H₂O Zone

In the first H2O Zone of 2024 we cover a broad range of the type of stories which we like to bring you across the year. In other words, it’s a mix of the positive and the not so positive – with the emphasis on the former.  We're reminded of the amount of change a determined individual can bring about and examples of the power of technology to help us solve the kind of environmental problems that technology of every kind has often helped to cause.

In the final H₂O Zone of 2023 we round up a range of stories covering how the changing climate affects the availability of water for us all - the way we use it and the way we plan to use it in the future. As always, it's a rich tapestry of action and inaction, good decisions and not-so-good decisions. Here we go!

Many issues impact on matters of conservation and eco-friendliness in a place like Florida so it can be easy to forget something as fundamental as the water we all rely on. It's the reason we launched the H2O Zone! This month we focus entirely on water, from water usage warnings in drought stricken S.W. Florida to ground-up campaigns to secure clean drinking water for all Floridians and protect the natural springs so many of us use for leisure. 

If there are two things which unify and pull together October's H₂O Zone then they are hope and technology.

Still, we don’t shy away from more difficult stories. Two this month focus on why the Everglades - and with them much of the freshwater supply for south Florida – are under threat. But we also encourage a positive view of the fight to conserve our environment and water supply by looking at the practical actions being taken. We start with how Florida is leading the country in facing up to the reality of a changing climate and demanding action. Facing up to reality is part of the hope we can see - and the other part is reflected in the innovative ways in which so many people are tackling these complex issues.

Tracking down some positive stories wasn't as hard as we thought it was going to be this month. There's no doubt this positivity has been in no small part down to people working together. Thousands of volunteers have been giving their time to work together on grand-scale beach clean-ups; the Jacksonville Jaguars have put in a supreme effort to further the cause of water conservation - and the Tampa Water District launched a program of  free webinars to strengthen public awareness and education around sustainability.  

This month's H2O Zone takes a look at how the past, present and future can contribute to how we look to address the issues we face around water use and conservation. From archeology and early Native American architecture to technology and all points in between, here's what we've been reading about this month. 

This month’s H2O Zone includes some stories which are worrying, some which are cheering and one that shows we’re always just that bit ahead of the curve when it comes to handing out irrigation and water conservation advice.

This month’s H2Ozone has decided to kick off its shoes and get some sand between its toes. Yes, we’re heading for the beach, and in particular the beaches around Florida, which, during the course of June, have been flagging up the reality of a changing climate in a clear and sometimes stark manner.

This month’s H2O Zone is very much a ‘good news bad news’ mix of articles from around the world - and from Florida itself. Stories that highlight, once again, the importance of both focusing in on the little things, and looking at the bigger picture.

A reminder it's Water Conservation month (despite the deluge we've just experienced). Speaking of which, we found a superb in-depth analysis of the S. Florida floods to get your teeth into. And mosquitoes... they're on the move.

A thought-provoking take on reducing the use of sod, and replacing it with plants that can cope with the extremes of wet and dry found in Florida.  And a look at practical ways we can adjust our mindset around water use when it comes to irrigation.

On the hunt for water-efficient plants? Roses fit the bill! Also in this month's H₂O Zone, we're intrigued to see the use NASA is making of its GRACE and GRACE FO satellites to map groundwater and help water reliant states make better decisions.