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

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to watch some of the best and latest food-related documentaries, which will be screened locally as part of the Earth Month film series Let’s Re-take our Plates, organized by Whole Foods.

I’m particularly excited about No Impact Man, the documentary based on the Brooklyn family that decided to reduce their waste to the minimum for a whole year (I couldn’t drop the book). Other films include Fast Food Nation, Food. Inc, What’s on Your Plate? and The Garden, all very politically-charged films making strong arguments against the state of the food industry.

Here is the schedule:

Fast Food Nation
4:45 p.m, April 17
Cinema Paradiso
503 SE 6th Street, Ft. Lauderdale
$7

King Corn/ Big River
2:30 p.m. April 17
Cinema Paradiso
503 SE 6th Street, Ft. Lauderdale
$7

Food Inc.
2 p.m., April 18
Cinema Paradiso
503 SE 6th Street, Ft. Lauderdale
$7

The Garden
12 p.m., April 18
Cinema Paradiso
503 SE 6th Street, Ft. Lauderdale
$7

Food Inc.
5 p.m., April 19
Cobb Theater
11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue, Palm Beach Gardens
$5

No Impact Man
7 p.m., April 19
Coral Gables Congregational Church
3010 De Soto Blvd., Coral Gables
$5

What’s on Your Plate?
5 p.m. April 20
Cobb Theater
11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue, Palm Beach Gardens
$5

Fast Food Nation
5 p.m., April 21
Cobb Theater
11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue, Palm Beach Gardens
$5

The Garden
8 p.m., April 21
Miami Beach Cinematheque
512 Espanola Way, Miami Beach
$10

End of the Line
5 p.m. April 22,
Cobb Theater
11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue, Palm Beach Gardens
$5

Food Inc.
7:30 p.m., April 23
Temple Bet Shira
7500 SW 120th Street, Miami
$5

Visit the Let’s Re-take our Plates site for more information

Some good and bad news here: I got an e-mail today about a new sustainability report by FPL highlighting the company as a national leader in clean energy.

The report recognizes FPL as the number one producer of wind and solar power in the US, and goes on talking about how FPL plans to make Florida the second state in solar energy generation, how FPL generates more power from its wind farm than from its largest nuclear plant, and how FPL owns the largest wind farm in the world, located in Texas.

I was happy to hear this, not only because finally so much heat will be used for something other than attracting tourists (who consume and leave a lot of waste behind, but that should be another topic), but because I always felt that Florida was a little behind compared to other more energy efficient states.

Well, what does it matter now? Not even an hour later, breaking news about our favorite energy company pop up on the web again, this time pointing out how FPL is trying to expand its nuclear plants and not only pass on the costs to its customers- $67 million next year-, but -and this is the real bummer- how FPL told the Public Service Commission that nuclear power is key to Florida’s future energy plans.

“Nuclear power continues to be more economical than the latest state-of-the-art natural gas power plant. Our analysis indicates that the new nuclear units would save our customers more than $1 billion a year in fuel,” FPL spokesman Mayco Villafana told the Sun Sentinel.

Now I don’t know what to think. Was FPL’s sustainability report released a day before the hearings at the Public Service Commission intentionally? What do you think? Is the company trying to fool us?

The PSC hearings will continue Wednesday and Thursday, with a vote expected Oct. 16.

09/10/09 update: More disappointing news: Two top Public Service Commission staffers resigned yesterday and two others went on administrative leave after a Miami Herald investigation revealed that the employees had given their Blackberry codes to FPL’s lawyer, letting them text message eachother without leaving any paper trail. It seems that there will be new hires at FPL’s pr office.

Photo by afloresm

Some good and bad news here: I got an e-mail today about a new sustainability report by FPL highlighting the company as a national leader in clean energy.

The report recognizes FPL as the number one producer of wind and solar power in the US, and goes on talking about how FPL plans to make Florida the second state in solar energy generation, how FPL generates more power from its wind farm than from its largest nuclear plant, and how FPL owns the largest wind farm in the world, located in Texas.

I was happy to hear this, not only because finally so much heat will be used for something other than attracting tourists (who consume and leave a lot of waste behind, but that should be another topic), but because I always felt that Florida was a little behind compared to other more energy efficient states.

Well, what does it matter now? Not even an hour later, breaking news about our favorite energy company pop up on the web again, this time pointing out how FPL is trying to expand its nuclear plants and not only pass on the costs to its customers- $67 million next year-, but -and this is the real bummer- how FPL told the Public Service Commission that nuclear power is key to Florida’s future energy plans.

“Nuclear power continues to be more economical than the latest state-of-the-art natural gas power plant. Our analysis indicates that the new nuclear units would save our customers more than $1 billion a year in fuel,” FPL spokesman Mayco Villafana told the Sun Sentinel.

Now I don’t know what to think. Was FPL’s sustainability report released a day before the hearings at the Public Service Commission intentionally? What do you think? Is the company trying to fool us?

The PSC hearings will continue Wednesday and Thursday, with a vote expected Oct. 16.

09/10/09 update: More disappointing news: Two top Public Service Commission staffers resigned yesterday and two others went on administrative leave after a Miami Herald investigation revealed that the employees had given their Blackberry codes to FPL’s lawyer, letting them text message eachother without leaving any paper trail. It seems that there will be new hires at FPL’s pr office.

Photo by afloresm

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

Check out these vegan potlucks organized by SaveEarth, a non-profit educating the community about the impact our food choices have on the environment.

Vegans and those curious or thinking about it are invited. Socialize with like-minded people and learn something new; speaker at every meeting will discuss topics such as animal rights, food ethics, and natural medicine.

Note: free to members and children under 12; non-members pay $5. You must also bring a vegan dish for at least eight people, and your own utensils and plate.

Potluck schedule:

Sat., Aug. 29, 6:15 p.m.
VEGAN POTLUCK DINNER, organized by the Save the Earth Eco Center. Guest speaker David Cantor, a vegan, animal advocate and founder of Responsible Policies for Animals, will lecture on how devastating animal agribusiness is to our planet.
Where: Coral Gables Congregational Church, 3010 DeSoto Blvd.

Sun., Sept. 20, 5:30 p.m.
VEGAN POTLUCK DINNER, organized by the Save the Earth Eco Center. Guest speaker Michel Estopinan, a teacher and founder of the Humane Foundation, will lecture on the Hialeah High organization dedicated to creating a greener and humane school environment.
Where: Save the Earth Eco Center, 12399 W. Dixie Hwy.

Sat., Sept. 26, 6:15 p.m.
VEGAN POTLUCK DINNER, organized by the Save the Earth Eco Center. Guest speaker Frank Sabatino, health director o fhte Regency House Natural Health Spa in Hallandale Beach, will present, “Inspiration of Responsible Action For Health and Prosperity.”
Where: Coral Gables Congregational Church, 3010 DeSoto Blvd.

Sun., Oct. 18, 5:30 p.m.
VEGAN POTLUCK DINNER, organized by the Save the Earth Eco Center. Guest speaker Dr. David Newman, a chiropractic physician focusing on functional and anti-aging medicine, will talk about how arsenic, mercury and plastics become part of our biology.
Where: Save the Earth Eco Center, 12399 W. Dixie Hwy.

Sat., Oct. 31, 6:15 p.m.
VEGAN POTLUCK DINNER, organized by the Save the Earth Eco Center. Guest speaker George Eisman, author of “The Most Noble Diet, A Basic Course in Vegetarian and Vegan Nutrition,” will lecture on wild edibles.
Where: Coral Gables Congregational Church, 3010 DeSoto Blvd.
Cost: Free for members and children under 12; $5.00 for non-members. Bring a vegan dish for at least eight people, and your own utensils and plate.