Natural Resources

Natural Resources

Mission

Florida's Natural ResourcesAdvocacy and education in support of expedited, just and effective policies and actions to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change and thereby restore and protect our area’s land, water, and air.

Leadership

Co-Chair: info [at] lwv-alachua.org (Roberta Gastmeyer)

Co-Chair: info [at] lwv-alachua.org (Jay Rosenbek)

Ongoing Activities

  • Advocating with City Commission for hiring a Climate Officer and creation of a publicly available dashboard of the City’s goals, actions, and deadlines for reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2045
  • Similar advocacy with Alachua County Commission
  • Advocating for an end to GRU’s natural gas subsidies and extension of gas pipelines
  • Study of University of Florida’s proposed natural gas plant
  • Active monitoring of City and County Commission, Utility Advisory Board, Citizens Climate Action Committee meetings, including joint and subcommittee meetings and advocacy where appropriate
  • Active monitoring of environmental bills introduced into the State of Florida legislative session and advocacy where appropriate
  • Meet with local political leaders and attend League Lobby Days in Tallahassee
  • Advocacy for electrification of transportation
  • Advocacy for GRU to create new revenue streams and end reliance on expanding natural gas use

Recent Successes

Active Collaborations

  • League of Women Voters of Florida (LWVFL) Natural Resources Committee, all NR Committee Chairs statewide participate
  • NR Regional Working Group, a subgroup of especially zealous NR chairs in the state
  • North Central Florida Climate Action Team, a group of local environmental activists
  • NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Committee, a subcommittee of NAACP dedicated to clean air and water and healthy food
  • Suwannee-St. Johns Sierra Club

How You Can Help

  • Join the League of Women Voters of Alachua County
  • Join the Natural Resources Committee and attend our monthly meetings
  • Volunteer to attend local policy meetings and summarize deliberations
  • Be part of our periodic letter-writing campaigns
  • Contribute Letters to the Editor of The Gainesville Sun
  • Show up

Meetings

Meetings are typically held by Zoom on the 4th Wednesday of each month. Check the calendar for specific dates. Contact the info [at] lwv-alachua.org (Committee Co-Chairs) for more information
Committee Contact
Contact Name: 
Roberta Gastmeyer and Jay Rosenbek
League to which this content belongs: 
Alachua County

All Posts Related to this Committee

Climate Change pix from LWV Flikr site
News

Defending our democracy by acting to support personal actions and governmental policy to preserve our environment is a principal mission of the League of Women Voters. Two of this mission’s challenges are choosing and prioritizing the individual actions and governmental policies to be supported.

Image of springs with bird in foreground. Text overlay "Natural Resources Committee Meeting"
Event Date: 
Mar 16 2022 05:30 pm

Join the Natural Resources Committee to discuss and take action on issues related to natural resources in Alachua County.

Image of springs with bird in foreground. Text overlay "Natural Resources Committee Meeting"
Event Date: 
Feb 23 2022 05:30 pm

Join the Natural Resources Committee to discuss and take action on issues related to natural resources in Alachua County.

Climate Change pix from LWV Flikr site
News

Empowering voters and defending democracy are principal missions of the League of Women Voters. To have a functioning democracy, we must also have a habitable planet. The League is supporting legislation that will support the maintenance of a healthy environment and opposing legislation that will suppress a healthy environment.

Image of springs with bird in foreground. Text overlay "Natural Resources Committee Meeting"
Event Date: 
Jan 26 2022 05:30 pm

Join the Natural Resources Committee to discuss and take action on issues related to natural resources in Alachua County.

natural resource
News

We hope this brief overview of the Natural Resources Committee’s education and Advocacy for 2021 finds you and your family well and with other reasons for reflection and celebration.

Background Image

The Natural Resources Committee hosted a series of virtual Climate Change Forums discussing the effects of climate change and our responses. You can learn more about each forum and watch the videos using the links below.

Close up of head of bronze alligator statue with palm trees in background
News

The League of Women Voters of Alachua County is pleased that the University of Florida has stated a goal of being carbon neutral by 2025, but we wonder how a planned natural gas plant can go into operation and still meet the carbon-neutral goal.

Image of springs with bird in foreground. Text overlay "Natural Resources Committee Meeting"
Event Date: 
Oct 27 2021 05:30 pm

Join the Natural Resources Committee to discuss and take action on issues related to natural resources in Alachua County.

natural resource
Event Date: 
Sep 25 2021 09:00 am

NAACP Alachua Environmental and Climate Justice Committee will host a virtual discussion on how Alachua County can transition toward 100% clean energy. LWVAC Natural Resource Committee Co-Chairs, Roberta Gastmeyer and Jay Rosenbek and LWVAC Local Issues Chair, Jeff Shapiro serve on this committee. All League members are invited and encouraged to attend.

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