So what does Gainesville, Florida and Portland, Oregon have in common with Pensacola? You would be surprised.
The big difference is Government. Government develops and enforces the ordinances that reflects what our leaders think that we want; what's in our best interest. Has anyone from our local Government asked us what we want? No one has come knocking on my door.
Having a green community offers many benefits to the public. Let's talk about what we do have for a minute: (Physical Attributes)
A beautiful beach
Downtown amenities, like sports, restaurants, bars, art galleries and museums.
Flooding
Blight and abandoned homes/businesses
Dumpster overload
Weeds and invasive species everywhere
Poisonous insecticides and fertilizer
What do we not have:
Green spaces
Updated stormwater infrastructure
Clean, healthy water for recreational activities
Enough recycling
Pervious pavement
Enough parks
Attractive bioswales
Rain gardens
Green rooftops
Enough sidewalks
Good lighting
Family recreation
Green transportation
Rich tree canopy
These are only a few things to mention. If our community wants this to change, then the common thread between a progressive city like Gainesville and Pensacola is the wants of the people, and that common thread must change the laws and ordinances to reflect that.
We must be the voice for the people. Citizen action groups like Emerald Coastkeeper try to do just that. It's about the grassroots effort to educate and empower the people to demand a clean, safe, green, recreational community for our families, both now and in the future.
Please join us on our website and social media. Find out how YOU can make a difference in your neighborhood, how you can make a difference in your community.
For more information, go to Emerald Coastkeeper. For a current community project, go to the Carpenter Creek Restoration contest. Voting begins April 12th through May 12th. You may vote up to once per day. This contest through USA Today and Gannett could provide $100,000.00 for a project in the heart of Pensacola, your community!
You can help make a difference, we are here to support that difference.
