Community action took center stage at the annual Gasp-Our Beads Tampa Bay water cleanup with this booty of trash collected Feb. 2. Organized by Mica Neal, founder of the Next Level Dive Club, the effort served also as a Hillsborough 100 Conservation Challenge action project.
LINDA CHION KENNEY PHOTOS
County talks sustainability, seeks community input
By LINDA CHION KENNEY
Hillsborough County officials, in partnership with the University of South Florida, held a series of virtual meetings and focus groups this month in their first steps to establish a Community Sustainability Action Plan.
With sustainability defined as the wise use of resources to meet the current needs of individuals and society, the project aims to balance human welfare with the preservation of natural resources and the need to address environmental concerns.
The initiative opened this month with a series of virtual open house discussions and focus groups and includes a survey, which Hillsborough County residents are asked to fill out and submit.
In addition, families, friends and community groups and organizations have been invited to schedule their own sustainability conversations with dialogue toolkit materials, including instructions, tips and discussion prompts, provided by USF and County officials. The deadline to collect and submit recording sheets of comments and observations from these efforts is Dec. 13.
Students who host a sustainability discussion session using the County’s dialogue toolkit can earn three community service hours if they submit the required forms and feedback.
As for the online survey, questions concern such issues as algae blooms, plastic pollution, water shortages, waste, air pollution, climate change and sea-level rise, and whether an individual is “willing and motivated to make changes in [their] lifestyle for the betterment of the environment and future generations.”
Another question asks if survey respondents consider beforehand the environmental impact of their impending purchases, such as for food, vehicles, appliances and personal care or cleaning products.
“Going through these questions, it really gives you a chance to focus on the important issues we’re facing, not only today but in the future,” said Betty Jo Tompkins, executive director of the Hillsborough Soil and Water Conservation District, who signed up for open houses and focus groups as a participant, meeting with other like-minded groups and individuals involved in conservation matters.
“It’s a chance to look at everything, from the importance of conservation, agriculture, the environment, water, air quality and transportation. All of these elements come together to create the best possible community.”
Through her participation in the sustainability project, Tompkins said it is clear County officials are receiving “a wealth of information” and “it’s amazing all the ideas that come through the open houses and focus groups.”
With a focus on energy, waste, transportation, water and quality of life, topic cards explore concerns and current steps and achievements while asking attendees to weigh in on their thoughts for additional work and protections.
The survey asks respondents to prioritize the importance of various categories in sustainability efforts to benefit the “health and welfare of our community, environment and economy.” The categories concern matters related to energy, water, waste, transportation, quality of life, sustainable building and development, economy and green industries, and natural resources and the environment.
The survey also asks about barriers, including what prevents people from recycling more material, such as composting food waste; from investing in renewable energy technologies, such as solar energy and electric vehicles; and from considering other means of transportation, such as ride-hailing services and bicycling to conduct errands.
The survey not only collects information but also gives information about Hillsborough County initiatives and partnership programs, including Sustainability at Work workshops, Solar United Neighborhoods (SUN) and the Solar Energy Loan Fund, Adopt-a-Pond and Florida Friendly Landscape programs. Also, cooking oil recycling, low- and ultra-flow fixtures available through the Tampa Bay Water Wise Conservation Program, low-volume irrigation grants, micro-irrigation kits and rain barrels, community gardens and County-sponsored classes and events.
“Highly emphasized in both the open houses and the focus groups is the vital role of education,” Tompkins said. “Education for children and education for adults. The aim is to let everybody understand why conservation is everybody’s business.”
Indeed, that is the mantra for the County’s soil and water conservation district, governed by an elected and non-paid board, which is involved in programs, projects and activities for inner city, urban, suburban and rural communities, “to look at and be proactive when it comes to our natural resources, particularly water and soil, but certainly including air quality,” Tompkins said.
Toward that end, the annual Hillsborough 100 Conservation Challenge invites individuals, schools, community groups and organizations to fashion action projects of their choosing, including tree plantings, pollinator gardens, recycling and beach, bay and road-cleanup campaigns.
“Every person needs to be responsible, whether it means turning off the water while you’re brushing your teeth or eliminating the use of plastics to stop the flow of plastic through the waste stream,” Tompkins said.
As for the Hillsborough Community Sustainability Action Plan, Tompkins is a committed participant.
“I’m personally extremely excited about the potential,” Tompkins said. “When it comes to conservation and sustainability, Hillsborough County can be cutting edge in so many ways.”
To access the survey and to download the dialogue toolkit, visit: www.HCFLGov.net/Sustainability