E N V I R O N M E N TA L A W A R E N E S S

E N V I R O N M E N TA L A W A R E N E S S
BROWARD COUNTY an unfavorable way, these sort of idyllic scenes that spawned Majory
Stoneman Douglas’ influential book The Everglades: River of Grass; a
tome considered widely to be a tour-de force literary work about this Meet

GREEN EYES
unique, and now endangered, ecosystem.
Florida
AS VIEWED THROUGH The 5,000-year-old geologic and ecological formation known to the
world as the Florida Everglades comprises the southern half of a large
watershed arising in the vicinity of Orlando known as the Kissimmee Governer
River system. The Kissimmee River discharges into Lake Okeechobee, a
vast shallow fresh water lake. Water leaving Lake Okeechobee in the wet
Charlie
By: Stefan Alessio Ingannamorte season forms the Everglades, a slow-moving river at one time 60 miles
(97 km) wide and over 100 miles (160 km) long, moving southward
Crist,
What We Face In The Upcoming Years across a nearly flat limestone shelf to Florida Bay at the southern end of
the state. Water, often stored in the porous limestone from one season
to the next, is the life blood of the Everglades, and once flowed through a surprising blend of Grand Ol’ Party and
Broward County’s history is a very colorful and varied one. Perhaps the most serious challenges that increasing numbers
the River of Grass without interruption. Today, much of its original water bleeding heart greenie. As a Republican, he
Formed in 1915, and with a population of circa 5,000 by 1920, of Broward County residents will present and have to come to
flow has come to be impeded, and more than half of its land area lost,
it was named after former Florida Governor Napoleon Bonaparte find creative solutions for involve the usage of two key elements defends the Bush administration’s environmental
threatening the viability of this once much-maligned and mysterious yet
Broward, a one-time renegade river-boast captain and populist of nature - land and water, both of which are inextricably linked. record, but he also counts among his personal
still majestic subtropical marshland.
who ran his campaign for office largely on the platform of When one considers the effects development in the form of
Considering the effects our homes and businesses have on our heroes Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who wrote an
Everglades drainage; an idea that had considerable support as large, urban human population centers, such as the sprawling
collective health and that of the natural systems that support our lives, entire book condemning Bush as “America’s
early as 1850 with the introduction of Arkansas Bill, or Swamp 10,000 acre Weston project built by Arvida, have on natural
it is important to adopt a lifestyle at home and work that is conducive to
and Overflow Act. At that time, practically all of the Everglades, systems such as the Everglades, whose health are vital to the worst environmental president.”
the creation of a high-quality, sustainable environment. One important
which the state had been urging the federal government to drain sustainability of all life in the South Florida region, it seems Crist wasn’t backed by green groups during
change that residential homeowners with large lawns can make is to
and reclaim, were turned over to the federal government for that clear that a major change of course in human activities will be
consider replacing their water-hungry grass through xeriscaping, a his 2006 race for the governor’s mansion, but
purpose, with the provision that all proceeds from such lands required if we are to save not just “the environment,” but our
practice that focuses principally on growing plants and shrubs that are now, after his first year in office, enviros in
be applied to their reclamation. With a population estimated very own collective future in the bargain. How this might be
well suited to the climate to which they are indigenous. Native plant
by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2006 to be nearing 1,800,000, accomplished doubtless is the subject of considerable debate Florida and beyond are singing his praises.
species require only the amount of watering that nature is inclined to
today two thirds of Broward County, or approximately 1,205 within Broward County’s Planning Council, which was charged Crist has earned their particular admiration
provide, no more, no less.
square miles, lies in an undeveloped and supposedly off-limits with “the responsibility of preparing a countywide land-use-
Put water you might otherwise waste to good use by planting an organic for diving into the fight against climate
Everglades conservation zone. The pressure for this to change plan under the charter of Broward County Florida.” The fact that
fruit and vegetable garden at home. In this way your investment of change and spurning plans for a new coal-
likely will become intense in coming years. The county’s growth none of Florida’s fast-disappearing flora and fauna are party to
water will produce tangible (edible) returns that will taste good, provide
in terms of human population numbers suggests why. the decision-making process of the Planning Council perhaps fired power plant in the state.
a source of regular exercise, and eliminate trips to the grocery store,
During the short span of ten years, starting in 1950, Broward’s can be seen as at least part of the reason the creation of a truly Gov. Crist hosted a high-profile climate
saving you time otherwise spent in the car and in stores shopping, as well
population increased four-fold, and then doubled during the next comprehensive and sustainable plan unifying all key elements
as putting some green back in your pocket. A good source of information summit in July, where the motley guests
decade. From 1970 until the present it more than tripled. What relevant to the environmental equation has remained an
about green (i.e., organic) gardening can be found at Rodale’s website: included the California “Governator” Arnold
do these numbers mean with respect to quality of life issues elusive endeavor.
http://www.organicgardening.com. To change one’s home environment
for those who have come to make Broward County their home? For centuries, the land and waterways on which we now live, Schwarzenegger, the Sierra Club’s Executive
to a more healthful (i.e., green) one, Natural Home Magazine offers
Considering that almost all Florida communities are predicated work and play was home to turtles, foxes, otters, manatees, Director Carl Pope, and other environmental
some compelling possibilities: http://www.naturalhomemagazine.com.
on the ownership and use of the automobile, with Broward deer, alligators, the Florida panther, as well as wading birds,
Finally, Natural Awakenings, a monthly, local publication available free to officials from Germany and the U.K. At that
County metropolitan areas no exception to this seemingly such as flamingos, roseate spoonbills, scarlet ibises and beautiful
Broward residents, contains invaluable and innovative ideas on subjects gathering, Crist set aggressive targets for
iron-clad rule dictated by past and current land development plumed herons. Early settlers in South Florida’s history report
relating to home, health, fitness and much more.
practices, it would seem inevitable that there will continue that the daytime sky would turn black when flocks of birds cutting Florida’s greenhouse-gas emissions
to be a material increase in traffic and related pollution. City numbering 10,000 or more took to the air. This sight seems 10 percent by 2012 and eventually 80
officials acknowledge and speak to this issue on the county’s
website: “In Broward County automobiles account for 50% of
likely one that will never be witnessed again by human eyes.
A combination of dramatic habit loss, pollution produced by
It seems clear that a major change percent below 1990 levels by 2050. He also
the air pollution. The population is growing, so is the number of businesses and residential homes, the ever-expanding roadway of course in human activities will announced plans to adopt California’s strict
registered cars in the county, and people are driving more and system that connects and makes possible large urban centers, vehicle-emissions regulations, that called on
commuting further every year.” and intensive agriculture activities have all served to alter, in be required if we are to save not Florida utilities to produce 20 percent of their

just “the environment”. power from renewables by 2020, and declared

that appliances, state government buildings,
and state-owned vehicles would have to be
In the final analysis, the key for us all may very well be to simplify
our lives. With that thought in mind, perhaps the best way for Broward more energy-efficient going forward.
Country residents to achieve their collective desire for a happy life in Despite his ambitious whip-cracking on
harmony with the natural environment is expressed through these words climate change, Crist says citizens shouldn’t
by LInda Breen Pierce on lifestyle change: “Living simply is about living
need to sacrifice for solutions: “I don’t
in community, as a whole, spiritually-aware human being, caring for
oneself, the Earth and others.” A simply perfect idea whose time seems think they’re going to have to change [their
to have come. lifestyle] at all. I just think they’re going to
have to change what they use to power it.”

42 THINKWESTON magazine THINKWESTON magazine 43