In conjunction with its current “H2O Art Exhibition,” the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum is continuing its free lecture series on the importance of clean water throughout Florida with award-winning environmental journalist Cynthia Barnett.
“Water defines us as Floridians no matter where we live: Idyllic beaches surround us on three sides,” Cynthia explains. “Rivers and streams flow for ten thousand miles through the peninsula. We’re blessed with nearly eight thousand lakes and a thousand more freshwater springs – the largest concentration of artesian springs in the world. Florida’s economy and idyllic lifestyle are built on a foundation of pure and plentiful water. Yet the latest generation of Floridians has not inherited waters as clean and abundant as when they were born.”
In her program titled “Blue Revolution: A Water Ethic for America & Florida,” Cynthia will illustrate how one of the most water-rich states in the nation could come to face water quality and scarcity woes — and how it doesn’t have to be this way.
With a shared ethic for water, Floridians and their visitors can come together to use less and pollute less, and work with nature as we prepare for sea-rise and the other tremors of a changing climate. Cynthia will describe how Florida can live well with water today, in ways that don’t jeopardize fresh, clean water for our children, ecosystems, and businesses tomorrow.
Her lecture will be given virtually via Zoom at 5 p.m. Eastern time tomorrow, Thursday, April 22. Registration for the lecture series can be found at ShellMuseum.org/h2o-lecture-series.
