News & Public Affairs
USF environmentalists call for divestment from dirty energy listen
05/06/13 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: environment, dirty energy, clean energy, fossil fuels, USF, SEA
The Student Environmental Association, or SEA, at USF wants the school to divest from dirty energy and fossil fuels. Last month the group held its first summit where leaders educated other students about what divestment is and why it’s important. Kirsti Martinez is first year student and member of SEA.
Be the first to commentSt. Pete groups ready to lobby officials for improved curbside recycling program listen
04/16/13 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: recycling, St. Pete, League of Women Voters, environment, sustainability, Sierra Club, St. Pete Chamber of Commerce
The city of St. Petersburg doesn’t offer free curbside recycling to residents; some community-based groups are pulling together to change that. The League of Women Voters of St. Petersburg has hired a consultant to look into the feasibility of universal curbside recycling in the city. The group’s president, Karen Coale, announced the results during a press conference in front of City Hall Tuesday morning.
Be the first to comment“Curbside recycling is the norm throughout all of the other 49 populated cities i...
St. Pete group wants city to offer free curbside recycling listen
03/25/13 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: recycling, St. Pete, League of Women Voters, environment, sustainability, Studio@620
St. Petersburg residents have to pay $45 a year if they want their recyclables picked up curbside. The League of Women Voters of St. Petersburg wants to change that. Karen Coale, the chapter’s president, will kick off an effort called the People’s Trash Monday night at Studio@620 in downtown.
Be the first to comment"It is a new campaign for this year that's kicking off tonight. The League of Women Voter's is probably most known for our voter registration and voter education but we also look at issues; natio...
Tampa Bay Estuary Program announces which ecosystem restoration programs it would like to see funded from BP oil disaster money listen
03/12/13 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Tampa Bay Estuary Program, water, pollution, BP oil disaster, BP, Gulf oil spill, BP oil spill, restoration, environment, Tampa Bay
The Gulf Coast will get millions of dollars for ecosystem restoration as part of fines resulting from the 2010 BP oil disaster.
A partnership of estuary protection groups and local communities has come up with a list of environmental improvement projects they hope will be funded.
One of the partners is the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and Holly Greening is their executive director.
Be the first to comment"Last year Congress approved the Restore Act, last July. That act allows 80 percent of the Clean Water ...
Environmental group could sue to protect two Florida species from the dangers of sea level rise listen
02/22/13 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: environment, Center for Biological Diversity, Florida, US Fish & Wildlife, endangered species
An environmental group hopes the threat of a lawsuit could help to protect two Florida species that face threats because of rising sea level.
Wednesday the Center for Biological Diversity sent a letter of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for not adequately protecting a bird known as the MacGillivray’s seaside sparrow and a reptile called the Florida Keys mole skink.
Jaclyn Lopez is a staff attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity’s office in St. Petersburg. ...
Be the first to commentUSF environmentalists demand climate change action at U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's Tampa office listen
02/19/13 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: USF, environment, Sierra Club, climate change, sea level rise, Keystone XL pipeline, Phil Compton
Two dozen students and environmental activists marched on U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s Tampa office Tuesday demanding he address climate change. The environmentalists are fed up with Rubio’s reluctance to accept that there is a problem. Activists also want Rubio to switch his position on the Keystone XL pipeline.
The pipeline would carry oil from the tar sands in Alberta, Canada into the U.S. in Nebraska. That’s something environmentalists worry could contaminate land if the pipe were eve...
Be the first to commentUSF St. Pete students can drive a car without owning one through new ride share program listen
02/12/13 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: St.Pete, Bill Foster, USFSP, WeCar, ride sharing, environment, fuel efficiency
USF St. Pete launched a car share program for students and faculty today. The WeCar program will have two vehicles available for hourly or daily rentals. Kyle Sabie, corporate rental manager for the ride share division of Enterprise said the program can cheaper than owning a car for many students who live in the downtown area
Be the first to comment“Each day you’re allowed up to 200 miles a day which, part of the benefit of that of course is that fuel is included in the price. So, in theory, depending on gas ...
NRDC warns of effects of fiscal cliff on the environment listen
02/05/13 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: environment, NRDC, fiscal cliff
The U.S. Congress reached an agreement at the end of last year to temporarily avoid what was being called the fiscal cliff of automatic spending cuts and tax increases. But they just put aside the stand-off until the end of this month. The Natural Resources Defense Council is warning that if the deep cuts go through it could negatively affect clean air and water. WMNF’s Seán Kinane spoke with Scott Slesinger, director for the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Be the first to comment"The fiscal cliff, people th...
Tampa park gets new trees for Florida Arbor Day listen
01/18/13 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: MacFarlane Park Elementary School, Arbor Day, Florida Arbor Day, environment, trees, Tampa Parks
The City of Tampa is planting trees today in honor of Florida Arbor Day. Students and city employees planted three American Liberty Elm trees at MacFarlane Park on North MacDill Avenue Friday morning.
“Well, I think the most important thing is to recognize that the city of Tampa has been Tree City recipient for over thirty years – I think 35 years or close to it – which means we have a very aggressive and positive tree-planting program and tree care program in the city.”
That’s Tamp...
1 commentsBusinesses oppose what they say will be costly EPA regulations for Florida waterways listen
01/18/13 Ella WindWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: EPA, FDEP, water quality, numeric nutrient standards, nutrient pollution, environment, DEP
The Environmental Protection Agency’s new numeric limits on nutrient levels in Florida waterways overrule the weaker, narrative-based limits used by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.The EPA says it will retract its rules if the Florida DEP creates its own standards. At a public information session in downtown Tampa Thursday, business owners want that to happen.
Some business people were unhappy with the EPA’s new role in regulating nutrient levels in Florida waterways. Af...
Be the first to comment