February 2022 | Issue 12 GrowingClimateSolutions.org
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Meeting Key 2022 Goals
As Growing Climate Solutions starts the New Year, here are three goals we are sticking to:

  1. Provide high-quality educational programming
  2. Help community partners execute climate-friendly projects and policies
  3. Stay abreast of policy issues relevant to our SWFL stakeholders

Read on to learn how we are following through on these objectives including the details of the SWFL Climate Compass Series, the monthly Y&HOW Sustainability Workshops, and the Tree of Life Project with Cornerstone Methodist Church.

We are also following the South Florida Water Management's resiliency planning, legislation impacting the solar roof-top installations, and the newly formed SWFL Resiliency Compact. Read more (3.0 minute read)
Chef Rick Moonen of Perry Restaurants
Living Greener
light-wine-pour.jpg
by Ana Puszkin-Chevlin

With the Naples Winter Wine Festival scheduled to take place this weekend and Valentine’s Day around the corner, we thought readers would be interested in how our changing climate is impacting vineyards and wineries, and how the industry is responding.

Wine grapes are among the most sensitive crops to variations in temperature and precipitation. The ‘terroir’, a term referring to the specificities of geographic place -- the temperature, precipitation topography, soil -- that gives a wine its characteristic taste and flavor, (and which also influences the wine style producers choose to make), is changing due to global warming. This has been driving winemakers to adapt their methods of growing and producing, applying climate science modeling to their century-old practices.

Simply speaking, warm climate wine regions, like the Mediterranean regions of southern France, Spain, Italy, and parts of California, allow grapes to ripen earlier and longer into the fall, producing fruitier, full-bodied wines with more sugar content, and thus slightly higher alcohol. The cool wine regions, those in Northern France, Germany, Cascadia, and New York’s Finger Lakes experience faster temperature declines in the autumn, preserving more tartness in the grape and resulting in crisper, light-bodied wines. Accordingly, winemakers plant grape varieties that are best suited to the climate of the specific geography and blend them to create the wine types unique to each terroir.

Read More (3.5 min read)
By Kamila Perez
Senior Environmental Specialist, Collier County

2022 Lunar New Year celebrations begin on February 1st, signifying the beginning of spring planting season for communities around the world. There’s no better time to act on personal resolutions that may include gardening, beautifying yards and outdoor areas, or even being more active in the fresh air. Adding plants and trees to outdoor areas can help meet each of these goals and – with the right plant selection – set the stage for a healthier climate and environment.

Planting the right plant in the right place is key to minimizing harmful inputs like fertilizer and attaining the best aesthetic results. Selecting native Florida plants also reduces the need for upkeep, pesticide application, and water. The nine principles of Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM, or FFL, provide science-based guidance for landscapers and at-home gardeners to achieve a vibrant, climate-conscious outdoor space that supports a healthier environment.

Read More (1 min read)
The South Florida Water Management District published a draft Sea Level Rise and Flood Resiliency Plan in September 2021. Growing Climate Solutions reviewed the plan and submitted comments during the public comment period. Our response can be read here.

Partner Spotlight
Lipman Farms
Florida-Based Grower Shares Industry-Leading Sustainability Practices & Mindset

Family-owned grower gone international by taking strategic steps towards forward-thinking stewardship
 
The careful cultivation of America’s food supply involves precise monitoring and management of resources. That’s why Lipman Family Farms, North American grower and distributor of fresh vegetables, has made sustainability an essential focus to every level of their supply chain.
 
“In order for a business to do "well" we must also do "good." Meaning, it is not only the right thing to do, but it is critical for our long-term success for us to continue to improve our sustainability,” said Elyse Lipman, Chief Strategy Officer... Read More (1 min read)
CLIMATE NEWS...HEADLINES WORTH READING
For the latest in climate news, stay informed with the stories below, from climate-related weather to policy, we have you covered.