Environmental Protection
EPD News Archives
Stay Informed with The Wader
9/11/2008 1:35:00 PM
There are so many environmental events and happenings that it is hard to keep up with them all. That is- it was hard, until the Wader washed up! The Wader is a quarterly electronic newsletter created by the Water Resources Department at the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department. Each issue has a few water related articles and a calender of upcoming events. Most issues also include some tips on how you can mimimize your pointless personal pollution. The Fall 2008 edition will focus on natural areas in Alachua County where you can go to connect with nature. To sign up for The Wader click below on Read the Full Article.
Cabot Koppers Superfund Site Documents
8/8/2008 4:55:00 PM
Cabot Koppers Document Library --Public View
Selected recent Cabot-Koppers Superfund site technical documents are now available for public view.
Free Springs Celebration
7/9/2008 4:50:00 PM
Experience the magic of Florida springs and learn how to protect them at the 2nd Annual Springs Celebration. Enjoy the live music of Patchwork, Bob Patterson, Dale Crider, and Palm Valley. Highlights will include kayak demonstrations, interactive water education activities, and live animal exhibits.
Admission is free throughout the event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Poe Springs County Park is located at 28800 N.W. 182nd Ave., High Springs. For information call 352-264-6800 or check out the Santa Fe River Springs Basin Working Group website at www.santaferiversprings.com.
Environmental Ambassadors
6/18/2008 2:55:00 PM
Environmental Protection Department welcomes the Environmental Ambassadors Class of 2008.
On Friday June 20, we will host an interactive GIS exercise with the class.
Cabot-Koppers Superfund Site Public Meeting
4/28/2008 11:05:00 AM
A public update on the Cabot-Koppers Superfund Site will be provided on May 1, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. at a special joint meeting of the City of Gainesville and Alachua County Commissions in Room 209 of the County Administration Building located at 12 SE 1st Street, Gainesville.
Florida and Climate Change: The Costs of Inaction
12/17/2007 10:15:00 AM
GDAE's Dr. Elizabeth Stanton and Dr. Frank Ackerman are the authors on a new report commissioned by Environmental Defense, �Florida and Climate Change: The Costs of Inaction.� The report is the first detailed analysis on the potential consequences of continued climate change for the state�s economy. The report concludes that if left unchecked, climate change will significantly harm Florida�s economy in the next several decades, and that impacts on just three sectors � tourism, electric utilities, and real estate � together with effects of hurricanes would shrink Florida�s Gross State Product by 5% by the end of this century.
STATEMENT ON SEA LEVEL IN THE COMING CENTURY
10/15/2007 3:15:00 PM
Miami-Dade County Climate Change Task Force has released a statement on sea level rise in the coming century. "Significant sea level rise is a very real threat to the near future for Miami-Dade County." www.alachuacounty.us/assets/uploads/images/epd/documents/ECSC/Statement.pdf
Climate change and land use in Florida: Interdependencies and opportunities
8/2/2007 8:55:00 AM
Attached is a new climate change report prepared for the Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida. It explores the development of a Florida-based action plan and how local land use practices impact our immediate climate.
Climate Change and Trace Gases
7/6/2007 4:35:00 PM
Palaeoclimate data show that the Earth�s climate is remarkably sensitive to global forcings. Positive feedbacks predominate. This allows the entire planet to be whipsawed between climate states. One feedback, the �albedo flip� property of ice/water, provides a powerful trigger mechanism. A climate forcing that �flips� the albedo of a sufficient portion of an ice sheet can spark a cataclysm.
New Report:Potential for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to Meet Florida's Growing Energy Demand
6/26/2007 2:00:00 PM
This report explores the magnitude of the efficiency and renewable resources that are available to the state, and suggests some specific policies that could be implemented to reduce future energy demands.
Energy Conservation Strategies Commission Documents
6/1/2007 3:10:00 PM
Please find attached documents for your reference prior to the next Energy Conservation Strategies Commission meeting Thursday Jan 24, 5:30 PM. We will meet in Grace Knight Conference Room located in the Admin Building, 12 SE 1st Street, Gainesville, FL 32601. This is a public meeting and all interested parties are invited to attend. Please email the ECSC at, energy @ alachuacounty.us
New Report: The Carbon Boom: State and National Trends in Carbon Dioxide Emissions Since 1990
4/12/2007 4:20:00 PM
Report from Environment Florida: "This report examines trends in U.S. global warming pollution nationally and by state and concludes that the failure to limit emissions nationwide has allowed global warming pollution to grow out of control."
IPCC Climate Change 2007 - Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
4/6/2007 2:40:00 PM
The fourth in a series of reports from the IPCC on climate change. This report covers, "current scientific understanding of impacts of climate change on natural, managed and
human systems, the capacity of these systems to adapt and their vulnerability..." The summary for policy makers can be found at this link: http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM6avr07.pdf
New Citizen Advisory Board on Energy Conservation
3/29/2007 4:05:00 PM
The County Commission adopted a resolution on March 27, establishing a new citizen advisory board. The Energy Conservation Strategies Commission (ECSC) that will develop an exhaustive "menu of options" implementable by local government, with the goal of reducing per capita energy consumption in Alachua County.
Global Cool campaign
2/2/2007 10:50:00 AM
"With its simple Be Cool actions, Global Cool will help... Everyone knows that they ought to save the planet; Global Cool will help people want to. Global Cool includes a growing gang of the biggest names in entertainment (names - let's drop a few: Scissor Sisters, Orlando Bloom, The Killers, Flea, Kate Bosworth, Sienna Miller, Leonardo DiCaprio) and with their shows, their programmes, their Cooltube uploads and playful SMS reminders they will sing to you, tell you stories and tease you until you care."
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
2/2/2007 9:50:00 AM
"Climate Change 2007" Read the IPCC 4th Assessment Report. "A comprehensive and rigorous picture of the global present state of knowledge of climate change."
Draft FDEP Whitepaper on Climate Change Science and Policy Options
1/11/2007 1:35:00 PM
This is a draft whitepaper from FDEP. From the introduction, "The purpose of this whitepaper is to provide a synopsis of the current science of global climate change, an overview of the potential impacts of this phenomenon to the State of Florida, and a summary of policy options for consideration in framing a GHG reduction strategy for Florida."
Full whitepaper from FDEP: FDEP Draft Climate Change Paper.pdf
Read full articleNCAR Report: Abrupt Ice Retreat Could Produce Ice-Free Arctic Summers by 2040
12/12/2006 10:30:00 AM
The National Center for Atmospheric Research & the UCAR Office of Programs has produced a computer simulation showing an ice-free Arctic Summer by the 2040's.
Reducing Carbon Emissions: Individual Emissions Calculator
11/21/2006 2:00:00 PM
Ever wonder how much CO2 you contribute to global warming each month? This handy website gives you an easy tool to estimate this number and practical solutions to reduce it.
Near-Realtime Arctic Change Indicator Website
11/21/2006 9:50:00 AM
NOAA website provides a virtual "near-realtime" site on climate change at the North Pole.
Stern Review on the economics of climate change
11/3/2006 9:25:00 AM
A pdf report from the United Kingdom on the economic impact of climate change.
From the Introduction, "...This Review takes an international perspective on the economics of climate change. Climate change is a global issue that requires a global response. The science tells us that emissions have the same effects from wherever they arise. The implication for the economics is that this is clearly and unambiguously an international collection action problem with all the attendant difficulties of generating coherent action and of avoiding free riding. It is a problem requiring international cooperation and
leadership."
http://tinyurl.com/ye5to7
Global Warming Presentation: The Reality of Golbal Warming and Impact on Florida's Future 4PM Oct 24
10/19/2006 5:15:00 PM
Dr. Stephen S. Mulkey, University of Florida presents to the Board of County Commissioners : The Reality of Golbal Warming and Impact on Florida's Future Presentation link
Ten Things Everyone Know about Florida's Springs
8/31/2006 1:00:00 PM
Florida's springs are a natural wonder and need your help. Please consider these 10 items the next time you visit one of our area springs.
