Introduction to Water and Land Economics

On June 13, the Lambda Alpha International (LAI) Global Water-Land Series Group (Group) hosted the Introduction to Water and Land Economics Global Webinar; introductory in nature, the webinar was designed as a foundation for a plethora of future webinars on more specific topics.

Baja California Sur Pacific Ocean Coast
Photo courtesy of Holly Elmore Images

Group Co-Chairs, Economic & Planning Systems Managing Principal Jim Musbach, LAI Golden Gate Chapter member, and Elemental Impact (Ei) Founder & CEO Holly Elmore, LAI FL Suncoast member, introduced and moderated the webinar.

The esteemed panelists included Jay Lund, Ph.D, Vice Director, Center for Watershed Sciences & UC Davis Distinguished Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Steve Suau, P.E., Consultant at Carbon Life, and Brad Bass, Ph.D, Senior Policy Analysist, Employment & Social Development Canada & University of Toronto Status Professor. Steve and Brad are Ei Advisors and members of the Ei Regenerative Working Group.

Below is a synopsis of the webinar agenda:

Jay Lund - Overview & History 

• Overview of the current water supply and quality scenario and its implications on land economics; give history and name institutions involved in water management.
• Western N America specific challenges, solutions, and success stories.

 Steve Suau - Integrated Watershed Management

•  Four elements of integrated watershed management.
•  Florida specific challenges, solutions, and success stories.

Brad Bass - Algal Blooms, a Economic Perspective

• Overview of the algae blooms that segue into challenges with non-native/invasive species.
• Solutions available at a regional level as well as examples of successful local programs in the Canadian Great Lakes region.

Welcome & Introductions
LAI VP Craig Binning, LAI Simcoe (Toronto) Chapter member, welcomed webinar attendees and gave an overview of the nearly 95-years-old land economics honorary. As he introduced Jim, Craig highlighted Jim's 30 years of LAI membership.

In his introductory remarks, Jim explained that the Group is a subcommittee of the LAI Global Initiatives Committee; the Group's purpose is to create global programming tied to many facets of water and how it relates to land economics.

The Hernando de Soto Bridge 
in Memphis, TN
Photo courtesy of Holly Elmore Images

A vast array of water and land economics topics include policy allocations of scarce resources, infrastructure investment, conservation, environmental sustainability, climate change mitigation, sea-level rise, public health, and population growth. According to Jim, "water and land use is a topic that is deep and wide, literally speaking."

The Group intends to educate on the many dimensions of water-land economics, focus on the array of challenges facing diverse geographic regions, and highlight regional success stories.

Following Jim, Holly explained that this webinar was designed as introductory in nature and to serve as a platform from which to address the specific topics outlined by Jim. Holly gave personalized introductions of each of the panelists and then began the webinar with Jay's presentation. 

Within her introductory remarks, Holly showcased the diversity of expertise within the panelists: Jay shares his engineering acumen from an academia perspective, Steve is "boots-on-ground" with implementation of watershed-management projects, and Brad represents a federal government viewpoint as well as his background in science and economics. 

Overview & History - Jay Lund

Jay opened his presentation with the interaction between land and water and how the availability and quality of water has a direct impact on land values. Beyond the recreational and aesthetic value, proximity to water is necessary for agriculture and urban development. Jay emphasized the important role water access plays in the ability to fight fires. Additionally, water may serve as transportation outlets that support an area's economic vitality.

Proximity to water may also negatively impact land value due to excessive, regular flooding and hurricane/storm damage.

Arial view of the Inner Baltimore Harbor
Photo courtesy of Holly Elmore Images

Throughout history, civilizations often developed around waterways, whether the sea, inland lakes, or rivers. Once irrigation was developed via access to ground water, farming on semi-arid land provided economic benefit and increased land value.

According to Jay, current water issues include:

• Management for droughts
• Groundwater over-draft
• Contamination of aquifers – nitrate, salts
• Contamination of rivers – pesticides, nitrate, nutrients
• Water allocations among users
• Managing with greater variability

Jay emphasized that surface water contaminates quickly and can also be cleaned-up in a reasonable amount of time with concerted effort. However, the nitrate and salt contamination in the aquifers is nearly impossible to resolve and is considered permanent.

The decentralized water management comes with advantages and disadvantages, especially with the multiple layers of government involved.

In the early 1900's, the U.S. Government invested in huge water projects in the North Western lands to foster economic growth and populate the area. At the time, the economy was driven by agriculture. Yet, in the modern-day economy, agriculture only comprises about 5% of the North Western U.S. economy. Thus, there are tensions from regional water systems designed to serve an economy that no longer exists.

Jay detailed the following challenges of the western arid climate:

• Long seasonal droughts every year
• Multi-year droughts
• Salination
• Water and land competition (users and ecosystems)
• Floods too!

Even with infrastructure development to store and move surface water and groundwater, solutions are inherent with water-demand management. Local water-management projects, versus the large regional projects, are the most successful in the western U.S. and around the globe.

Infrastructure cannot solve the overall water-deficit challenges. Every infrastructure-based solution brings new problems, particularly for the environment and sustainability.

In conclusion, Jay emphasized that water and land values always interact and water availability usually enhances land value; water regulation and management affects land economics. Interactions with water have supported and ended civilizations for millennia.

Jay's PPT presentation is available for download at this LINK.

* a significant portion of the Overview and History section was derived from Jay's PPT presentation and transcript of the recorded webinar. 

Integrated Watershed Management - Steve Suau*

Though he has exceptional local-government experience, Steve mentioned that the majority of his 40-year career was spent in the private sector with two partners. One was a water-policy expert and the other a hydrogeologist who focused on ground water and aquifers; Steve's experience was in hydrology and engineering. With the diverse backgrounds, their company covered the bases for extensive water-related projects throughout Florida.

According to Steve, the four principles of integrated watershed management are:

1. Natural systems
2. Water quality
3. Flood protection
4. Water supply

Integrating the four principles into strategic plans, decision making, and project implementation is key to successful watershed management.

An overall effective strategy for water-demand management, is Right Water for Right Use:

• Non-potable water for outdoor irrigation
• Use of water-efficient fixtures for indoor potable water
• Tiered water-rate structures

The Right Water for Right Use strategy resulted in a decreased per person average daily water usage from 105 to 85 gallon from 2003 to 2017 in Southwest Florida. During the same timeframe, the population increased 40% yet the water consumption only increased 20%.

Big Cypress National Preserve Swamp
in the Florida Everglades
Photo courtesy of Holly Elmore Images

In the mid-1800's, Florida drained the abundant wetlands and lakes to create agricultural land; the term used at the time was land reclamation. Subsequently, the aquifers were over pumped to irrigate the farm land. Thus, farming depleted the once abundant waters and contaminated the remaining water via runoff of toxic agriculture chemicals.

A significant project during this time frame was the straightening of the 103-mile meandering Kissimmee River and its floodplain into a 52-mile straight canal from Orlando to Lake Okeechobee. As  it flowed, the canal carried agriculture contaminants into Lake Okeechobee.

To the south of Lake Okeechobee, excess fresh water from Florida's summer-rainy season flowed into the Everglades creating Florida Bay, a thriving estuary. Incentivized to compete with Cuba's flourishing sugar production, the federal government redirected the south flow to east and west flows towards Florida's coasts. The flow diversion created the Everglades agricultural area, about 500 to 600,000 acres.

The east/west canals carry tremendous amounts of agricultural and industrial nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus, to both coasts; the nutrients are food for algae blooms that are economically and environmentally disastrous for the coastal communities. 

Unintended, yet predicable, consequences include:

• Dire need for fresh water in Florida Bay
• Blue-green algae in the Indian River Lagoon
• Red tide in the Gulf of Mexico

The Florida Water Resources Act of 1972 (Chapter 373, F.S.), established that all water in Florida, on the surface or in the ground, is a public resource managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation through designation of five Water Management Districts (WMDs). The districts were largely delineated around the major watersheds in Florida, not around political boundaries, and have a committed revenue stream based on a percentage of real estate taxes.

Water district responsibilities include:

• Regulation and permitting of water use as well as land development
• Monitoring of science - an enormous amount of data is collected that is critical for decision making
• Land acquisition and restoration for improved water quality
• Infrastructure improvements

Dead fish from the 2018
red tide outbreak
Photo courtesy of Holly Elmore Images

Steve gave an example of how four Southwest Florida counties banded together and formed a regional water-supply authority that receives funding from the Southwest Florida Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD.) The regional authority plays an integral role when hurricanes wreak havoc with the area-water supply. Improvements in utility infrastructure must gain approval from the authority to ensure coordination within the regional water supply.

In Steve's words: 

FARMS - Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems - is a private/public partnership developed by the SWFWMD and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as a cost-share reimbursement program for agricultural projects that reduce groundwater withdrawals from the Upper Floridan aquifer through conservation and other alternative water-supply best management practices (BMPs). Water-quality and natural-systems-improvement BMPS may also be cost-shared in priority areas.

SUCCESS: 20 yrs, 240 FARMS Projects, Water Conserved = 20 mil gallons-per-day

In recent years, the SWFWMD embarked on what Steve refers to as the most significant water-restoration project in the world. Yet very few people, even in Florida, are aware of the project. The water district used dynamite to literally blow up the dams on the Kissimmee River, purchased the river flood plains, and restored the meandering 103-mile river. Wildlife immediately returned.

Big Sugar remains an obstacle to cleaning up Lake Okeechobee of agricultural chemicals, stopping the east/west flow of excess water, and restoring fresh-water replenishment to the Everglades and Florida Bay. In 2007 then Governor Crist spoke to the U.S. Sugar Corporation, “I have an idea that might solve all our problems. Why don’t we just buy you out? If Sugar is polluting the Everglades, and we are paying to clean the Everglades, why don’t we just get rid of Sugar?”

In November 2014, about 75% of Florida voters approved an amendment to the state constitution; the amendment requires one third of documentary-stamp revenue to be placed into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund and spent on a variety of environmental programs and initiatives. These funds may prove ample to execute Governor Crist's idea.

Steve's PPT presentation is available for download at this LINK.

* a significant portion of the Integrated Water Management section was derived from Steve's PPT presentation and transcript of the recorded webinar. 

Algal Blooms, a Economic Perspective - Brad Bass*
In his presentation, Brad uses algal blooms as an example in his evolution of studying the economic impact of an environmental phenomenon. With excess phosphorous the main catalyst, in 1970 Lake Erie was in dire conditions from algal blooms and other pollution.

President Nixon & Prime Minister Trudeau
signing the GLWQA April 15, 1972.
Courtesy of the EPA

In 1972, then U.S. President Nixon and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau signed the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) that coordinates the actions of Canada and the United States in restoring and protecting the water quality of the Great Lakes. At the time of execution, Trudeau described the state of the Great Lakes as a disgrace. Though later removed, in the original published version of The Lorax, Dr. Seuss included "I hear things are just as bad up in Lake Erie" when referring to water-pollution levels.

Through regulations focused on wastewater-treatment facilities, erosion control, and phosphate-concentration levels in laundry detergents, the Great Lakes achieved a 60% reduction in phosphorous loadings through the 1980's

With the onset of chemical-agriculture practices, Ontario’s agricultural heartland was becoming the largest source of this bioavailable phosphorus. 

Additionally, there were New Factors at Play:

• Population growth and land use changes
• Changes in phosphorus discharges from urban and agricultural landscapes due to changes in land use and land-management practices
• A changing climate
• increased frequency of severe storms
• increased temperatures
• longer growing seasons
• Ecosystem changes - aquatic invasive species
• changes to water clarity and nutrient flows caused by Zebra and Quagga mussels
• Bioavailable phosphorus increasing
• linkages to above factors 

Lake Erie responded with algal plumes/blooms, and hypoxia that resulted in devastating fish and other marine-life kills.

Brad shared the evolution of his approach for creating effective, long-term solutions to the excessive bioavailable phosphorus. In 2008, Brad viewed this situation as a technology issue and suggested that the use of green infrastructure, designed to represent natural processes in technologies, would be an effective solution.

Zebra mussels, an invasive species, fueled Cladophora outbreaks close to the beaches. Along with a colleague, Brad discovered that zebra mussels were an excellent growing medium in green roofs. Thus, Brad replicated natural processes in technology.

By 2013, Brad noticed the complexity arising from scientific understanding and chose to address the interaction between climate and management of the land. Within the complexity of the scenario, Brad looked at the dynamics of phosphorus movement through a landscape and how green infrastructure might be placed to mitigate this flow.

In 2015, Brad resonated with Aristotle's famous quote: The more you know, the more you know that you don't know. Brad concluded that the complexity arose from the following factors:

• Impact of social and economic factors on adoption of new management practices
• Scientific understanding
• Linkages between different spatial scales
• Interaction between climate and management on the land

When assessing the cost of algal blooms, Brad chose to embrace an economist's, versus an accountant's, perspective and focus on the impact of blooms on social welfare. In his economic analysis, Brad used loss of well being as the barometer of algal blooms' direct cost to the economy,

The following cost categories were used to assess the ecological benefits provided by the lake-water quality:

• Commercial fishing
• Water users: industries (including municipal drinking water treatment plants)
• Recreational users: individuals that participate in lake-based recreation 
• Non-users: individuals that do not use the lake but are concerned about its quality 
• Tourism: the “tourism industry”.
• Property owners along the lakeshore 

Using the above categories, the study assessed the estimated economic impact on the Lake Erie Economic Basin in three scenarios: business-as-usual, policy intervention, and a stable lake. For 2020, total annual benefit of implementing best-management practices was $350.4 million, with the largest benefit of $118.9 million for carbon sequestration.

Brad concluded his presentation showcasing that humanity's demand for ecological resources exceeds the capacity to regenerate in one year; if the entire global population lived in accordance with United States standards, it would require nearly five earths to provide the ecological resources for the living standard.

Brad's PPT presentation is available for download at this LINK.

* a significant portion of the Algal Blooms, an Economic Perspective section was derived from Brad's PPT presentation and transcript of the recorded webinar. 

Question & Answer Session
With the impressive presentations complete, Jim moderated a Question & Answer (Q&A) session. The below is copied with minor edits from the recorded webinar's transcript.

What are the top two or three pricing initiatives that could rationalize or optimize the use of water in the Western United States?

Jay: There's a big difference, I think, between pricing you want to do for the different sectors. Agriculture is the by far the biggest human-based water user, at least in in the West. It's important that water be priced so as to show the opportunity costs, at least in the other economic sectors. And I think that will be sufficient. I think the the true opportunity cost of that water use is often higher than the economic-opportunity costs. But if you get it up to the economic-opportunity costs. I think you're doing pretty well.

Brad mentioned the value associated with the carbon sequestration aspect of the programs featured. Please talk more about how carbon sequestration works in that case and how it creates the value included in your report.

Brad: We were surprised that carbon sequestration was the biggest benefit; we  expected the biggest benefit to be directly in the reduction of phosphorus. What we realized is that many of the best management practices increase vegetation. It's not that they necessarily decrease energy, decrease energy use, but they do increase the ability of the soil to sequester carbon in the surface vegetation. 

For the cost estimate, we took the current price of carbon globally and calculated how much it would increase over the next 30 years. One reason the benefit was so large is the price of carbon; the sequestered carbon could be sold as carbon credits or otherwise receive payment for the sequestered carbon.

How does the carbon sequestration work in the context of the water itself?

Brad:

Cover crops is a farming BMP that
increases carbon sequestration.
Photo courtesy of Holly Elmore Images

It's not the water; it's the actions you do to protect the water on the land that lead to the carbon-sequestration benefit. All of those best management practices are in the soil themselves. If you put up a tree line or wind break, you're going to end up planting a lot of trees. If you put in a cover crop, you're going to increase the amount of vegetation cover on your soil: you could double it, or at least increase it by a third every year. If you restore a wetland, the vegetation in that wetland is going to sequester more carbon than it otherwise would. If you were to restore fragile land with trees that would actually sequester a tremendous amount of carbon. 

A related question. In your cost-benefit analysis, you put a value or a cost number on in-action versus the cost of action.  How do you translate the costs that are done on a kind of the inaction to actual financing that gets applied to these solutions?

Brad: The government of Canada had actually experimented with a using climate bonds to finance

greenhouse gas-reduction activities. If you purchased it, a bond would be used to invest in those specified activities. And I thought, now that we know what the cost of inaction is, we have the basis to create ecological bonds for water quality in the Great Lakes. It was a proposal that I started before leaving the department for another role, and I don't think anybody picked up on it.

Steve, in the context of Florida's scenario, if you could see one policy implemented at the Federal level, what would would it be? And in in the same manner at the state level. What would you see as being policy actions that can be taken at the federal and state levels to address the issues Florida experiences?

Steve, At the state level, reinitiate discussions, to terminate sugar farmed in the Everglades; it is important to work together with the local communities who rely economically on the sugar farms. Due to the devastating environmental destruction from the sugar industry, there is opportunity to work with those communities to create a more resilient economy based upon the value of the world's only Everglades as an attraction.

Organic farming grows healthy soil
Photo courtesy of Holly Elmore Images

As many organic farmers say "We grow soil!" Soils with a healthy, thriving ecosystem absorb, retain, and filter significantly more water than deteriorated soils. Thus, healthy soils are an excellent defense for drought and flood scenarios. 

The USDA Organic Transition Initiative subsidizes farmers in the 3-year period, moving from conventional, chemical agriculture to organic, biology-based agriculture.

In Florida, the citrus industry is exploring a return to biology-based agriculture; the chemistry-based agriculture devastated the soil ecosystem, and the citrus orchards are suffering from diseases and viruses. Production levels deteriorated back to 1963 levels.

A shift to biology-based, organic agriculture would significantly reduce the nitrogen and phosphorous loads in the waterways fueling algal outbreaks. Chemical-based landscape and grounds-maintenance practices also contribute to nitrogen and prosperous levels in the waterways, though in lower quantities.

Brad, The state of Vermont used to give out an award for innovative phosphorus reduction, and 2019 that award went to someone who developed the Biochar filter.

Steve, Biochar is an expensive way for removing phosphorus; we found that woody material, even sawdust, was quite effective.

Going back to the agricultural question, sugar seems to be a big element, and Florida's water juice. Hawaii phased out the sugar industry - are there any lessons to be learned for a transition out of sugar in Florida? Or are Hawaii and Florida completely different markets?

Steve, The type of agriculture is not the main issue; it is the location of the sugar farms just south of Lake Okeechobee where the fresh water flows into the Everglades and eventually to Florida Bay.

So there is an ability to to accommodate the sugar industry in Florida?

Steve, Yes. In the past there was an issue with the location of the dairy farms. Thus, the State purchased the dairy farms and relocated them to another part of Florida. A similar scenario could work for the sugar farms.

Is the sea-level rise likely to affect coastal land values, restoration, and recreation activities?

Jay, We have a saying in ecosystems for aquatic ecosystems, at least in estuaries. that elevation is destiny; I think that is going to be true. The urban coasts will probably harden like the Dutch have done over 1,000 years or so. Some coasts are too expensive to harden, and we will simply let them go.

Sea-level rise is a particular challenge for barrier islands and places subject to hurricanes, like the entire Florida coast.

The big coastal cities that have ample resources, are very well organized, and have access to tremendous expertise will still face sea-level rise challenges. It' will be fairly expensive for them to raise their waste facilities, their drainage systems, and their wastewater-discharge systems. Additionally, the cities must protect their their land from flooding.

One final question: with Florida such a low-lying state, how will it be impacted by sea-level rise?

Steve, The state legislature is actively incentivizing coastal communities to prepare for sea-level rise and will provide revenue to fund projects implemented in consideration of sea-level rise.

Many coastal communities have what we refer to as "sunny-day flooding" during a King Tide, an exceptionally high tide during a full moon. Based on the orientation of the moon to the earth, King Tides will be more frequent starting around 2030.

Most homes and buildings on the barrier islands are elevated due to hurricanes and are expected to fare well with sea-level rise. Planning for the infrastructure including roads, utilities, water & sewer lines, and lift stations is underway. Yet, roads can only be elevated so much. Sea-level rise is an exceptional challenge for the barrier islands.

... and sea-level rise will have a huge impact real estate values.

Jim, in San Francisco, the northern waterfront plans require the elevation of the seawall and the finger peers by up to 4 feet, which costs billions and billions of dollars. Sea-level rise is a problem that we're all going to be facing in the future.

After the Q&A session, Jim thanked the speakers for their outstanding presentations and those who attended the webinar. Jim reminded all that the webinar was recorded for post-event viewing. 

Holly closed the webinar with announcement of the fall webinar topic: Agriculture’s Impact on Water Quality & Quantity and Land Economics that will be orchestrated in a similar format.

To view the recorded Introduction to Water and Land Economics webinar, click HERE.

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About Lambda Alpha International (LAI)

LAI is the honorary global network for thought leaders in all fields related to the preservation and sustainable development of land.

LAI is a growing network of chapters in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Asia. Each chapter offers a wide variety of programs with industry leaders, discussion forums, community service projects and networking events.

Membership is highly selective through a nomination process initiated by an LAI member. Nominees for LAI membership must demonstrate ten or more years of experience in their fields, professional distinction, and outstanding contributions to the community in their field of endeavor.

LAI is committed to excellence and high professional standards to make a difference. A value to members is knowing you are someone who helped make that difference.

_______________________________________

Tax-deductible donations in any amount are greatly appreciated to support Ei's important work. 

DONATE HERE

About Earth Impact:

Earth Impact (formerly Elemental Impact) (Ei) is a 501(c)3 non-profit founded in 2010 as the home to the Zero Waste Zones, the forerunner in the nation for the commercial collection of food waste for compost. In June 2017, Ei announced the Era of Recycling Refinement was Mission Accomplished and entered the Era of Regeneration (June 2017 - June 2024). Focus areas included Nature Prevails, Soil Health | Regenerative Agriculture, and Water Use | Toxicity.

The Regeneration in ACTION Magazine articles, From Organic Certification to Regenerative Agriculture to Rewilding Landscapes: an evolution towards soil integrity and SOIL & WATER: the foundation of life, published to explain and substantiate the importance of Ei’s rewilding urban landscapes work within the Nature Prevails focus area. What We Eat Matters is an emerging platform that intertwines within the three focus areas.

As Ei enters the Era of Impact (June 2024 – present,) gears shift to a new business model, Ei Educates. Though education was always integral to Ei’s important work, the  primary focus was on projects, pilots, and initiatives supported by Ei Partners. The Regeneration Era focus areas carry over into the Era of Impact.

The Holly Elmore Images Rewilding Urban Landscapes-album folder documents two active pilots: the Native-Plant Landscape Pilot and the Backyard Permaculture-Oriented Pilot. The Ei Pilots serve as an educational program.

MISSION:

To work with industry leaders to create best regenerative operating practices where the entire value-chain benefits, including corporate bottom lines, communities, and the environment. Through education and collaboration, establish best practices as standard practices.

Ei’s tagline – Regeneration in ACTION – is the foundation for Ei endeavors.

The following mantra is at the core of Ei work:

Ei is a creator, an incubator.

Ei determines what could be done that is not being done and gets it done.

Ei brings the possible out of impossible.

Ei identifies pioneers and creates heroes.

For additional information, contact Holly Elmore at 404-510-9336 | holly@earth-impact.org.

Environmental Stewardship: the business perspective

The Temple of Understanding (ToU)* invited Elemental Impact (Ei) to host the May monthly Eco Justice for ALL Dialogue. With the topic, Environmental Stewardship: the business perspective, Ei Founder & CEO Holly Elmore orchestrated the following panel of Ei Advisors as the dialogue speakers.

• Stephanie Barger -TRUE Certification for Zero Waste / U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Global Director of Market Transformation
• Simon Lamb -, author of award-winning Junglenomics
• Tim Trefzer - Honeycomb Strategies Event and Venue Sustainability VP, Sports & Venues.

Holly served as the dialogue moderator.

The entire Environmental Stewardship: the business perspective Dialogue is available for viewing on YouTube.

In addition to Ei Advisors, the panelists are members of Lambda Alpha International, a 90-year-old land economics honorary.

* The ToU is an international interfaith organization that advocates for interfaith values in the secular setting of the United Nations.

Eco Justice for ALL Dialogues (EJAD)

According to the website, EJAD are special intimate discussions about the climate emergency with international ChangeMakers.

The EJAD series is an ongoing ToU-project focus for past 12 years; the focus is to increase awareness among religious leaders of the climate crisis and its negative impact on achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In particular, the EJAD focus is on peace, justice, women's health & safety, food sovereignty, and environmental sustainability.

In her welcoming statements, ToU executive director Alison Van Dyk mentioned that the Environmental Stewardship: the business perspective dialogue was the first time the EJAD hosted a business-oriented topic.

As she closed her welcoming statements, Alison turned the program over to Holly as the dialogue moderator.

The Overview
Within her opening remarks, Holly established herself as a seasoned business woman who started her career as an Arthur Andersen auditor and later served as Controller of Trammel Crow Residential, SE Division. Holly's 15 years in the foodservice industry as a restaurateur and off-premises caterer was the perfect background for the 2009 Zero Waste Zones (ZWZ) launch.

In 2010, Ei was formed as the home to the ZWZ, the forerunner in the nation for the commercial collection of food waste for compost. From inception through 2017, Ei operated with tremendous success within the Era of Recycling Refinement (RR.) In June 2017, Ei declared the Era of RR Mission Accomplished and segued into the Era of Regeneration where Nature Prevails is the primary platform.

During the Era of RR, Ei worked closely with Stephanie and Tim; Holly and Simon support each other in the  Environmental Economics focus area, which resides within the Nature Prevails platform.

As her opening remarks closed, Holly shared the dialogue landscape: it began with Stephanie presenting a broad perspective on why environmental stewardship makes good, solid business sense. Tim followed with specific examples of accomplishments within his role as Director of Sustainability at the Georgia World Congress Center, the nation's fourth largest conference center and home to the Atlanta Falcon's football stadium, and involvement with major sporting events. 

For the final presenter, the discussion shifted gears with Simon's talk on Junglenomics and how sustainable accomplishments are no longer feasible to avoid climate disaster; regenerative solutions are imperative.

Holly turned the microphone over to Stephanie to answer a series of prepared questions.

The Broad Perspective

Stephanie Barger
Photo credit:
Holly Elmore Images

In her self introduction, Stephanie mentioned that she shares a common accounting and audit background with Holly and entered the environmental non-profit realms in 2000 with the launch of Earth Resources. As the founder and executive director of the U.S. Zero Waste Business Council (USZWBC,) Stephanie orchestrated the annual National Zero Waste Business Conferences from 2012 through 2016. Additionally,  the USZWBC launched the Zero Waste Certification Program (ZWCP.) 

When the USGBC purchased the USZWBC in 2016, Stephanie segued into the USGBC Global Director of Market Transformation position, and the ZWCP transformed into the TRUE Certification for Zero Waste. In her USGBC capacity, Stephanie works closely with global corporate leadership on achieving zero waste and embarking on other sustainability endeavors.

Driving Forces
Multiple factors - many consumer driven - motivate corporations to embrace environmental stewardship. Often the local, state, and federal regulations governing pollution generation, manufacturing by-product disposal, natural resource extraction, and beyond were the result of public outcry related to environmentally damaging common practices.

Astute companies realize that they must protect the limited valuable resources used in their products to ensure their long-term sustainability; thus, these companies developed internal environmental stewardship practices to protect their corporate longevity. Additionally. company products must be safe to use and free of hazardous materials to maintain a profitable customer base.

Another driving force for sustainable best practices is they simply makes good, solid business sense on tangible and intangible levels. When less resources and energy are expended in the production, packaging, and transportation cycles, lower costs are incurred and the bottom line benefits. An intangible benefit is improved staff morale, which aids in employee retention and recruitment; overall, employees enjoy working for a company that cares about their environmental impact.

Industry Leaders
For zero waste initiatives, Japanese companies were early leaders with embracing resource-recovery and waste-not practices. Limited landfill space on the island was a natural incentive for operating within zero waste standards. Japanese manufacturers Toyota, Subaru, and Ricoh Electronics incorporated their standard zero waste practices when opening U.S.-based plants across the country. 

Eiko  & Stephanie 
Photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

At the inaugural NZWBC in 2012, Ricoh division manager Eiko Risch was an empowering keynote speaker who inspired the audience on "what could be done." The 2012 Regeneration in ACTION (RiA) article, U.S. Zero Waste Business Council hosts first-rate conference, highlights Eiko's impressive keynote presentation.

When their products directly impact customer health, such as personal beauty items and cleaning supplies, a manufacturer often incorporates environmental stewardship within its corporate ethics. Earth Friendly Products (EFP) is a prime example; EFP is a home-based product manufacturer who adheres to ethical standards ranging from manufacturing ingredients, employee and social equity stewardship, and zero waste practices.

At the 2015 NZWBC hosted in Los Angeles, EFP Vice-President Sustainability and Education Nadereh Afsharmanesh spoke at the conference and hosted Holly on a pre-conference tour of their local zero waste-certified plant; the EFP environmental policies were beyond impressive. The 2015 RiA article, Zero Waste Makes Good Business Sense, features the EFP tour as well as Nadereh's and other zero waste leaders' presentations.

Beverage companies like Sierra Nevada are environmental leaders via their ingredient sourcing, zero waste practices, and supporting local economies. Over the past decade, many farms shifted to regenerative agriculture practices and incorporated agri-tourism into their business models. The 2018 RiA article, Regenerating a Bright Future for Planet Earth, features regenerative ranch White Oak Pastures (WOP) within the synopsis of The Savory Institute's Global Network Reunion hosted at WOP in south Georgia.

Corporate Culture
Corporate culture is key to a long-term environmental stewardship commitment. Beyond the executive team, the company stakeholders, including the Board of Directors and stockholders along with the supply chain, must be in alignment with the commitment. 

For TRUE certification at the highest level, the supply chain must adhere to strict zero waste practices; otherwise, there is waste inherent within the raw materials used in product manufacturing and/or services provided. Additionally, the company's product packaging must be minimal for safe transportation, reusable or recyclable, and contain no waste passed on to the consumer.

For employees to align with the culture, environmental stewardship must be discussed during the employee-interview process, included in job descriptions and evaluations, and integral to consistent staff training, similar to safety standards.

Certifications

As she closed her dialogue, Stephanie explained the important role third-party certifications play with establishing industry standards, setting metric-collection protocol, and preventing green washing. Additionally, trusted certifications educate the public on environmental and health concerns within commonly accepted operating practices as well as with building structures.

While the TRUE Zero Waste Certification takes a holistic approach via supply chain waste practices and product-packaging implications, the USGBC LEED - Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design - certification addresses how buildings are designed, constructed, and operated. Internationally held in high esteem, LEED is a green-building-certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices within the USGBC umbrella.

Beyond LEED certification, the International WELL Building Institute certification focus is on the built environment's impact on employee's mental, physical, and emotional health. Focus areas include air and water quality, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind.

Corporate Stewardship

During his decade-long tenure at the Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA), Tim excelled in the new position that segued into the Director of Sustainability at the state-owned 220-acre campus; the GWCCA campus housed the nation's fourth largest convention center, the Georgia Dome (home to the Atlanta Falcons football team,) and Olympic Centennial Park. 

Tim presenting at an Ei Partner Meeting
Photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

The RiA article, Changing of the Guard: Welcome Tim Trefzer to the Ei Leadership Team!, welcomes Tim to the Ei Leadership Team and gives an overview of his impressive environmental accomplishments during his GWCCA tenure.

Tim utilizes his extensive sporting event expertise in his current position as Honeycomb Strategies Event and Venue Sustainability VP, Sports & Venues to support venues and teams with their environmental stewardship commitments.

Sporting Event Industry Leadership

As they encompass a vast cross section of business, government, and community sectors, the sporting event industry emerged as an environmental leader early in the sustainability movement. A multitude of businesses engage with sporting event venues for a variety of services and benefits, ranging from food service to grounds maintenance to corporate-sponsorship contracts  Often local or state governments own or are otherwise financially involved in the venue; the GWCCA is a state-owned facility.

Sporting event venues are a significant local employer, especially during games or other events. Employees as well as fans are drivers for environmental stewardship, especially in the zero waste realms. Zero waste initiatives are easily observed and experienced by the employee and/or fan. Though it is an important component to environmental stewardship and a cost-saving initiative, energy efficiency is intangible and not directly part of the fan experience.

When Tim initially joined the GWCCA team, LEED Certification was pursued as a competitive advantage for winning large sporting event contracts. A decade plus later, LEED Certification is simply expected.

Georgia World Congress Center
On October 28, 2014, the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) announced the 3.9 million-square-foot conference center was awarded LEED Silver certification. The announcement thrust Atlanta into the national | global sustainability spotlight as home to the world's largest LEED-certified convention center AND the 14th largest LEED-certified building.

Holly & Tim with Gold LEED plaque

Recertifying two years early, on November 28, 2017, the GWCC was awarded LEED Gold certification, the second highest level in the rating system. In the recertification, the GWCC was thirteen points higher than the 2014 application and five points higher than the minimum requirement. The majority of the additional points related to the energy-saving performance contract.

IMPRESSIVE: the GWCC experienced a 40% reduction in energy usage via the $28 million energy-saving performance contract! Via the contract terms, the new equipment was paid for with energy savings with no upfront investment by the GWCC.

The 2018 IMPACT Magazine article, Atlanta: the greenest convention, sports, and entertainment destination in the world, showcases the GWCC's exceptional environmental stewardship commitment under Tim's leadership.

Sporting Event Expertise

As host to the 2013 NCAA® Men’s Final Four®, the second most popular sporting event across the globe, Atlanta set a high standard for sporting event sustainability practices. One of the Atlanta Local Organizing Committee (ALOC) stated goals was to make the 2013 Final Four the "greenest games ever." Tim took the helm for achieving the lofty goal.

SUCCESS: the comprehensive ALOC plan culminated in impressive green footprints before, during and after the games. The ZWA Blog article, Final Four green footprints continue after the games, gives an overview of event sustainability stats; the May 2013 Final Four Sustainability Report is the official in-depth report.

Post-event, Tim and an EPA colleague drafted the Final Four Sustainability RFP sustainability section. Thus, new industry standards were established!

Tim & Jack Groh at a Super Bowl event

For several years, Tim consulted with the College Football Playoff and the Super Bowl leadership on establishing sustainability standards at their prestigious sporting events. In addition, Tim was the sustainability liaison for the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship and the 2019 Super Bowl host committees. The events were hosted at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (MBS;) on the GWCCA campus, MBS replaced the Georgia Dome as home to the Atlanta Falcons and other sport franchises.

Validating Tim's significant contributions to sporting event sustainability, National Football League Director of Environmental Programs Jack Groh honored Tim, along with two other icons, in his 2017 Green Sports Alliance Environmental Leadership Award acceptance speech.

Small Businesses

For his final commentary, Tim addressed how a small business may adopt environmental best practices for their facility and operations. Power-purchase agreements are often available where a third party funds the renewable energy-equipment installation and gets paid via energy savings.

Tim recommended that small businesses shift their waste-stream perspective. Beyond reducing the waste stream, there is a market for many of the disposed materials; mini bales of aluminum, water bottles, and cardboard are three common items that may be sold in the commodities market. Thus, by shifting from a waste to a materials-stream perspective, the business may achieve an improved bottom line via reduced waste-hauler charges and revenue from material sales.

Holly advised small businesses to check with their local government for programs designed to fund renewable energy conversions or other energy savings. 

Regenerative Solutions

In the 2017 RiA article, Beyond Sustainability: Regenerative Solutions, the below opening paragraph sets the stage for the dialogue's final speaker Simon Lamb.

Over the past decade, sustainability moved from a buzz word to a movement to a culture within leading communities, universities and businesses. Significant strides were made in zero waste practices, renewable energy technology, and reduced carbon / water footprints. Yet the glaciers continue melting, global temperatures are rising, the ocean acidification levels are increasing, and desertification is escalating.

Sustainability merely prevents increased waste, energy usage, resource extraction, and release of toxins into the atmosphere, soils, and waterways. With the tremendous damage inflicted upon the earth via human activity, regenerative solutions that repair, heal, and rejuvenate earthly resources are necessary for life as we know it to survive and once again thrive on our blue-green planet. 

Junglenomics

Simon pursues an academic approach to economic solutions for environmental challenges. Published in 2019, Junglenomics encapsulates 25 years of Simon's study and research on how to create economic markets that support and value environmental stewardship. Within Junglenomics, social policy is equally important to environmental policy.

In his self-introduction, Simon explained how his lifelong passion for regenerative solutions based on economic markets emerged. Simon was strongly influenced and inspired by renowned oceanographer, filmmaker, and author Jacques Cousteau as well as Silent Spring by Rachel Carson published in 1962.

As a young man, Simon was enthralled with the ancient oak woodlands near his home in the North Wales countryside; the woodlands were a place of reverence, a place of joy. Simon cherished the profound diversity within the forest life cycle including a plethora of insects and pollinators, abundant flora and fauna intermingled within the elder trees, along with a variety of species from the animal and fungi kingdoms. 

Yet, Simon discovered an unfathomable alternative perspective: others only valued the ancient woodlands for the lumber derived from fallen oak trees.

According to Simon, evolution and economics are closely related within the concept of own wealth, a self wealth. Every creature perceives the world with a unique perspective based on their priorities and need to acquire resources. The economic markets flow within a similar manner as individuals are driven to acquire profitable commodities that provide basic needs for their families and businesses. Thus, individuals are constantly seeking profitable resources.

A core problem is the current commodities markets value natural resources once they are extracted or otherwise destroyed; there is no financial incentive to keep the natural resources and their related environmental services in tact.

Junglenomics presents Nature's clear blueprint for reorganizing the current economic domain,

Environmental Services Bonds

Often, the countries rich in natural resources are poor in financial stature with severe poverty, food scarcity, high illiteracy rates, and significant health challenges.

By creating commodities markets that align with Nature, Simon believes that big business will shift from extractive measures to conservative and regenerative practices. With the extensive damage to natural resources, it is imperative to create financial incentives that regenerate resources back into abundant, balanced states.

Utilizing one of the many Junglenomics policies, Simon proposes an Environmental Services Bond market where wealthy countries purchase environmental services from the poor country rich in natural resources. The capital is used to create national parks where resources and wildlife are protected, restore depleted land using regenerative agriculture practices, and create healthy communities with access to nutritious food, education, and medical services.

Closing Commentary

In the Q&A and closing commentary, the speakers addressed how consumers may take effective, individual action.

The three speakers emphasized using the power of consumer demand to influence change in corporate practices and product development. Consumers may cast an empowering vote via purchases with their financial resources and by engaging with business managers. In addition to constructive criticism, it is important to applaud businesses for their environmental stewardship successes. 

Stephanie recommends a review our own lifestyle and habits prior to looking to businesses for solutions. Supporting local small businesses builds a resilient economy where regenerative practices may flourish.

Simon recommended purchasing stock in targeted businesses to obtain a stockholder vote. Additionally, Simon emphasized that government is essential and sets the tone for corporate policy and practices and personal living choices; the Environmental Services Bond market requires government participation.

In her answer to Tim's question on the USGBC's future focus, Stephanie commented that a plethora of new third-party certifications are added to their portfolio; a primary USGBC emphasis is "lifting everyone up" by providing an array of tools that businesses may use to reduce their various footprints and increase their environmental stewardship.

Alyson closed the Environmental Stewardship: the business perspective dialogue with empowering praise and a commitment to include the business perspective in future dialogues and initiatives. 

If government, educational institutions, non-profits, the secular sector, and businesses work together, major strides in environmental stewardship will naturally flow for a WIN benefiting humanity and all life on our lovely planet.

The entire Environmental Stewardship: the business perspective Dialogue is available for viewing on YouTube.

________________________________________

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DONATE HERE

About Earth Impact:

Earth Impact (formerly Elemental Impact) (Ei) is a 501(c)3 non-profit founded in 2010 as the home to the Zero Waste Zones, the forerunner in the nation for the commercial collection of food waste for compost. In June 2017, Ei announced the Era of Recycling Refinement was Mission Accomplished and entered the Era of Regeneration (June 2017 - June 2024). Focus areas included Nature Prevails, Soil Health | Regenerative Agriculture, and Water Use | Toxicity.

The Regeneration in ACTION Magazine articles, From Organic Certification to Regenerative Agriculture to Rewilding Landscapes: an evolution towards soil integrity and SOIL & WATER: the foundation of life, published to explain and substantiate the importance of Ei’s rewilding urban landscapes work within the Nature Prevails focus area. What We Eat Matters is an emerging platform that intertwines within the three focus areas.

As Ei enters the Era of Impact (June 2024 – present,) gears shift to a new business model, Ei Educates. Though education was always integral to Ei’s important work, the  primary focus was on projects, pilots, and initiatives supported by Ei Partners. The Regeneration Era focus areas carry over into the Era of Impact.

The Holly Elmore Images Rewilding Urban Landscapes-album folder documents two active pilots: the Native-Plant Landscape Pilot and the Backyard Permaculture-Oriented Pilot. The Ei Pilots serve as an educational program.

MISSION:

To work with industry leaders to create best regenerative operating practices where the entire value-chain benefits, including corporate bottom lines, communities, and the environment. Through education and collaboration, establish best practices as standard practices.

Ei’s tagline – Regeneration in ACTION – is the foundation for Ei endeavors.

The following mantra is at the core of Ei work:

Ei is a creator, an incubator.

Ei determines what could be done that is not being done and gets it done.

Ei brings the possible out of impossible.

Ei identifies pioneers and creates heroes.

For additional information, contact Holly Elmore at 404-510-9336 | holly@earth-impact.org.

Coastal-Water Quality: Challenges, Solutions, and Economic Impact

Around 10,000 - 12,000 years ago, early humans abandoned their nomadic nature as hunter-gathers, embraced an agrarian lifestyle, and settled into communities, often along shorelines; the coastal waterways provided a protein-food source, transportation, and hydration (if fresh water.) As lifestyles permitted leisure, coastlines provided recreation that eventually segued into the tourism industry.

Communal living brought a new challenge to our ancestors: how to dispose of excrements from livestock and themselves as well as other waste. Contaminated water transmitted pathogen-related illnesses and were a serious public-health concern.

Thus, water-quality challenges are integral to human development from ancient communities through the industrial and digital revolutions to the current information age. With each age, new toxins were developed and released into waterways and aquifers. 

In the industrial age, water contamination expanded to include toxic-manufacturing byproducts; modern agriculture and landscape practices introduced petro-chemical fertilizers and the "cides" - herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, and fungicides; the information age brought environmental challenges with mineral mining and disposal of obsolete and/or broken electronic equipment.

The International Water Association article, A Brief History of Water and Health from Ancient Civilizations to Modern Times, explains the importance of water to human civilizations as well as all life on the planet:

Water is life – and life on earth is linked to water. Our existence is dependent on water, or the lack of it, in many ways, and one could say that our whole civilization is built on the use of water.

North Longboat Key public beach
Photo courtesy of HollyElmoreImages.com

Coastal-water quality, whether seaside, inland-lake and -pond shorelines, or river banks, is of paramount concern with direct environmental and economic ramifications.

Located on the Central Florida Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) Coast, Sarasota is a gem in The Sunshine State. With amazing barrier-island beaches (Siesta Key was named #1 beach in the U.S. by TripAdvisor,) and lovely intracoastal waterways, Sarasota's economy is water-quality based and driven by tourism.

The Sarasota Bay Estuarine System is designated as an Outstanding Florida Water and an Estuary of National Significance.

Coastal-Water Quality Webinar
On February 17 Lambda Alpha International (LAI, a land-economics honorary) hosted the Global Webinar Coastal-Water Quality: Challenges, Solutions, and Economic Impact presented by Sarasota’s environmental leadership. As a member of the LAI executive committee, Elemental Impact (Ei) Founder & CEO Holly Elmore orchestrated the webinar.

The global webinar was the second program in an eighteen-month series about water and land economics around the globe hosted by the LAI Global Water Group.

LAI At-Large Members from Florida’s Central Gulf Coast shared on global-coastal-water challenges along with the economic impact to the local and regional communities. With a well-orchestrated plan, via the Water Playbook, community organizations execute programs designed to prevent water contamination from land use and to cleanse contaminates in the water.

The Sarasota Bay Report Card documents achievements and remaining challenging scenarios. Teamwork is required for success with support provided by local, state, and federal governments as well as the community (foundations and taxpayers.)

After LAI International Vice President Kathline King gave introductory remarks, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP) Executive Director Dave Tomasko opened the webinar with his State of the Bay presentation.

State of the Bay

Image courtesy of SBEP

In his opening slides, Dave introduced the Sarasota Bay (Bay) system's five bays and emphasized that "Managing Sarasota Bay Means Managing Nitrogen Levels." The main indicators of the Bay's health are:

• Total Nitrogen (TN)
• Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a)
• Macroalgae abundance
• Seagrass acreage

Using graphs and diagrams, Dave showcased how the Bay's health is better than 30 years ago yet with recent set backs caused by human activity and natural events. For five years, 2013 - 2019, over 750 million gallons of treated wastewater with high-nutrient content were released into the Lower Bay. Wastewater-treatment-facility upgrades corrected the devastating scenario. Additional upgrades are underway in Sarasota County.

In April 2021, over 200 million gallons of high-nutrient wastewater were pumped from Piney Point, an abandoned phosphate mine, into Tampa Bay; the wastewater contained 10X more nitrogen than the worst wastewater-treatment effluent released in Sarasota. Though the release was north of Sarasota in Tampa Bay, the Bay was significantly impacted.

Image courtesy of SBEP

Though it made landfill south of Sarasota, Hurricane Ian pummeled the central Gulf Coast with 85-miles-per-hour winds and 5 - 15 inches of rain; there was no storm surge. Yet, a tremendous volume of contaminated stormwater flowed into the Bay and later into the Gulf. Once in the Gulf, the high-nutrient water triggered a significant red tide-algae bloom. Five months later, remnants of the red tide bloom are still felt on the barrier-island beaches.

The health of seagrass beds is a barometer of the overall health of the Bay. Seagrass suffers when light penetration is limited due to algae growth in the Bay waters. A keystone species, seagrass serves as a nursery for marine life and a food source for manatees, green turtles, and dugongs.

Dave emphasized the ecological as well as economic impacts from compromised Bay-water quality. 

View or download Dave's The State of the Bay PPT presentation via the hyperlink.

Community Playbook for Clean Waterways
As Chair of the Community Playbook for Clean Waterways, referred to as the Water-Quality Playbook (WQP,) Gulf Coast Community Foundation (GCCF) Senior Vice President of Community Investment Jon Thaxton gave an excellent presentation on the WQP purpose, audience, and format.

Kayaking at sunset in the Bay
Image courtesy of GCCF

Using local chamber's, visitor bureau's, and other organization's water-themed marketing-collateral material as substantiation, Jon emphasized that Sarasota's sensational water-based geography is THE basis for the local economy. From the Bay to the Gulf to the barrier-island beaches, Sarasota is a paradise for coastal-water enjoyment and entices global tourists, whether for a week or the winter season. Protecting water quality protects "Our Way of Life."

With decades of investment, Sarasota is a pioneer in successful water-quality initiatives including fertilizer ordinances, stormwater management, seagrass restoration, and land conservation.  The pioneering efforts substantiate Dave's affirmation that the water quality is better now than thirty years ago.

As Jon states:

Estuaries are sensitive to nutrient pollution. Excess nutrients can change the balance of native flora and fauna in ways that degrade water bodies for fish, wildlife and human uses. As nutrient levels increase, macroalgae and phytoplankton outcompete seagrasses, which require the perfect balance of light levels and nutrients to flourish. Algal blooms, including macroalgae, blue-green algae, and red tide are of particular concern.

Prolific use of nitrogen-based fertilizers disrupts the natural-nitrogen cycle; nitrogen segues from a nutrient to a pollutant that instigates algae blooms. Increased algae blooms decrease light penetrating the water. With decreased light, the seagrass beds decrease and in some cases disappear.

Arial view of the John Ringling Causeway &
the City of Sarasota
Image courtesy of GCCF

The 2017 severe red tide bloom catapulted the Sarasota area into a local economic recession and was the catalyst for the GCCF to champion the WQP.

An impressive team of diverse professionals served on the WQP Steering Committee, including representation from the four panelists' respective organizations.

The WQP Goals are:

1. REDUCE anthropogenic-based nutrient loading in natural systems; sources: fertilizer, biosolids, wastewater, septic systems, and engine emissions.
2. REMOVE anthropogenic-based nutrient from natural systems.
3. BUILD CAPACITY and resilience of ecosystems and human systems to maintain Goals 1 and 2 through education, incentives, partnerships, better data, and public policy.

To keep it functional and current, the WQP audience is policy makers and government agencies and is only available online to enable timely updates. Though Sarasota-focused, the WQP intention is to serve as a template for other coastal communities to emulate.

The final Steering Committee slide was perfect segue to the next presentation.

View or download Jon's Water-Quality Playbook PPT presentation via the hyperlink.

Conservation Easements
Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast (CFGC) President Christine Johnson began her session with a poignant quote by Luna Leopold; the quote set the theme of her presentation:

The health of our waters depends upon how well we live on the land

Oak tree on inland waterway.
Photo courtesy of the CFGC

With a territory that extends from south of Tampa Bay to the Everglades and covers five counties, the CFGC focuses on waterfront, imperiled wildlife, connectivity, and unique public access. The CFGC mission is to protect the land and water in Southwest Florida for the benefit of people and nature; CFGC envisions a future where the human and natural worlds of Southwest Florida flourish together. 

Throughout her presentation, Christine emphasized that conservation easements are FOREVER! 

Per one of her slides: A land trust or a land conservancy is a nonprofit organization that works with landowners and the community to conserve land, as well as steward or take care of the conserved land forever. By taking care of the land, the nearby and faraway water benefits.

As they extinguish development rights on the designated land, conservation easements eliminate or minimize impervious surfaces and limit stormwater runoff with nutrient loads. By allowing the land to hold water, conservation easements prevent downstream flooding and erosion into waterways.

Many conservation easements require best-land-management practices and incentivize land restoration; restoration grants often require a conservation easement. Signage required along the land boundaries educates and brings awareness to the public of the property's protected status.

To date, the CFGC holds conservation easements on 56 properties, consisting of over 19,200 acres.

Two of the CFGC recent easements are on former wetlands and have direct impact on water quality.

Rewilding the Quads
Partnering with the Sarasota Audubon Society, CFGC obtained conservation easements from Sarasota County on three of the four 11-acre Quad parcels located just east of I-75. Contiguous to the world-renowned birding site, The Celery Fields, the Quads project intends to augment bird habitat by planting a forest on one of the parcels.

Though there is ample opportunity for unique human access, a primary focus is rewilding the land for the benefit of wildlife.

Before human intervention, the wetland area was called Big Camp Sawgrass; the land is integral to the local watershed with water flowing into Phillippi Creek on its way to the Gulf.

Bobby Jones Golf Complex

Originally opened in 1926 as the 18-hole Sarasota Municipal Golf Course, the City of Sarasota-owned golf course was renamed the Bobby Jones Golf Course and eventually expanded to 45 holes over 300 acres. 

Bobby Jones Golf Course
Image courtesy of the CFGC

With the onset of the pandemic, the golf course closed. Fortunately, in January 2022, the City of  Sarasota donated a conservation easement to the CFGC with the provisions that a 27-hole course will use 45 acres; the remaining land was dedicated to wetland restoration.

Prior to the golf course development, the land was called Little Camp Sawgrass and directly connects with The Quads as water drains west into the Gulf.

Thanks to Sarasota County and the City of Sarasota donating conservation easement on The Quads (33 acres) and the Bobby Jones Golf Complex (300 acres,) the CFGC will ensure wetlands are restored, provide urban-wildlife food and habit, create unique public access, and improve the area's water quality.

As they are partners in the wetlands restoration, the Bobby Jones Golf Complex was a perfect segue to the Solutions to Avoid Red Tide (START) presentation.

View or download Christina's Conservation Easement PPT presentation via the hyperlink.

Healthy Stormwater Ponds
START is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization founded in 1995 to reduce the excess nutrients in our waterways that feed red tide and other Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs.) START Chair Sandy Gilbert shared that their mission is accomplished via public-education programs, water-quality government outreach, and nutrient-control programs.

A healthy stormwater pond
Photo courtesy of START

Examples of the nutrient-control initiatives include Sarasota bi-valve restoration programs, stormwater-filtering at Bay Park, microforest plantings, and stormwater pond-enhancement programs. Thus, START initiatives prevent water contamination from land use and cleanse contaminates in the water.

In September 2021 START secured a $250,000 three-year grant from the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation to develop a regional “Healthy Pond Collaborative (HPC)” initiative. In addition to START, partners include Sarasota County’s Neighborhood Environmental Stewardship Team, the UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County, and the Science and Environment Council of Southwest Florida. The work was in part inspired by the WQP shared earlier by Jon.

A second grant was later received to expand the HPC beyond Sarasota County to Manatee County.

Stormwater ponds are manmade with three main purposes: 1> flood control, 2> filter out excess nutrients (nitrogen & phosphorus) and pollutants (oil & gas,) and 3> provide wildlife habitat. The manmade ponds are part of an overall stormwater-control system of linked ponds, man-made control boxes (weirs.) and natural wetlands that eventually flow stormwater into the Gulf.

Unfortunately, many of the more than 6,000 stormwater ponds in Sarasota County are decades old and only operate at 40 - 60% filtering efficiency. 

HPC objectives are threefold: 1> control erosion, 2> improve pond-filtering efficiency, and 3> help implement cost-efficient pond-maintenance programs.

The main premise of healthy ponds are two-fold: no-mow zones of 8 -12 inches high and 3-feet wide and aquatic vegetation on the littoral shelf (shallow water) with at least 30% to 50% density. Taller grass in no-mow zones have deeper roots that prevent erosion, keep grass clippings and fertilizers out of the pond, and absorb more stormwater and excess nutrients. Additionally, heavy equipment no longer weakens the bank of the pond; there is reduced labor and carbon footprint due to the decreased mowed area. 

Neighbors & wildlife enjoy the healthy pond
Photo courtesy of START

Aquatic vegetation crowds out algae, shades sunlight, absorbs nutrients, and reduces the need for herbicides (copper sulfate.) The limited sunlight and reduced algae-food source stymies algae growth. Beyond controlling algae growth, aquatic plants blunt wind and wave action against the bank, minimizing shoreline erosion.

It is common practice for homeowners and homeowner associations (HOA) to over fertilize and water their lawns; thus, the excess water carries the surplus fertilizer underground to the pond. Essentially, the ponds, instead of the lawns, are fertilized. The practice results in unnecessary expenditures as well as pond pollution.

Overall, stormwater-maintenance best practices are cost effective in the long run and reduce homeowners' and HOAs' landscape- and grounds-maintenance costs. 

Added bonus: a real estate study showed that homes on healthy ponds have a 20% increased property value.

In 2022, the HPC funded the installation of over 4.3 miles of newly planted pond shorelines in Sarasota County and another 2.9 miles in Manatee County; the planted shorelines, along with no-mow zones, filter the excess nutrients in stormwater runoff before it flows downstream to the Bay.

View or download Sandy's Healthy Stormwater PPT presentation via the hyperlink.

The global-webinar presentations ended with Dave returning to quantify how the community will achieve water-quality goals.

How do we meet our water-quality goals?
In his closing remarks, Dave compared the referenced period 2006 - 2012, when the Bay returned to a healthy state, to the current health status; research confirms that the Bay's dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) load increased 20%, or 12 tons.

DIN-load sources include:

• Reclaimed water from non-Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) - up to 20 tons / year.
• WWTP overflows - up to 6 tons / year (peak in 2018.)
• Septic tanks - estimated up to 20 tons /year; 70% now offline.
• Stormwater - still the biggest source; CFGC and START programs significantly reduce contaminated stormwater flowing into the Bay.

Based on the known sources, there are more than 20 tons of DIN reduction available.

Boaters enjoy the Bay 
Photo courtesy of SBEP

A key to success is community involvement. Beyond the non-profit- and foundation-community sector represented by the webinar's panelists, local government is committed to upgrade the area's wastewater systems. 

IMPRESSIVE: local governments - City of Sarasota, City of Bradenton, Sarasota County, Manatee County, and Town of Longboat Key - expended over $400 million for WWTP upgrades in the past two decades. At the November 2021 Water Quality Restoration Workshop, the referenced local governments committed to spend nearly $1 billion on future WWTP upgrades in the next 5 - 10 years!!!

Dave confirmed it is realistic to be optimistic with a cautionary tone; the Bay is warmer, the air is warmer, and the Bay is six-inches deeper. Yet, with community-wide commitment to restoring the Bay water quality, it is achievable to return to acceptable DIN loads experienced during the referenced period.

View or download Dave's How do we meet our goals? PPT presentation via the hyperlink.

A vibrant questions and answer (Q&A) session followed Dave's wrap-up presentation.

Q&A Session
LAI Global Water Group Co-Chair, LAI San Francisco Chapter Past President and current Board Member, Jim Musbach moderated the webinar Q&A session.

Economics of Red Tide Blooms
Dave and Jon answered the questions related to red tide blooms. Dave educated that red tide occurs when the microscopic algae Karenia brevis exceeds certain thresholds. Additionally, Dave shared that humans do not cause red tide; humans make red tide worse by the nutrient loads added to the Bay.

During a red tide outbreak, waterfront properties along with those up to a mile inland decrease in value by 20 - 30%. Decreased property values result in lower property taxes that pay for local community services: police, fire, schools, and more.

Waterfront properties are collectively valued at an estimated $5 billion with around 20,000 residents employed at waterfront businesses. Jon emphasized how low-wage workers, many of these 20,000 jobs, disproportionately suffer economically during red tide outbreaks; there is an increase in homelessness and demand for community social services.

In Dave's perspective, the local governments' nearly $1 billion commitment to WWTP upgrades that will significantly reduce the nutrient loads flowing into the Bay and is a solid, wise investment

Volunteers from local government, non-profits,
college, and caring residents.
Photo courtesy of Carmen Merriam

Community Collaboration
Jon shared that the WQP was designed to educate and support local government officials and policy makers when faced with difficult tax-appropriation decisions. Using a disinterested third-party approach, the WQP affords local officials with the foundation to make the financial commitments necessary to restore and maintain the Bay's water quality, the driver for the local economy.

No where else in the State has a community come together in a strong collaborative plan for water quality. The $1 billion-WWTP funding comes from the local sources, with no state or federal assistance.

Local officials made another bold commitment: necessary legal steps were taken that allow allocation of funds within the tax bill's stormwater- and utility-line item for water-quality measures. 

Fertilizer-restriction ordinances
Jon provided in-depth answers to the question regarding fertilizer ordinances. During his tenure as a Sarasota County Commissioner, Jon authored the first fertilizer ordinance in The State of Florida; the ordinance included a black-out period for nitrogen- and phosphorous-based fertilizers during the summer-rainy season. Ordinance provisions also restrict applying fertilizers on impervious surfaces and too close to waterways. Jon also served on the State Fertilizer Task Force.

Upon request, Jon is happy to share a copy of the fertilizer ordinance. 

Surf at a Sarasota Beach
Photo courtesy of the GCCF

In his commentary, Jon emphasized that the fertilizer ordinance is difficult to enforce. Yet, the ordinance is an educational tool for local residents regarding using too much fertilizer at the wrong time of year and in the wrong places.

Until the Sarasota County ATP WWTP is complete, the reclaimed water available for lawn and landscape irrigation includes more nitrogen than is recommended by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for a healthy lawn. Thus, irrigation with reclaimed water provides ample fertilizers to lawns and landscapes.

Sandy chimed in about over fertilizing lawns. At one of his HPC ponds, pond-water tests showed a 70% reduction in nitrogen simply by following the required fertilizer restrictions. Additionally, Sandy proved to the HOA that elimination of their fertilizing practices would reduce costs while maintaining beautiful lawns. Thus, the HOA achieved cost-savings and improved their pond health, all with lovely lawns!

Seagrass Beds
As Dave established in his opening presentation, nitrogen levels and the state-of-seagrass beds are two barometers for the Bay's health. Though there were many prior success stories 5 -10 years ago, the current seagrass-bed status is devastating. It is estimated that 1/3 of the manatee population on Florida's East Coast starved to death due to the depletion of seagrass beds from water pollution; a manatee's primary food source is seagrass.

Though the Bay's seagrass beds are healthier than in most other coastal waters, the overall scenario is dire and a crisis. Statewide there is a loss of approximately 150-square miles of seagrass beds.

Since ancient times, diminished water quality caused devastating scenarios, often with human death. In the modern era, water-quality challenges segued to include environmental and economic impact in the impaired areas. As demonstrated in the Coastal-Water Quality: Challenges, Solutions, and Economic Impact Global Webinar, Sarasota environmental leaders demonstrated that with collaborative community effort water quality may be restored. 

Economic and environmental impact provide strong incentives for a community to adopt a collaborative plan for water-quality restoration. The Gulf Coast Community Foundation's Water-Quality Playbook is a valuable template with proven success for communities to follow.

The recorded 90-minute Coastal-Water Quality: Challenges, Solutions, and Economic Impact  Global Webinar is available for viewing via the hyperlink.

Tax-deductible donations in any amount are greatly appreciated to support Ei's important work. 

DONATE HERE.

About Elemental Impact:

Elemental Impact (Ei) is a 501(c)3 non-profit founded in 2010 as the home to the Zero Waste Zones, the forerunner in the nation for the commercial collection of food waste for compost. In June 2017, Ei announced the Era of Recycling Refinement was Mission Accomplished and entered the Era of Regeneration. Current focus areas include Nature Prevails, Soil Health | Regenerative Agriculture, and Water Use | Toxicity.

The Regeneration in ACTION Magazine articles, From Organic Certification to Regenerative Agriculture to Rewilding Landscapes: an evolution towards soil integrity and SOIL & WATER: the foundation of life, published to explain and substantiate the importance of Ei’s rewilding urban landscapes work within the Nature Prevails focus area.

The Holly Elmore Images Rewilding Urban Landscapes-album folder documents two active pilots: the Native-Plant Landscape Pilot and the Backyard Permaculture-Oriented Pilot.

MISSION:

To work with industry leaders to create best regenerative operating practices where the entire value-chain benefits, including corporate bottom lines, communities, and the environment. Through education and collaboration, establish best practices as standard practices.

Ei’s tagline – Regeneration in ACTION – is the foundation for Ei endeavors.

The following mantra is at the core of Ei work:

Ei is a creator, an incubator.

Ei determines what could be done that is not being done and gets it done.

Ei brings the possible out of impossible.

Ei identifies pioneers and creates heroes.

For additional information, contact Holly Elmore at 404-510-9336 | holly@elementalimpact.org

About Lambda Alpha International:
Lambda Alpha International (LAI) is an honorary society for the advancement of land economics. LAI provides a forum for the study and advancement of land economics where the "winnowing and sifting" of ideas takes place in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

LAI operates through a network of chapters. A LAI Chapter provides a variety of programs and forums for its members to share information critical to understanding important land-use issues. The IMPACT Blog article, Lambda Alpha International Atlanta Chapter: growing membership, influence and impact, introduces LAI along with its history and designated purposes.

In December 2013 Ei Founder Holly Elmore was inducted into membership and served on the LAI Atlanta Chapter Board until returning to Florida in 2021.  As the International Assistant Communications Director, Holly serves on the LAI Global Executive Committee.