by TRC_Admin | Jun 29, 2020 | Codes, Environmental
Photo: Miami Herald
“The federal government is proposing a $4.6 billion plan to protect the low-lying Miami area from the effects of climate change, including the construction of miles of sea walls. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a draft plan … calling for walls to protect the area from sea level rise that could reach about 13 feet (4 meters) in height.
The Miami Herald reported Saturday that the plan is designed to protect tens of thousands of homes and businesses from flooding. The plan also calls for movable barriers at the mouths of three waterways, elevating and flood-proofing thousands of buildings throughout the county and restoring mangroves in vulnerable areas.
The plan does not contain previous proposals to buy out hundreds of homes and convert them into parks or open spaces…
— Associated Press, Citrus County Chronicle
Read article about this project in Miami Herald with details
by TRC_Admin | Sep 30, 2019 | Billboards, Environmental, Nature
Photo: Macdonalds Sweden
“Earlier this year, McDonald’s Sweden received global attention for a fun little (literally) publicity stunt that also raised awareness of the ongoing issue of dwindling bee populations. Billed as ‘the world’s smallest McDonald’s,’ this ‘McHive’ didn’t serve any food. Instead, it was a fully-functioning beehive designed to mimic a MickeyD’s outpost with features like small Golden Arches and a not-particularly-functional drive-thru.
Yet, as intentionally silly as the concept was, McHives caught on, with other Swedish locations adding one of the beehives to their roof. And now, after seeing the success of that campaign, the creative agency behind it, Nord DDB, are back again with another bee-benefiting concept for McDonald’s Sweden: building habitats for wild bees into and behind billboards.
‘It is estimated that 30 percent of Sweden’s wild bees are threatened,’ the announcement explains. ‘A big problem is that they lack places to rest.’ The solution is twofold: Some McDonald’s locations have replaced their usual billboards with wood installations that wild bees and other insects can use as a kind of ‘bee hotel.’ These signs are available to be ordered by any of McDonald’s’ Swedish franchises and can be customized to include whatever messaging the location wants.
Photo: Macdonalds Sweden
But even simpler still, the fast food chain has also teamed up with the massive billboard brand JC Decaux to place habitats for wild bees behind existing billboards in spaces that aren’t otherwise used. ‘Bees are most comfortable if their nests are in a south facing position,’ the campaign states. ‘The first test is now live in Jarfalla outside Stockholm, where six large bee hotels have been mounted on the backside of a north facing billboard with hopes of scaling up the initiative in spring 2020.’
You can see both styles of ‘bee hotels’ in action in this video:
‘The survival of bees is an important issue for society as a whole,’ Henrik Nerell, environmental manager at McDonald’s in Sweden, said. ‘That we can use our signs for a good cause feels great. The initiative, which has sprung from our franchisees’ personal commitment to the issue, has been made possible in collaboration with JCDecaux and we are proud and excited to welcome our flying guests soon as they move into our bee hotels.'”
— Mike Pomranz, Food and Wine Magazine
Read entire article
Read additional article in Good News Network
by TRC_Admin | Sep 30, 2019 | Environmental, Nature, Trees
“…The Charles E. Bennett Champion of the Environment Award which was created in 2001 originally by the Florida Coastal School of Law. The Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board took over presenting the award in 2010. The award is presented to recognize someone who has served as an advocate for the environment and its protection for many years.
Our recipient this year, Tracey I. Arpen, Jr., has been a quiet champion for Jacksonville’s environment, responsible land use, tree protection and scenic beauty for more than thirty years. During that time, he has been involved in or led virtually every effort promoting the enhancement of these issues.
Tracey has devoted his life and career to efforts that have preserved, protected and enhanced our beautiful North Florida environment. He has been president of JaxPride (and City Beautiful Jax), CAPSigns (Scenic Jacksonville), Greenscape of Jacksonville, JCCI, The Mandarin Community Club and currently serves on the board of directors of Citizens for a Scenic Florida, Scenic Jacksonville and Greenscape. He is a former member of the City’s Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee and served as chair of the State Attorney’s Select Committee on Environmental Crime. In 1990 he received the Jacksonville Bar Association’s Lawyer of the Year Award. He is also the recipient of the Lee and Mimi Adams Environmental Award, the JaxPride Leadership Award and the Distinguished Leadership Award presented by the National Association of Community Leadership Organizations.
Tracey Arpen’s lifetime commitment of leadership and dedication to the environment has had a significant and lasting impact on our community for which we are all grateful. Congratulations on this honor!”
— Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board
Visit Environmental Protection Board Awards site
