Monday, July 11, 2016

Now or Neverglades Declaration Generates Thousands Of Signatures In Just A Few Hours ... by gimleteye


A declaration for the Everglades and clean, fresh water is being circulated online by supporters of bullsugar.org, a group of citizen activists, fishermen, taxpayers and residents unaffiliated with Everglades environmental groups.

"Kicking the can down the road" describes ineffective, inadequate policies designed to fail taxpayers. These are the legacy of disastrous commandeering by Big Sugar and supported in full by Gov. Rick Scott, Agriculture Secretary Adam Putnam, US Senator Marco Rubio and a compliant state legislature.

The manifestation, since historic January rainfalls caused water managers to flush billions of gallons of fertilizer laden water into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers, is massive, toxic algae that has turned billions of dollars of real estate, recreational areas, and tourism-related businesses into Big Sugar's sacrifice zone.

Social media is linking and engaging people and businesses, by-passing traditional press and "false equivalencies" that have obscured the facts for decades. (Facebook has been particularly effective, with groups like Bullsugar.org and the SWFL Clean Water Movement providing a way for hundreds of thousands to view photos, videos and receive information that would otherwise be diverted by advertiser-driven news.)

Last week, US Senator Bill Nelson called for eminent domain in the Everglades Agricultural Area. It is likely to take eminent domain to do what Everglades restoration has been unable to accomplish for decades, in spite of billions spent by taxpayers: secure adequate water storage south of Lake Okeechobee to eventually stop using Florida's estuaries as sewers for agricultural pollution and allow clean, fresh water south to the Everglades and Florida Bay.

Readers can sign and share the Now Or Neverglades declaration: by clicking here.

1 comment:

mickisuzanne said...

Thanks for calling out some of the Facebook groups. Please add Captains For Clean Water (they've been producing and airing exceptional commercials addressing this crisis) and Environmental Activists of SWFL to your list.