“Global warming plays a major role in the future of Florida and its residents and something needs to be done,” Environmental Science Major at the University of West Florida Jason Godwin said.
Global warming is an increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere.
With rising temperatures, ice caps melt, causing the ocean waters to rise and with oceans rising the land of Florida’s coast is slowly disappearing.
As the land falls into the ocean, human activity and wildlife vegetation are threatened.
There are species, such as the Florida beach mouse, that rely of the coast to live and when vegetation is threatened so are they. Rising sea levels threatens the endangered species that live along the coast as well by slowly withering away at their habitat.
Hurricanes are one of the biggest problems that are presented to the northwest region of Florida. Throughout the years, hurricanes have caused millions in damages and also taken many lives.
“Hurricanes scare us financially and threaten our safety, and year after year they continue to grow stronger,” Pensacola Beach resident Tom Fruiticher said.
When temperatures rise, the ocean water warms as well. As water temperatures rise, hurricanes become stronger and more dangerous. Warm water allows hurricanes more of an opportunity to form creating more hurricanes more often.
We have recently seen this become a factor in the northwest region of Florida, with hurricanes like Ivan and Katrina. These were two of the stronger storms to recently form here.
Aside from having a physical impact on the region, it could also have an economical impact on Florida as well. As global warming continues, temperatures rise in Florida. This causes an impact of tourism.
Tourism is the biggest economic stimulator in Florida and with rising temperatures; less tourists are visiting the area due to extreme summer temperatures.
Although global warming is a very serious issue to Florida, there may still be some benefits towards Florida’s economy.
One benefit is Florida relies heavily on shellfish and with waters rising and consuming land more shoreline area is created, therefore allowing for more shellfish production.
Groups across the region have been formed in order to take on global warming and other environmental issues.
Groups such as Emerald Coast Keepers, Clean and Green and the Environmental Action Group are a few of the hundreds of groups around Florida who have joined together to fight Global warming.
“We come together to inform the public so that they are aware of the magnitude of global warming,” Kristie Sitler, board member of Clean and Green, said. “We also work hard to fight big industries that pollute the area and file lawsuits whenever a law is broken.”
Things that can be done by you are simple tasks such as car pooling, turning the lights off when you are though with them and driving more environmentally friendly cars.
“I wish this country could focus on renewable resources and veer away from the dependency of oil,” Barbie Hearington volunteer with the Environmental Action Group said. “Renewable resource could be a game changer for our ecosystem."
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