Natural Capitalism - Sarasota

SHT article -- Bill lifts state growers' hopes

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"This will be the most significant agriculture policy for what Florida actually grows -- ever," said U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, the Bartow Republican who is chairman of the House Republican Conference and a member of the committee negotiating the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill.
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Reading further we see that anything above zero is a good thing but it is still very restrictive read more in the Detroit Free Press

Over on Roblimo's Blog I saw this great video he did about College Green Camp which is:

Florida’s first Earthship is being built in Manatee County. Designed to be in harmony with the environment and entirely self sufficient, this sustainable structure uses recycled and indigenous materials, generates its own electricity and processes its own waste with NO impact on the environment.

Another good story from eatlocalchallenge.com

Agriculture Policy and Your Health

How Legislation Can Make Us Fat

Eat Local Challenge has a great post about those crazy (awesome) Mainers!

It's not much to ask to just eat one "all local" meal in a month ... even I can do that.

I think these two stories go together ... I see we are planning for the future. We get a D+ now .... and commit to building a new nuclear power plant in the future so we can move our grade to F- .... just what I think .

Florida earns D+ for energy

Florida’s energy infrastructure scored a D+, according to the study. The good news: electricity is cheap, about 20 percent less than the national average.

Environmental summit brings distinction to Sarasota County

Go to the Case Foundation website and vote to support the Summit for Environmental Action!!

These are the things they want to do:

• Develop rainwater, storm water, graywater and reuse as alternative water sources.
• Require low-impact development techniques for new development and incentives to retrofit existing development.
• Equip 50 percent of buildings in Sarasota County with solar water heaters in five years.
• Attract sustainable/green manufacturing to the local area.

Going Green Tampa Bay Expo

The EXPO is a multifaceted event, with exhibitors, speakers, workshops, and films about going green, both as a consumer and as a business.

We anticipate several thousand attendees at Getting Green by Going Green, including students, business owners & members of the public, & we’d like you to be a part of it.

Living here you don't feel that we are leaders ... reading about and even participating in the thick of it sometimes makes you forget that we really have a special place to live, and as a community have done a pretty good job protecting it.

The Sarasota Herald Tribune quotes an article in the Palm Beach Post ...

Becoming a model for growth governance

by: Eric Ernst

You know you're doing something right when others want to follow your lead. Sarasota County is gaining that sort of reputation in, of all things, how it handles growth.