bodies of water classified as Impaired, and that possibly over 1000 may exist, then Our Current Water Quality Standard is “Impaired.”

A river of pollution 7 second video from Jupiter Inlet

7 second video on Blip for now

http://earthrehab.blip.tv/file/594563/

At noon January 11, 2008 I captured this video with my Sea&Sea digital camera.

The video pans from the South (clear clean water) to the North and meets a river of pollution. The river extends to the Gulfstream Atlantic and heads North with the current.