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Imagine Our Florida, Inc.

Our purpose is to bring people together in a shared vision to preserve and protect Florida's wildlife, habitat, and ecosystems. We accomplish this via science-based education and the development of appreciation and respect for the natural world and our place within it.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.2 days ago
Proposed Bill would Ban Net-Zero Programs and Policies

Florida’s new bill to ban local net‑zero policies claims these efforts “harm energy security”, but the science shows the exact opposite.

Peer‑reviewed research demonstrates that transitioning to clean energy:
✅ Improves national energy security
✅ Reduces dependence on volatile fossil‑fuel imports
✅ Strengthens the grid against hurricanes and outages
✅ Lowers CO₂ emissions and long‑term climate risks

The senate bill has already passed the Environment and Natural Resources Committee with a 5 to 3 vote. The companion bill has been added to the Special Order Calendar for March 5, 2026.

What can you do? Contact your House Representative and demand they oppose HB 1217 and ask your Senators to oppose SB 1628.

Florida’s communities deserve policies grounded in evidence, not misinformation.
Investing in resilience, renewables, and emissions reduction is pro‑security, pro‑economy, and pro‑Florida.

Contact your Representatives before March 5, 2026:
House: https://m.myfloridahouse.gov/FindYourRepresentative
Senate: https://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/Find

Bills:
Avila B. 2026. Net-zero Policies by Governmental Entities. [accessed 2026 Mar 3]. https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/1628/BillText/Filed/PDF.

Jacques B, Snyder J. 2026. Prohibited Governmental Policies Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions. [accessed 2026 Mar 3]. https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/1217/BillText/c1/PDF.

Refernces:
Androniceanu A, Veith C, Ionescu ȘA, Marinescu P, Sima AG, Paru A. 2024. Shaping Sustainable Futures: Public Policies and Renewable Energy Insights Based on Global Bibliometric Analysis. Sustainability. 16(12):4957. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/su16124957. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/12/4957.

Cheng J, Tong D, Zhao H, Xu R, Qin Y, Zhang Q, Bhuwalka K, Caldeira K, Davis SJ. 2025 Apr 9. Trade risks to energy security in net-zero emissions energy scenarios. Nature Climate Change. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-025-02305-1. [accessed 2025 Apr 15]. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-025-02305-1.

Denholm P, Chernyakhovskiy I, Streitmatte L. 2024. Maintaining Grid Reliability – Lessons from Renewable Integration Studies . docs.NREL.gov: NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy. [accessed 2026 Mar 3]. https://docs.nrel.gov/docs/fy24osti/89166.pdf.

Elsworth J, Van Geet O, Robinson G, Bari G, Calton J, Hickey J, Morrison E, Payne K, Lyell K. 2023. Toward Solar Photovoltaic Storm Resilience: Learning from Hurricane Loss and Rebuilding Better. Federal Energy Management Program. [accessed 2026 Mar 3]. https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2023-02/femp-toward-solar-pv-storm-resilience-learning-from-hurricane-loss-rebuilding-better_0.pdf.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.2 days ago
🌊 Sarasota Bay Sewage Spill 🌊

Over the weekend, a broken pipe spilled 14,000 gallons of raw wastewater directly into Sarasota Bay, one of only 28 estuaries in the U.S. recognized as “Estuaries of National Significance.” The City of Sarasota reports that erosion from the 2024 hurricane season shifted a concrete vault and damaged a force main connection, causing the spill. Crews have repaired the break and begun water quality testing.

How You Can Advocate for Cleaner, Safer Water?

1. Contact Your Local Representatives and ask what’s being done in your city or county to:
✅Upgrade aging wastewater systems
✅Strengthen storm- and erosion‑resilient infrastructure
✅Increase monitoring of vulnerable coastal pipes

2. Reach Out to Environmental Agencies. Residents can contact:

💬Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)
💬Your city or county utilities/water resources department
Ask about current infrastructure plans, spill responses, and long‑term resilience strategies.

Showing Representatives and agencies that issues, like sewage spills, are important to you, helps ensure they are priorities.

Imagine Our Florida, Inc.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.5 days ago
🌙💧 Saturday Saunter🌙💧

Lithia Springs is one of Florida’s natural treasures. Waters in the spring are a constant 72° year round. Visitors can enjoy this beautiful space during the day, and Hillsborough County even offers occasional Night Swims, complete with a ranger‑led program and a glowing, lantern‑lit spring.

Learn more or register for upcoming dates: https://hcfl.gov/events/a-midsummer-night-s-swim
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.4 weeks ago
Celebrating 8 Years of Learning, Advocacy, and Wonder 💚
This year marks our 8th anniversary of educating communities about Florida’s wildlife and wild spaces, advocating for their protection, and sharing the beautiful moments that come from coexisting in this wildly wonderful state.

From classroom lessons and community events to outreach displays and everyday moments of connection, this work is only possible because of the people who believe in it. You can read more about what we accomplished in our 2025 Annual Report, linked below.

Was there a favorite outreach moment, lesson, experience, display, or post that stuck with you over the years? We would love to hear your stories in the comments 🐢

As we look ahead to the coming year, we’re asking for your help. Donations support our operational costs and allow us to expand educational outreach programs in the community, bringing hands-on, science-based learning to even more people across Florida.
If you’re able to give, every contribution, big or small, helps keep this work going and growing. Thank you for being part of our journey and for supporting education, conservation, and community.

Annual Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ar_-NHCEJvt9kCwwjOvIGo6QsM1bK_OE/view?usp=sharing
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.2 months ago
🍾Happy New Years: Celebrating 50 years of environmental success Stories in Florida🥂

Sometimes it's hard to see change because it doesn't happen overnight. As we start the new year, let's do so with optimism and inspiration from the past 50 years. These are just a few success stories. If you know more, please contribute to this "campfire" discussion in the comments.

💧EPA Everglades REMAP
Over 30 years of data across 2,000 square miles.
Phosphorus levels in surface water have declined in many areas, with median concentrations dropping below the 10 ppb target in several Water Conservation Areas.
Cattail expansion has slowed or reversed in some regions, with native sawgrass rebounding.

🦩FIU Everglades Science Center
40+ years of research involving 100+ scientists
Long-term data sets on periphyton, fish biomass, and hydrology used to calibrate restoration models
Documented increased wading bird nesting success in restored areas

🐊South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) 2025 Report
Over 60,000 acres of wetlands restored
More than 100 miles of canals backfilled or rehydrated
Tamiami Trail bridging completed, restoring flow to Everglades National Park

🚣Florida LAKEWATCH & USF Atlas of Lakes
Thousands of water quality samples collected by volunteers.
Trends in chlorophyll-a, nitrogen, and phosphorus tracked across hundreds of lakes
Data used to assess trophic state and inform lake management

These wins didn’t happen overnight. They came from decades of science, sweat, and love— from people like you. In every corner of this state, change looks different. It’s restoring a shoreline, making a change to reduce energy within their home, upgrading agricultural practices to be more sustainable, or teaching a child to understand how ecosystems work. This new year, we honor every step—big or small— toward a Florida where nature belongs to all of us.

Let’s keep going. Together.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.3 months ago
💚 This Giving Tuesday, let’s Imagine Our Florida together! 💚

At Imagine Our Florida, Inc., our mission is simple yet powerful: to educate and empower Floridians to become a voice for our wildlife, advocate for environmental stewardship, and learn to coexist within our unique ecosystems.

With your support, we can:

🌱Connect communities: building appreciation and respect for Florida’s wildlife and wild spaces

🌱Transform fear into respect: teaching safe coexistence with black bears and other native species

🌱Empower advocates: equipping Floridians with science-based knowledge to protect habitats and ecosystems

🌱Inspire stewardship: fostering a shared vision to preserve Florida’s natural heritage for generations

Your Giving Tuesday gift fuels environmental education and outreach programs that change hearts and minds.

🌿 $5 can feed Slow Mama for a week.
🌿$20 can support a community outreach event for a day.
🌿$80 supports can support a library display.
🌿 $150 can support operational costs for a month.

#GivingTuesday #IMagineOurFlorida #EnvironmentalEducation #FloridaWildlife #ConnectRespectCoexist #florida