This week in election news, the Conservation Collier land referendum passed, as did the Manatee county tax and bond referendum, securing and protecting land, water, and wildlife. In Orange county, voters overwhelmingly approved of a Rights of Nature initiative, becoming the largest municipality in the U.S. to do so.
Outside of Florida, some other interesting environmental initiatives passed, including a Nevada constitutional amendment that “requires the state to get at least half its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.”
New Jersey leap-frogged over a lot of environmentally-friendly states this weekwhen Governor Phil Murphy signed into law a bill banning single-use plastic and paper bags. Here’s something to chew on: Scientists in New Zealand are calling for a return to using indigenous words for various species, rather than their “scientific” names.
If you're stressing out about the election, sit back, and watch some lemurs do yoga. Got an environment story or tip to share? Email Valerie Vande Panne at Vvandepanne @ wgcu.org.