It's easy to feel discouraged by the onslaught of damaging decisions enacted by the Trump Administration and expedited by like-minded GOP members of congress when climate-related natural disasters affect more Americans every day.
The short-lived reprieve from Hurricane Helene came to a sudden stop when Milton swept through Alachua County. The hurricane ended hopes for a return to normalcy, forcing students and locals into a second scramble before the approaching storm.
We’ve all heard we should reduce, reuse and recycle, but what’s next?
In Alachua County, more than 30,000 acres have been protected under similar land agreements. In January, the trust facilitated an agreement with a 550-acre dairy farm in Gilchrist County. The farm has been owned for multiple generations by the Watson family, who will receive $1.54 million through the easement.
Local governments such as Gainesville have made significant progress towards protecting our environment from pollution like single-use plastics. Bans exist all over Florida, so items like plastic water bottles don’t end up in our springs, rivers and oceans.
In 2021, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The compact provided the Seminole Tribe exclusive rights in running gambling activities on tribal lands. In exchange, the tribe agreed to give $2.5 billion of its revenue to the state for the first five years the compact is in place. Under SB 1638, 96% of these annual funds would go to Florida’s environmental resources.
Huanglongbing, or citrus greening disease, has ravaged the citrus industry in Florida over the past two decades. Since the disease was first detected in 2005, it has reduced citrus production by over 75% and cost the industry billions of dollars in lost revenue. Researchers have studied the disease for decades but have yet to find a lasting solution to citrus greening.
The data are clear: when it comes to preventing extreme heat in our lifetimes, the energy supply choices being made today matter. Fortunately, not only can UF supply its own energy sustainably, it already has a roadmap for how to do it.
Gainesville residents of all ages filled the Jackson N. Sasser Fine Arts Hall Dec. 2, learning about animals and summoning snow alongside Santa Claus, Frosty and Perry the Mouse.
Community gardens, like the Grace Grows Garden, are green spaces in neighborhoods and towns for residents to grow their own plants and vegetables. These gardens can reduce urban heat islands, provide ecosystem services, increase stormwater retention and support food security, according to the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center.
Watershed management workshops are the first step in an initiative to develop a comprehensive watershed management plan with Lake Alice in mind. Sixty percent of all stormwater on UF’s campus drains into the lake, which has suffered a long history of mismanagement and poor infrastructure.
As Florida’s Big Bend communities recover from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Idalia, the Alachua County community is grateful to not have met the storm's eye. Alachua County suffered minor damages. Several trees and power lines came down across Gainesville, and some roadways were blocked.
UF assistant professor Hance Ellington's survey plans to address the issues most important to Florida’s Hispanic residents. It is also the first comprehensive needs assessment survey in Florida to focus exclusively on Hispanic communities.
Para profesor asistente de la UF, Hance Ellington, comprender qué cuestiones ambientales (como la silvicultura, el cambio climático y la biodiversidad) son más apremiantes para un estado con una gran población hispana es una cuestión que requiere más representación.
Many creatives in Gainesville have taken sustainability into account by upcycling used items into art pieces, trading materials or promoting a connection to nature. As global temperatures continue to rise, some artists have begun centering their creative processes around preventing environmental ruin to slow climate change.
Solutions by The State News
