Leslie Elus joins Dream in Green as its new AmeriCorps Vista WE-LAB Coordinator. With his background in clinical research and community advocacy, he will use his skills to educate South Floridians on residential green initiatives and conservation efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. From his extensive experience in community outreach, Leslie hopes to bridge the gap to create green homes and spaces within BIPOC communities.

Iuliia Tsarkova is a senior student at FIU, majoring in International Relations and Environmental Studies. She has joined Dream in Green through the South Florida Sustainable Environments Internship Program. With her gained experience in assisting environmental events and programs , Iuliia is planning to pursue a career focused on reducing human-wildlife conflict and addressing inequality in access to a safe environment.

The Miami Wilds project, a family-friendly leisure destination with a water park, hotel, and retail spaces, will not proceed as planned. Commissioner McGhee withdrew the item from voting at a Miami-Dade commissioners' meeting due to resident concerns about potential environmental impacts.

Critics, including Zoo Miami's Ron Magill, voiced wildlife habitat concerns. The proposed project was for 27.5 acres of county-owned parking lots next to Zoo Miami.

In October, Miami faced its highest king tide of the year at 2.75 feet, mirroring the expected sea level rise by 2060. Exacerbated by rising sea levels, these tides occur during a full or new moon and impact South Florida.

Despite using pumps to manage flooding, experts caution that these are temporary solutions. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is developing a funding plan for flood protection, seeking Congressional approval by 2025.

 Landfill (Monarch Hill) Meeting

Thanks to caring residents of Coconut Greek who called, emailed, or signed up to speak on January 23, 2024, Broward County Commission Meeting regarding the proposed landfill expansion, the County has moved the agenda item to May 21, 2024. The City is advocating for a one-year extension to allow the Solid Waste and Recycled Materials Authority time to complete the Master Plan for addressing countywide waste disposal.

Green Cay Expansion, Palm Beach County

The project aims to upgrade the Green Cay Nature Center west of Boyton Beach to include a second park and a water purification center. The expansion will add 63 more acres of wetlands and water activities, including fishing, kayaking, and paddle boarding will be completed by late 2025. The project is part of a $40-50 million initiative by the Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department.

Palm Beach County Waste-to-Energy Facility Expansion

The project added a new waste-to-energy or renewable energy facility to its Palm Beach County Renewable Energy Park. This is the first facility of its kind to be built in the United States in more than 15 years.

Palm Beach County was also recently awarded a half-million dollars from the Environmental Protection Agency to restore contaminated sites in the area.

WASD Fats, Oil, and Grease Facility planned in 2024

This facility will allow FOG to be sent to WASD digesters to produce renewable biogas to produce both electricity and heat for the wastewater facility. Currently, these wastes are processed and land-filled without any energy capture. The additional energy produced through co-generation is expected to provide enough energy to power an additional 3,000 homes for 1 year.