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C o n s e r v a t i o n | ||||
| Collier County Audubon Society | |||||
Conservation The heart and soul of our chapter's efforts are to "further the cause of conservation of all natural resources" (from the chapter's Mission Statement). Collier County Audubon Society was born of efforts to protect the irreplaceable resources of the Rookery Bay Estuary in 1961, and continues to devote a major part of its time, talents and resources to conservation work ... every day. The chapter has spoken out at meetings, has written letters, has brought lawsuits when environmental and growth laws have not been adhered to, and most recently has hired the services of an environmental policy analyst to assure the Collier Audubon voice would be heard on the quickly changing stage of Southwest Florida. Policy priorities are recommended by the Conservation Committee and approved by the Board, while all of us have the responsibility to make sure the work gets done. If you want to get involved or ask questions, please don't hesitate to call us at 643-7822, or send us an e-mail. Better still, sign up right now as an on-line/on-call volunteer and you will receive periodic alerts for needed action on conservation issues! |
Big Cypress National Preserve letter of recommendations
Living Green
Reports, advocacy
Audubon of Florida action areas
Communication tips Contacts
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Advocacy
Audubon of Florida has developed an online advocacy center that is effective at targeting messages from citizens to decision makers on important environmental issues.
Audubon of Florida's 2004 conservation resolutions and agenda were developed at the Audubon Assembly. The agenda is detailed in a set of resolutions initiated by over 40 Florida Audubon chapters and recommended by six regional conservation committees. Subsequently recommended by the assembly and approved by the Board, the resolutions express Audubon's conservation priorities. Chapter leaders, allies and staff work together to accomplish the agenda.
Living Green
Why a person should not use plastic bottles or containers?
The longer the water is in contact with the plastic, or if the water is heated in the bottle, as when you leave it in your car, the highest the level of phthalates that can leach into the water. Phthalates can possibly damage to the liver, kidney, lungs, and reproductive system.
- Don't use plastic water bottles more than twice. Better yet, don't use them at all.
- Fewer regulations on bottled water both in the US and in Europe than on tap water.
- More than a $22 billion industry in the US per year. Our habits are expensive and hard on the earth.
- Bottled water costs up to 1,000 times as much as tap water.
- Bottled water costs more to transport: 1.5 billion gallons of fuel oil annually, enough to fuel 10,000 cars for an entire year, while tap water is delivered through an energy-efficient infrastructure.
- That oil does not include the petrochemicals required to manufacture all the plastic bottles.
- We complain about $3.50 for a gallon of gasoline, but we walk from the pump to the counter to pay three times as much per gallon for a bottle of water.
- Worst, billions of plastic water bottles are clogging our landfills, and will take more than 1,000 years to breakdown/decompose.
So, how do we get the clean, pure water we need without damaging the environment or our health in this fast paced world?
- Simple and fairly inexpensive, in-house or in-office, water filtration.
- Sink-top filter that attaches to your kitchen faucet or carbon filter for your shower water.
- Pour the filtered water into a glass container, not a plastic cup or bottle.
- Reuse a glass iced tea bottle for travel.
- Invest in a stainless steel water bottle.
Never use a microwave oven to heat or reheat any food or beverage in a plastic cup or container. That includes plastic cling wraps. The rapid heating will intensify the chemicals in the plastic and will get into your food or beverage. Stick to glass or ceramic (not made in china) containers.
Be kind to your family, yourself, and the Earth. Change your habits!
