Weather, Water, and Climate Change
Until recently, Floridians could count on a daily drenching sometime in the afternoon—except during a few cool, dry winter months. Long-time Florida residents note that those predictable daily storms are fewer in number and lighter in intensity. And they tend to be random rather than predictable. Climate change is increasingly affecting weather on a local level, so much so that the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently changed the plant hardiness zones for the entire country. Atmospheric conditions, fossil fuel emissions, warming ocean temperatures and local land use may be behind the vanishing afternoon summer showers.
Water Alchemy: Desalination in the U.S. and Abroad
Desalination — in the simplest terms — means turning salt water into potable water. This is one technique scientists and public officials have looked to use to supplement the world’s supply of fresh water. Daniel Yeh, an assistant professor at the University of South Florida and an expert in green technologies and water issues, explains […]
The Future of Building: Inside a Net-Zero Water School
On a grassy tract of land nestled in Lutz, Fla., alternative learning practices have become the norm at Learning Gate Community School. In 2009 Learning Gate was the first public school to be awarded the U.S. Green Building Council LEED Platinum certification. The school focuses its curriculum on energy and water conservation, and serves as a […]
