News and events on resilience and sustainability from around Miami-Dade County
Monitoring the King Tide - Sea Level Solutions Day
On Sunday, October 16th, FIU's Sea Level Rise Solutions Center, Office of University Sustainability and School of Communication & Journalism teamed up with our Office of Resilience and the CLEO Institute to collect data on the recent King Tides.

The citizen science effort deployed teams of volunteers (including many students) across the County to low-lying areas. Volunteers recorded information about water depths, salinity and impacts from the flooding at various sites. These were all recorded and can eventually be viewed on FIU's Eyes on the Rise app. The app allows people to share and record flooding at any time, and average citizens are encouraged to participate. To report flooding issues to your municipal or County government always call 3-1-1 first. 

King Tides are the highest tides of the year and in southeast Florida they normally occur in the fall  due to the seasonally warmer ocean temperatures. These seasonal high tides are exacerbated by long-term sea level rise and short-term weather conditions (such as persistent winds). Find information on King Tides from   City of Miami Beach , Fort Lauderdale , or NOAA . 
The Paris Climate Agreement Passes a New Milestone
Last December, world leaders came to a historic agreement, known as The Paris Agreement,  to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and prevent dangerous warming above two degrees Celsius. On October 5, the agreement cleared a final obstacle when the European Union and its member states voted to join the agreement. This brought the agreement beyond a key threshold, as it now has the backing from 81 nations that account for approximately 57 percent of global carbon emissions.  President Obama called this a "historic" moment and now the agreement will legally take effect. As  many pointed out, the next challenge will involve finding innovative ways to implement the commitments and reduce emissions.  
Hurricane Matthew
While Hurricane Matthew, fortunately, did not make landfall in Miami-Dade County, impact in other areas underscores the vulnerability of many coastal areas and the importance of being prepared. Impact was most severe in Haiti, with hundreds dead and missing. D omestically there was also significant damage and flooding throughout the southeast, especially in the Carolinas, where there were 19 deaths. Damages are expected to be between $5 to $15 billion, sparking discussions about how we pay for disasters.
Urban Tree Canopy Assessment
The urban forest is stressed in many cities around the country, but in Miami-Dade County, our urban trees are in critical condition.  Trees provide a number of benefits, including lowering temperatures and mitigating climate change. A recent study to assess our urban tree canopy found that overall only about 20 percent of the county within the urban area is shaded by trees. Residents can look at their area in detail on the online map . The report also contains information on the urban heat island effect across the county.

To help reach our goal of increasing the urban tree canopy to 30 percent by 2020, follow  Million Trees Miami, pick up two free trees at the annual Adopt-A-Tree events, volunteer with the Environmentally Endangered Lands  program, and learn how to plant trees.
Greenbuild Conference 2016 - Hosted in Los Angeles
Greenbuild, the world's largest conference focused on green building and design, was hosted the year at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LEED Gold rated building). Samantha, a volunteer for the  U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Miami branch and the Miami-Dade County Office of Resilience, attended and was intrigued by the fact that Staples, Inc., for example, reduces waste in office buildings by teaming up with TerraCycle to recycle gum and cigarette butts. Many leaders in s ustainability, like Rick Fedrizzi, CEO of USGBC, spoke about the newest LEED standards (v4).  Bjarke Ingles, famed architect, spoke on how living sustainably does not equate to sacrifice, but means coexisting with our natural environment.
  Benchmarking: Free Energy Star Portfolio Manager   
The County recently provided free benchmarking training to County staff and municipal and university representatives on September 8 and 9, 2016.  Benchmarking occurs when energy and water consumption data from individual facilities is collected and measured against data from other comparable facilities. It is an industry best practice that can lead to superior water and energy efficiencies and greenhouse gas pollution reductions. More than 8,000 buildings in Florida are using the federal government's free Energy Star Portfolio Manager online tool to benchmark their buildings, one of the highest participation rates in the United States. 
Miami-Dade County wins USDOT Mayor's Safer Streets Challenge Award
U.S. Secretary of Transportation  Anthony Foxx recently recognized Miami-Dade County at the 2016 Safer People, Safer Streets Summit in Washington, D.C.  Miami-Dade won the  Mayors' Challenge Award under the Complete Streets Challenge for its efforts to reduce pedestrian and cyclist deaths by publishing a Safer People, Safer Streets Local Action Plan. The plan contains 50 recommendations to improve the safety of biking, walking, and utilizing transit.
Upcoming events
Job Postings & Volunteer Opportunities
Coral Gables Museum is looking for a museum educator for the 2016-2017 school year.

The Earth Ethics Institute at Miami-Dade College is looking to hire a part-time administrative assistant, based out of the Wolfson campus. Apply online: select "Prospective Employees," then type in: 995387. 

Dream in Green is looking for a special projects coordinator  and a program and development manager to assist with their environmental education programs. 

The Miami-Dade County Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, Division of Environmental Resource Management, Tree and Forest Resources Section, is recruiting a Biologist. 

The Broward County Department of Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Division is hiring a Water Resources Manager.

View the Miami-Dade County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program volunteer calendar for Miami-Dade County.

The Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Department is recruiting a Resilience Manager. 
Funding Opportunities
The Knight Cities Challenge: focuses on ideas to make the  26 communities where Knight Foundation invests more vibrant places to live and work.

Wetlands Conservation Act Grants:  The North American Wetlands Conservation Act Grants by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides grants for wetlands and conservation projects. The deadline to apply is November 3.

Renewable Energy and Energy-Efficient Technologies Grants Program:  The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is seeking applications for projects that significantly increase energy efficiency for vehicles and commercial buildings. Applications are due by November 14, at 5 p.m.

USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative: This AFRI Challenge Area focuses on mitigating and adapting to climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing carbon sequestration in agricultural and forest production systems. The deadline is November 17.

National Science Foundation Prediction of and Resilience against Extreme Events: Natural disasters cause thousands of deaths and cause billions in damage worldwide. There is a clear societal need to better understand and mitigate the risks posed to the US by natural hazards. 

Rockefeller Family Fund Environment Program:  The Family Fund's Environment Program currently focuses on the challenges of climate change. 

Surdna Foundation: Sustainable Environments Program:  The  Sustainable Environments Program  is working to overhaul the nations' outdated and crumbling infrastructure with a new approach that will foster healthier, sustainable and just communities.
Contact us at green@miamidade.gov or 305-375-5593
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