- Leon County detailed progress they have made toward sustainability and protecting the environment in their 2023 annual report.
- The county is also hosting a Sustainable Community Summit in February.
- In the video above, one neighbor says more needs to be done to ensure protection of Leon County's environment.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Tallahassee is known for its rich environment like what is found at the Miccosukee Greenway. Leaders with Leon County are setting environmental goals this new year.
I asked neighbors how they think their natural habitat is doing. Northeast Tallahassee neighbor Cara Fleischer said she has always been passionate about the environment.
"Growing up here really put me into some beautiful natural places," Fleischer said.
She's the creator of Tallahassee Green Faith Alliance, a group of churches and places of worship, that strive toward sustainability.
"As a person of faith, I have a moral and Biblical call to take care of God's earth," Fleischer said.
As development continues in Tallahassee and Leon County, she has some concerns.
"We have giant developments going in and they have just clear cut the land, I know because I live across the street," Fleischer said. "It's really an opportunity we could have had those areas wired for solar, but the codes aren't there for that."
She's talking about new housing coming to the area north and east of Tallahassee.
While she has concerns, leaders Leon County said they are making strides toward sustainability.
Their annual report was released this week detailing progress they made in 2023 toward environmental goals and plans for the future.
"Reducing the carbon footprint could kind of sound big picture but for us we wan things to be actionable and achievable," said Maggie Theriot, director of resource stewardship for Leon County.
She tells me progress the county has made through increasing the county's number of fully electric vehicles by over 1,000 percent and powering some county facilities with solar is making an impact and setting an example.
"If we are going to encourage the community to take certain steps certainly we should be doing those steps with our own employees and resources," Theriot said.
Theriot also said the county has recycled over 795,000 pounds of household hazardous waste.
"We all have that cabinet of chemicals and things that were not really sure what to do with," Theriot said. We actually have a renew center which is a swap shop of sorts where we put those materials out on a shelf to be re-utilized by citizens."
Something Fleischer said she has used and thinks, "It's fantastic," Fleischer said. "It's a huge facility, everyone should go out there."
Getting more people to use facilities like that one is a reason why the county is hosting a Sustainable Community Summit in February.
"We know so much about sustainability as national or international topic, but we feel very strongly that should also have a local presence," Fleischer said.
Fleischer added the county is doing some great things, but needs to take even more steps, like requiring new construction to allow solar installation.
"If we're serious that we're in a climate emergency, we need to get serious about solar energy in the sunshine state in the capitol of Florida," Fleischer said.
More details about the sustainable community summit will be posted on the County's social media.
