The Gulf Coast Community Foundation has released its groundbreaking Community Playbook for Healthy Waterways, a user-friendly website that integrates water quality science, government policy, community education, and actionable solutions to help stem manmade nutrient pollution in our local waters. This is a must-visit site for START’s environmentally concerned followers.
The Playbook is based on a year-long series of in-depth meetings known as the Nutrient Initiative led by Jon Thaxton, Senior Vice President of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. Participants in the Nutrient Initiative were leading water quality experts from government agencies, private enterprise, environmental non-profits and agriculture. The recommendations of the group were researched and compiled by Jennifer and David Shafer of Shafer Consulting along with consulting hydrological engineer, Steve Suau, Principal of Progressive Water Resources.
The Playbook is designed to build on Sarasota County’s decades-long commitment to improving water quality. Now we have an online, step- by-step Playbook broken down into ten specific Chapters or topic areas with a list of 43 different actions that will help improve water quality in the Sarasota Bay watershed. Some of the topics covered include central wastewater systems, stormwater partnerships, septic systems and proper fertilizer use. Under each topic you will learn the current status, key recommended actions, performance measures, collaborative successes and cost estimates. The Playbook is also a living document as it will be continuously updated as more water quality projects and programs unfold. In essence, the 43 recommended activities form a “Do List” for everyone in the community from government agencies to individual citizens about how to lower our nutrient footprint in our waterways.
Learn More
To see a You Tube video about what leading water quality experts say about the Playbook go to https://youtu.be/n1zzrMlDooE
For your own experience with The Playbook, visit bit.ly/2XzvjWK. You’ll be glad you did.
