March 2015

Plastic Bag Bill (HB 661) Filed in Florida House of Representatives!  
 
A major step in progress towards reducing plastic
bags within our environment in Florida has been taken. State Representative David Richardson, Miami Beach has filed House Bill 611 which bill that would allow cities with fewer than 100,000 people to create pilot programs to regulate or ban disposable plastic bags. The bill (HB 661) will be considered during the legislative session that starts March 3. It would allow cities to have pilot programs from Jan. 1, 2016, to June 30, 2018, and would require them to collect data and submit reports about the effects of the regulations or bans. It also raises the possibility that cities could continue with such regulations or bans after June 30, 2018.

 The State has been in session for 2 weeks now. We need people to participate in this process for it to have any chance.

Please email [email protected] , [email protected] and call (850) 717-4891 and ask to speak with Adam Blalock. Express your support for House Bill 661. 


SIGN THE PETITION


Coral Camp 2015 Registration Now  Ope n!


To learn more or register visit  http://reefrelief.org/coral-camp-2015/


DON'T FORGET TO SIGN THE FLORIDIANS' CLEAN WATER DECLARATION:
 
 

Action Alert: 
Everglades Action Day
April 6 & 7, Tallahassee 

Everglades Action day is an opportunity for Floridians to come together in Tallahassee to meet  with state-wide decision-makers about the importance of everglades restoration. the event will include an opening dinner, training and meeting with elected officials.

Don't miss the opportunity to have our voice for the Everglades heard!

For more info. email 
[email protected]

Alternative Spring Break with Reef Relief

Reef Relief appreciates the three straight weeks of the hard work through Alternative Spring Break Programs from Rice University, Florida State University and Flagler College in March.

The student volunteers worked with many of Reef Relief's programs including marine debris removal, stormwater education and awareness, distribution of Reef Relief educational materials to local businesses and dive/snorkel/fishing charters as well as helping to maintain the buoy system at Key West Marine Park and helping the Sigsbee 7th grade field trip to the park to sample the water quality and learning to do fish/coral surveys.

We will be looking forward to another very productive Spring Break in 2016!

 

 

Reef Relief's Education Program has Been Busy


Reef Relief's Education Coordinator brought along coral pieces to allow students to handle and explore what was once living coral during a classroom visit.
Mary Immaculate Star of the Sea students show off their artwork with the message to take care of our coral reefs.




A visiting group of students from Spirit Lake High School, Iowa, conducted water quality testing at the Key West Marine Park to compare with water tested near their home school.


Students answer questions about the coral reef ecosystem during a classroom presentation.


Sigsbee Charter School 2nd graders use magnifying glasses to identify where living coral polyps used to reside.
Poinciana Elementary School 1st graders enjoyed a classroom presentation about the coral reef ecosystem