The Mission of the Department of Environmental Protection is to work as partners with Floridians to: Protect, Conserve and Manage Florida’s Environment and Natural Resources

The Department accomplishes its mission in a manner that:

1.      Provides stewardship of Florida’s ecosystems so that the State’s unique quality of life may be preserved for present and future generations.

2.      Protects the public health and safety.

3.      Provides for responsible and wise use of the state’s mineral, cultural and living resources.

4.      Provides efficient and equitable service to the public.

5.      Provides consistent and impartial implementation of the law.

The Department of Environmental Protection believes in:

1.      A commitment to natural resource and environmental protection and conservation.

2.      An integrated and holistic approach to the management of Florida’s natural resources.

3.      Decision-making based on quality science and information.

4.      Public education and outreach to all segments of Florida’s citizenry.

5.      Participatory management

6.      Adherence to the highest professional standards.

7.      Respect for the rights and worth of the individual.

8.      Quality public service.

FLORIDA

n       It is paradise, but you call it home.  Beaches, coral reefs, crystal springs, rivers lakes, cypress hammocks and sand dunes.  It’s the gentle gulf and the pounding Atlantic surf.

n       It’s the land of flowers: hibiscus, dogwood, azaleas, and orange blossoms.  A state of twisting mangroves, stately pines, swaying palms, majestic live oaks and reaching bananas.  Yes, it is America’s favorite playground and the best place for fun under the sun… but there is a price to pay.  If you’re willing to get informed, get involved and get out and make a difference, the future can be beautiful too.  After all, this is your heritage, your responsibility, your future and your Florida.

Environmental Citizenship

Environmental citizenship is an idea that each of us is an integral part of a larger ecosystem and that our future depends on each one of us embracing the challenge and acting responsibly and positively toward our environment.  It’s about making changes in our daily lives to be environmental citizens all day, every day.

The Facts About Water

n       Florida has more than 7,700 freshwater lakes and more than 8,000 miles of shoreline.

n       More than 90% of Floridians depend on groundwater as our primary source of drinking water.  The average Floridian uses 175 gallons of water each day.

n       Salt water comprises 97% of the world’s water supply.  The remaining 3% of fresh water is inaccessible because it’s in the form of polar icecaps, remote glaciers and icebergs.  Only one-half of one percent of all water on earth is usable fresh water, making it among the rarest substances on earth.

n       Withdrawal of fresh water for public water supply operations increased from 170 million gallons per day (gpd) in 1950 to 1.9 billion gpd in 1990; and (according to preliminary estimates) to more than 2 billion gpd in 1995.

n       In 1990, a total of 7.5 billion gallons of water per day was withdrawn in Florida.  In 1996 that figure dropped to 6.9 billion gallons of water per day.

n       Among all the states east of the Mississippi River, Florida ranks first in terms of amount of water consumed in agriculture irrigation.

n       Florida law requires that toilets used in new construction can use no more than 3.5 gallons of water per flush.  Most traditional fixtures use 6 gallons per flush.

n       Florida law limits shower fixtures installed in new construction to 3 gallons of water per minute.  Most existing fixtures use 4.7 gallons per minute.

n       A faucet leaking at a rate that would fill a 16-ounce container in one hour would also waste more than 1,000 gallons of water in a year.

THE FACTS ABOUT WASTE

Composting

n       Yard waste is the second largest component (by weight) of the municipal solid waste stream.

n       Every year, each person creates 360 pounds of food and yard waste.

n       Yard waste is 20% of the solid waste stream

Glass

n       Most bottles and jars contain at least 25% recycled glass.

n       Glass never wears out—it can be recycled forever.

n       We save over a ton of resources for every ton of glass recycled – 1330 pounds of sand, 433 pounds of soda ash, 433 pounds of limestone, and 151 pounds of feldspar.

n       A ton of glass produced from raw materials created 384 pounds of mining waste.  Using 50% recycled glass cuts it by about 75%.

n       We get 27.8 pounds of air pollution for every ton of new glass produced.  Recycled glass reduces that pollution by 14-20%.

n       Recycled glass saves 25-32% of the energy used to make glass.

n       Glass makes up about 8% of American municipal garbage.

n       The average American can save six pounds of glass in a month.

n       Every day, Americans recycle about 13 million glass jars and bottles.

PAPER

n       Approximately 5.8 million tons of tissue-grade (toilet and facial tissue, paper napkins, towels, diapers, and various other sanitary products) is produced in the U.S. each year.  In 1992, approximately 3.5 million tons of scrap paper was used to manufacture these products.  According to the American Paper Institute, paper mills rely heavily on high-grade scrap paper generated in manufacturing and converting operations to make these products.  Increased separation of high-grade office scrap paper could enable this type of scrap paper to be used for this purpose in the future.

A CHECKLIST FOR WORK

Work for your environment as well as your employer.  Take your environmental etiquette and citizenship with you to work.

Indoor Workers

Use the stairs…instead of the elevator for short trips (1-2 flights, more if you’re fit).  You’ll save electricity, and active living is better for you, too.

Always turn restroom taps off tightly so they do not drip, and also watch for and report drips or leaks.  Be sure someone repairs them promptly.

Flush toilets only when necessary, and do not use toilets as garbage cans to dispose of cigarette butts, paper tissues, and other items.

Fix things.  Attempt to have items that no longer work repaired, rather than automatically discarding and replacing them.

Pass items you no longer need to co-workers who can make use of them, rather than automatically throwing them out.

Follow, and encourage your employer and fellow employees to follow environmentally safe practices in the storage, use and disposal of hazardous wastes at the work site.

Encourage your employer to purchase and, if appropriate, to manufacture environmentally friendly products, including recycled products: paper of all kinds, copier printer and laser cartridges, rulers, wastebaskets, pens, pencils, and binders.

Recycle (and save) paper… Most office paper is recyclable.  If your workplace does not have an organized paper-recycling program, then encourage your employer and fellow employees to start one.

If a recycling program does not exist, organize an informal one yourself by: (a) establishing paper collection sites, (b) providing collection boxes or containers, (c) informing and reminding co-workers of the sites, and (d) arranging for pick-ups of the paper by a recycling firm.  Most people do not need to be persuaded to participate, and typically most programs will run themselves.  Just be sure that the collection and deposit sites are conveniently located.  It’s possible that the program could even make a little money.

Use litter receptacles and avoid contaminating recyclable.

Save Energy at work.  Turning off office lights in empty rooms (or installing motion sensors that will turn lights off and on) will save electricity and money.  Turn off electrical equipment (computers faxes, and copying machines) at night and over the weekends.

Use both sides of the paper… Double-sided copying is possible with many modern-copying machines.  Turn one-sided paper over and use the blank side for note taking or scratch paper.  Or use it in your printer for preparing draft copies of your work.

E-mail…saves time, paper and energy.  For further savings, rather than travel to meetings, use a conference call.  If you must drive, share rides if possible.

Reuse large envelopes…Stick a new stamp over an old one or a new address label over the original address.  Cut scrap paper and old letterhead into quarters and use for memo and telephone notepads.

Be certain…your place of business has enough trashcans and they are properly maintained.

Use your own coffee cup at work rather than using disposable polystyrene foam cups (which use energy and resources to produce and create litter).

One person’s waste…The Southern Waste Information eXchange (SWIX) Clearinghouse, a service of Keep Florida Beautiful and Florida State University, was established to put companies in touch with each other to find uses for the solid and hazardous wastes, by-products, and leftovers as well as to provide information about other waste management services.  The SWIX manages a toll-free hotline (1-800-441-7949).  Its catalog lists waste materials that are available from (as well as wanted by) firms and agencies.