December 2025

We've covered the decline of the coral reefs around Florida's coast many times in the H₂O Zone, highlighting the negative impact of rising sea temperatures on this vital natural resource. Perhaps even more importantly, we've looked at efforts being made by various concerned parties — from scientists to activists — to save Florida's coral reefs.

In this story, the concerned parties are Force Blue, a charity that retrains military veterans to use their skills for marine conservation projects, and employee-owned supermarket chain Publix. Together they've planted a field of 25 artificial 'coral trees' in the Florida Keys — metal structures studded with coral fragments that, once grown, will be transplanted to existing coral reefs. Given the time of year, it's easy to compare the coral trees to colorful Christmas trees and the coral fragments to a gift that keeps on giving.

The idea of a purpose-built habitat enabling people to live, work and study beneath the waves has been the stuff of science fiction and James Bond villains for many years, but in this story it's a concept being turned into reality. The habitat in question is the DEEP Vanguard Habitat, an underwater facility that takes science, conservation and exploration into a new era by enabling specialists such as scientists to work underwater for days at a time, rather than having their work limited by traditional dive timings.

The underwater habitat comprises a living chamber where the crew can eat, sleep, relax and carry out work, a dive center and 'moon pool' that enables the crew to enter and exit the water without resurfacing, and a support system. Through this system, the habitat is anchored to the seabed and provided with power, safety, communication and life-support systems. The ability to conduct experiments, track behavior and monitor the underwater environment in real time for extended periods will provide insights that aren't possible with standard short-term dives.

Environmental concerns and economic matters are often set up in conflict with each other, as if combating climate change and growing the economy at the same time were an impossible balancing act. This story offers an alternative perspective, highlighting a study showing that in key sectors Florida's economic future is closely dependent on its ability to embrace sustainability. The study was published by Tikkun Economic Consulting and argues that across two vital industries — tourism and real estate — the regions that will be most successful economically are those integrating social and environmental considerations into core business strategies.

The report draws on extensive research, including figures such as the fact that 53% of tourists now consider the social and environmental impact of their trips when making travel decisions, to suggest that sustainability is and will continue to be a key driver of consumer choice. Taken as a whole, it offers a valuable opportunity to promote sustainability as a choice that is both ethical and financially viable.

The Paseo Community Development District (CDD), is a large and vibrant master association community based in Fort Myers, Florida. When we began our conversations, their irrigation was managed by two separate pump stations serving the community's north and south sections. We installed a new triple 50-horsepower pump station, making the system 50% larger than the previous configuration and providing much more volume. With this pump station in place the Hoover team then embarked a major infrastructure upgrade: the installation of a second 8-inch pipeline to remove a critical system bottleneck.

Today, our single, centralized pump station provides irrigation for the entire Paseo community, both north and south, allowing the original north pump station to be idled. This powerful new system is now fit for purpose, having already processed over a billion gallons of water at the time of writing.

The question of pollution and its impact on water throughout Florida has been raised many times in the H2O Zone, and this story clearly illustrates the choices that sometimes must be made between sustainability, protecting our natural environment and the water we depend on, and the demands of big business. The business in question is Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin, which is aiming to renew a permit allowing the discharge of almost 500,000 gallons of industrial wastewater into the Indian River Lagoon every single day.

The water starts as drinkable supply and is then used in rocket-component testing and cooling systems before being discharged as wastewater. Although the new draft permit includes additional monitoring requirements and limits on nutrients, conservationists are demanding stricter controls that would bring Blue Origin in line with car washes across Florida.

When is a derelict freighter not a derelict freighter? When it's an artificial reef. Not so much a punchline as a reality for the second story in this month's Zone centered on efforts to restore the reefs around Florida. Rather than helping new coral grow, this story involves creating an artificial alternative.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) sank a 227-foot derelict vessel called the Borocho nine miles offshore of the St. Lucie Inlet, with the intention of providing an alternative to the otherwise barren seabed to attract sea life such as goliath grouper, snapper and mahi. As well as disposing of a derelict vessel sustainably and providing a habitat for sea life, the artificial reef will offer enhanced opportunities for fishing and diving.