The development of alternative sources of water — including rainwater and the water that runs down the drain when you take a shower — is one way to make better use of a vital resource. That's one of the ideas to come out of a Summit for Environmental Action held recently in Sarasota. The ideas will work anywhere. And the summit worked so well that Polk County may want to hold one here to develop its own set of environmental goals.
The summit was sponsored by the nonprofit Sarasota County Openly Plans for Excellence (SCOPE) was an effort to come up with practical actions that could immediately benefit the environment.
The five top ideas seem beneficial and practical — smart ideas that would improve the quality of life in Sarasota County, or any community.
The trick will be following the ideas through to fruition.
The all-day summit drew some 180 people invited by SCOPE. They were broken into small discussion groups. The eclectic gathering brought a wide range of people together who might not have otherwise been at the same table: environmentalists, business leaders, elected officials and community activists.
FIVE TOP IDEAS
The 16 group discussions resulted in 16 proposed actions. Those were pared down to five by a vote of all participants. To be approved, a vote of 'strong support' or 'support' had to come from 80 percent of the participants. The top five were:
Develop alternative sources of water that could augment the existing supply. The proposal calls for using rainwater, storm water and 'gray water' — the water used for such domestic purposes as bathing, washing laundry and washing dishes.
Achieve Florida-friendly landscaping by requiring low-impact development techniques, including porous concrete and rain gardens. The action plan also calls for incentives for redevelopment.
See that, within five years, half of all homes and buildings in the county have solar water heaters.
Redevelop the public transit system in conjunction with urban redevelopment to reduce the need for personal vehicles.
Attract sustainable and 'green' manufacturing to the area.
After SCOPE prepares a summary, local leaders will be asked to move the community forward on the calls for action.
Polk Countians may have similar ideas, or perhaps even more innovative ones. One never knows until one asks.
The Ledger.com
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