Message from the Sustainability Manager
Hello Sustainability Champions!
This year’s shift from summer to fall also comes with a change in the City of Boca Raton’s Office of Sustainability.
I’m Tina Batoh-Jennings, your new Sustainability Manager. I have a diverse background in conservation, sustainability, and academia, with degrees from the University of Miami and UCONN. My family moved to Boca Raton five years ago, where I taught biology and environmental science. I’m thrilled to bring my passion for education and sustainability to the City, working with you all to create positive environmental impacts.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve already had the chance to work alongside many City residents volunteering to restore our dunes (removing invasive plants and planting native vegetation) at South Beach Park. In 2025, be on the lookout for more volunteer dune restoration opportunities, led by City partner, The Institute for Regional Conservation.
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As we close out the year and move into 2025, you can also expect to see updates and opportunities on the following projects:
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The City’s application for designation as a Blue Flag beach
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The City’s certification through the LEED for Cities program
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Public outreach, meetings, and finalization of the 2025-2030 Sustainability Action Plan
- Planting trees to commemorate the City’s Centennial and enhance canopy cover
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Continued partnership with Community Greening on community planting events, and shade tree drop offs and giveaways to City residents
- Developing a FDEP grant-funded Climate Adaptation Action Plan
From our beaches, to parks, to open spaces, we have so many ways to connect with the ecosystems around us. I hope you’ll join me on this journey to explore, conserve, and protect Boca Raton’s beautiful and bountiful natural resources. The path forward to a sustainable planet starts right here at home. I can’t wait to see the ways we’ll propel ourselves forward and continue to make Boca Raton a sustainability leader in south Florida.
Wishing you all health and happiness through the upcoming holidays. Stay sustainable with the tips below!
Tina Batoh-Jennings
Sustainability Manager, City of Boca Raton
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Creature Feature
Perhaps you’ve heard of the lionfish. It is sometimes referred to as the turkeyfish due to its venomous spines, that when outstretched, can resemble the plumage of a turkey. These fish are an invasive species in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and along the southeast coast of the United States. Being native to the Indo-Pacific, they have no natural predators in our local waters. This has led the population of lionfish to grow unchecked on Florida’s reefs. The abundant lionfish are now consuming and decimating populations of small and juvenile native fish.
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If you want to stop the “turkeyfish” from continuing the all-you-can-eat buffet, and help conserve our native species, consider purchasing a Zookeeper. If you are diving and spear or capture lionfish, you can safely store them in the Zookeeper until you surface. Once back on land, you can try a delicious lionfish recipe. Maybe you can even add it to your Thanksgiving menu. Just be sure to wear puncture resistant gloves while cutting off the spines.
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'Unwrap the Wave' Candy Wrapper Recycling Program
October 15 - November 8
Did you know that in the typical Halloween season Americans purchase more than 300,000 tons of candy? The City is participating in the Loggerhead Marine Life Center's Unwrap the Wave program.
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Bring your clean candy wrappers to the following locations and put them in the designated bins:
- Gumbo Limbo Nature Center
- Sugar Sand Park Community Center
- Downtown Library
- Spanish River Library
Check out Murray the Candy-Eating Mummy at Sugar Sand Park Community Center!
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E-Waste Recycling Drive
Saturday, Nov. 23 | 10am-1pm
Spanish River Library
Start collecting your broken and old electronics to recycle properly. Accepted items include:
Tabletop electronics, hand-held devices, small appliances, batteries, lightbulbs, and more!
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Read, Watch, and Listen with the Office of Sustainability | |
Read
World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) 2024 Living Plant Report
Nature is disappearing. The average size of wildlife populations has fallen by a staggering 73% in 50 years. This report, released in early October, details the loss of biodiversity but also provides sustainable solutions to help slow and reverse the catastrophic trend.
Full report may be downloaded from site or is also available here.
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Watch
Rotten | Netlfix
This docuseries travels deep into the heart of the food supply chain to reveal unsavory truths and expose hidden forces that shape what we eat.
Watch Rotten on Netflix to become a more conscious consumer!
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Listen
This roundtable discussion reviews how the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, the largest water restoration project in US history began. Jenny Staletovich and guests, Thomas Van Lent, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Friends of the Everglades and Curtis Osceola, Chief of Staff, Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, will guide you through the facts and the science that helped build the foundation for the plan. Be sure to check back in on the Climate Café Series for Part 2!
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Your Quarterly Call to Action
Modify your typical holiday celebrations to make them more sustainable!
Did you know?
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Americans will waste over 300 million pounds of food this Thanksgiving! The methane emissions from this food rotting in landfills is equivalent to driving 169,000 cars for an entire year! Aside from trying to be mindful of the amount of food you cook and serve, you can also consider implementing some of these Sustainable Tips for a Green Thanksgiving.
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It’s estimated that 2.3 million pounds (one-half) of the 4.6 million pounds of wrapping paper produced annually in the U.S. ends up in landfills. Not only is this unsustainable, but it’s also literally throwing money out the window when you consider that Americans spend more than $12.7 billion on a gift wrap a year. Let’s keep the holidays green using these Sustainable Christmas Tips.
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The City of Boca Raton has its very own Sustainable Events Guide. Be sure to check it out for greening your parties of any size and style.
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Are you, or someone you know, going above and beyond for sustainability in the City of Boca Raton? Submit them for the next edition! Email us at sustainability@myboca.us | | | | |
