From petitions to protests, residents and students advocated and fought for decades. For “Where We Stand,” The Alligator looked through decades worth of its archives to chronicle some highlights of the county’s environmental activism.
After over a year of contract negotiations, the Gainesville City Commission has decided to temporarily halt plans to build a solar plant, called the Sand Bluff Solar Project, until it receives approval from a state committee.
With forests on fire, hurricanes gaining strength and regularity and other natural disasters becoming more frequent, members of Generation Z wonder: What does our future look like? What will be lost? What’s possible for the future?
Every morning before heading into the orange groves for his shift, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings State Park tour guide Rick Mulligan reads one of the titular author’s letters. He tries to pick a letter that was written on the date he’s going in, to get a sense of how she was feeling that day.
Projections show the number of days over 95 degrees per year could reach 40 to 50 days as soon as the 2030s, according to The Climate Explorer, an interactive toolkit managed by NOAA. The heat serves as an advantage on the field for the Gators, but health risks could soon outweigh the draw of The Swamp.
Amy Van Scoik is driven by her passion for feeding people, but this mission grows harder each year as the climate becomes more unpredictable. It’s never clear what extreme weather to expect during the next season.
Many creatives in Gainesville have taken sustainability into account by upcycling used items into art pieces, trading materials or promoting a connection to nature. As global temperatures continue to rise, some artists have begun centering their creative processes around preventing environmental ruin to slow climate change.
The Heavener became the first athletic facility in the U.S. to receive a platinum level certification in 2009. Now, the new complex — the James W. “Bill” Heavener Football Training Center — is only anticipating a LEED Gold certification, assistant athletic director of facilities Bill Smith said.
In a place like north central Florida, our connection to the environment is everything. It surrounds everyday life no matter who you are — a UF student here to get your degree and leave or a longtime Alachua County resident.
Places I grew up with — places that defined me and built me to be the nature-loving, outdoor going, multi-sport playing girl I am — are no longer there.
In June 2021, the UF Board of Trustees approved the $235 million Central Energy Plant Project to build a combined heat and power energy facility on campus. Set to begin construction this year, it will be the university’s largest energy provider, relieving UF of purchasing 750,000 pounds of steam from Duke Energy every year.
Before my generation, young people weren’t given a platform to share their lived experiences. With the rise of digital media, however, this dated norm is being erased.
The list of Florida state standards for science classes under environmental science include 39 items, 14 of which are specifically related to climate change, according to CPalms, a database of standards and resources created by Florida State University. Teachers are required to tailor lessons to topics like the costs of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases.
Formerly called "Neutral Gator," We Are Neutral planted 200 trees to offset a Florida-South Carolina football game. Now, it stands in collaboration with over 85 businesses and organizations to promote green efforts across the nation.
IFAS has dispersed its climate change research to center on greenhouse gas emissions, ocean acidification and sea-level rise. Extensions take a local approach to educating Florida residents about climate change, whether it’s regarding forestry, farming or waterways.
The UF Office of Sustainability is in the final stages of developing its Climate Action Plan 2.0, a revival of CAP 1.0, the 2009 original, meant to curb the university’s greenhouse gas emissions.
When it comes to climate change here in Gainesville, it often seems like we’re whistling past the graveyard.
In the fight against climate change, young Alachua County residents are on the frontlines, focused on defending their future.
With the startling amount of waste becoming more than just an eye sore, three cities in the state have made it a goal to reduce their amount of waste. Gainesville joins Key West and Orlando in the fight to reduce waste and resulting greenhouse gases.
The Gators men's basketball team landed its fourth transfer of the offseason. Former Seton Hall senior forward Tyrese Samuel announced his commitment to Florida Sunday night on Twitter.
Solutions by The State News
