Florida animal rights activists scored two big laws during the Florida legislative session, which ended last Friday. These two laws passed unanimously:

>Ban on exotic reptiles trade: A new law will prohibit the possession, import, sale or breeding of several large reptile species including the infamous Burmese python that has been troubling so much the local environmentalists.

>Horse protection: A new law will increase penalties for the unlawful killing of horses in Florida and strengthens restrictions on the consumption of horse meat. You might have heard the heartbreaking reports about horses being killed for their flesh across South Florida.

These three laws were also discussed but for different reasons didn’t pass.

>Protecting animals from sexual abuse: This law, which would make bestiality a crime in Florida, didn’t pass for the third year in a row. It made it to the House but didn’t come up for a vote before the session ended. You can email Sen. Nan Rich at rich.nan.web@flsenate.gov and ask her to reintroduce the bill next year.

>pay/neuter surcharge: This law would charge a $15 fee for every animal cruelty or animal control violation. The funds would then be used for spaying or neutering dogs and cats in the community. This law also didn’t make it to the floor of the House or the Senate before the session ended. You can email Sen. Nan Rich at rich.nan.web@flsenate.gov and Rep. Scott Randolph here ask them to reintroduce the bill next year.

>Greyhound racing: An amendment to remove the requirement that dog tracks conduct live racing in order to offer poker or slots died for technical reasons. Had it passed, it would have probably put an end to the cruel -and very unprofitable- greyhound racing business in Florida. You can e-mail Sen. Charlie Justice and encourage him to reintroduce the bill next year: justice.charlie.web@flsenate.gov.

For more information on Florida animal rights issues visit the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida at www.arff.org

Photo courtesy of brettmcbain

April is gone and with it all the cool Earth-Day related events that April brought us. However, there’s still a lot of fun and environmentally friendly things to do this week.

Wedneday, April 28
>Active lifestyle networking: Join Miami Active’s monthly meeting. The group encourages the free exchange of information and ideas to promote active lifestyles and business networks. Free. 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 28 at Whole Foods Coral Gables, 6701 Red Road. Meets in the Lifestyle Center,

>Hear environmentalist Bill McKibben discuss his new book, “Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet.” Believed to be one of the first to warn against climate change in his book “The End of Nature” 20 years ago, McKibben now insists that we need to acknowledge that we’ve waited too long, and that massive change is not only unavoidable but already under way. He’ll be at Books & Books in Coral Gables, 265 Aragon Ave. 8 p.m., Wednesday, April 28. Free.

>Stroll the gardens of Vizcaya under the moonlight: Don’t miss this romantic moonlight tour of the Vizcaya gardens. Enjoy live music, wine and delicious refreshments. 6:60 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, April 28. Tours leave at different intervals throughout the night. Vizcaya is located at 3251 South Miami Avenue Miami. Tickets: $15 for general admission, $10 for students, seniors and members.

Thursday, April 29
>Chilean food & wine tasting: Wanting to help Chile recover but can’t get on a plane? Support the country by supporting its cheese and wine at this free tasting. 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, April 29. Whole Foods South Beach, 1020 Alton Rd.

>’80’s themed free yoga: SoBe Pilates is having an ’80s-themed grand opening party with MC Miss Elaine Lancaster. Stop by for free fitness demos, refreshments and raffles. 7-9 p.m., Thursday April 29. Located on 950 Arthur Godfrey Rd., Miami Beach. 305-763-8878. continue

Next Thursday, delight in organic and eco-friendly cocktails while meeting some of the up and coming green business owners in South Florida.

Green Drinks Miami has partnered with The Palms Hotel & Spa and the Everglades Foundation to celebrate Earth Day the sexy and sophisticated way only Miamians master: in an eco-stylish cocktail party and dinner by the beach.

Put on an eco-chic outfit and stop by The Palms for complimentary drinks, neck and shoulder massages, live beats by Agape, and free samples and presentations by eco-friendly companies and more.

This is the best way to learn about Green Drinks, the happy hour for green business owners and related professionals who wish to meet and network with other locals in the green industry.

The Palms is located at 3025 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m. A $5 donation for the Everglades Foundation is encouraged. Hybrid and efficient cars park for free at the valet, otherwise it’s $9. For more networking time, stay for the two-course wholesome menu developed by Executive Chef Frank Jeannetti’s, which will be served for $29.

RSVP to gabriela@theagencypr.com by April 20.

Photo courtesy of pinksherbet

Not that us Floridians pay much attention to the seasons, but you can’t ignore that Labor Day brings the summer to an end. Before you know it, time light savings will make days shorter, nights longer, and in few weeks you’ll find yourself undusting your jackets and making plans for the winter holidays.

The end of the summer also means something else: cooler days make many of the state parks more endurable, specially the ones with no river or beach to dip in. And just around this time many state parks re-open their free tours and bird watching programs, which are not to be missed.

So it’s no surprise that in September, the State Parks Service celebrates Literacy Month, the time of the year when the state’s 160 parks proudly open their doors with all kinds of educational programs, guest appearances, lectures, workshops, book exchanges and more to bring two joys together: reading and being outdoors

This weekend, the Florida Park Service is offering free entrance to any of the 160 state parks for visitors who bring a library card, library book, or who donate a new or gently used family book.

If you go:
WHAT: State Park Literacy Month
WHEN: Sept. 11-13
MORE INFO: Visit www.floridastateparks.org

Photo by stig nygaard

The Miami-Dade School District has more to celebrate than the new school year: last Monday, it opened the doors of its first green-certified high school, also the first in the State (see update below).

The Terra Environmental Research Institute, located in Kendall, will offer high school students a magnet program for biomedical research, environmental studies and engineering and robotics, the first such program in Miami Dade, reports The Miami Herald.

Meeting LEED requirements, the school has recycling centers on every floor, plumbing fixtures that use at least 20 percent less water, uses natural light efficiently, reducing the need of electricity.

Students will also learn how to eat healthy; The Herald reports the cafeteria has only healthy offerings. Read more here.

9/2/09 Update: I ran across this story on how the Palm Beach School District is taking steps to be greener by starting recycling programs, using environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies, and reducing energy consumption.

The Sun Sentinel article also mentions that the county opened the first green-certified school in Florida in the fall of 2008: Pine Jog Elementary, west of West Palm Beach, was the first school to obtain certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Ok, so Pine Jog is Florida’s first green “school” and Terra is Florida’s first green “high school”? There are so many companies and organizations claiming to be “first” green or that, that we sent an e-mail to the USGBC to verify the facts. Keep posted.

What do you think? How green is your child’s school? Will green schools help raise a more eco-conscious generation? We’d love to read your comments.

Photo by Pink Sherbet Photography

Ignoring the environmental impact of their decision, Palm Beach County commissioners voted today to allow development by Florida Crystals on what was former Everglades land. Development will create more jobs, they argued.

The commission voted to change its development rules and allow industrial uses on 318 acres south of South Bay owned by sugar giant Florida Crystals, the Sun Sentinel reports.

The land is part of the hundreds of thousands of acres of former Everglades that was drained to make way for agriculture.

Commissioners argued that the warehouses that Florida Crystals plans to operate will create new jobs, even if this could happen years from now.

This was not an issue for the Everglades Coalition and 1000 Friends of Florida and other environmental groups such as that showed up at the meeting, worried that this decision will open the door to more development in the region, which will get in the way of Everglades restoration.

The commissioners did require that future development be planned in coordination with the South Florida Water Management District to make sure it doesn’t interfere with Everglades restoration.

State regulators must still sign off on the proposal. Let’s hope they have a problem with it.

Photo by bafefootinfla1