Keep Martin Beautiful Urges You to Get Smarter about Water

At Keep Martin Beautiful, we like to get our hands dirty working on projects that have tangible results for the environment – much of which is on land.  But Keep Martin Beautiful also focuses on the health of our waterways through removal of marine debris and the many coastal cleanups we coordinate – both large and small. 

Central to our mission, however, is education. Given the recent releases from Lake Okeechobee and the harmful effects of too much of this water moving into our rivers, lagoon and ocean, we thought it was good time to share with you some learning opportunities. We all know that water is the lifeblood of our community.  But readers may not be aware of the many organizations working to shine light on these issues.

Several educational programs available to the public for free are described below. It’s important to have facts, and a scientifically-based understanding of our water issues so we can all be better informed and know what to do – and not to do – to help improve the health of our rivers, waterways and coastal resources.

Here are some upcoming programs this spring to make you smarter about water!

Florida Oceanographic Coastal Lecture Series. Florida Oceanographic holds free lectures on Tuesday evenings through March 12 at the Blake Library. Upcoming topics include the archeological history of the Everglades, progress in Everglades restoration, and seashells and the fate of the oceans. You can also watch from the comfort of your home by registering through the website Coastal Lecture Series | Florida Oceanographic Society.

Water Ambassador Lunch and Learn Webinars. Every third Tuesday in June at noon, you have a chance to learn about timely topics like shoreline restoration and stormwater management in a series of free virtual webinars hosted by the University of Florida’s IFAS extension service and Sea Grant.

Ocean Science Lecture Series. The John & Barbara Ferrera Ocean Science Lecture Series at FAU/Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute provides a forum for the community to learn about their most recent discoveries directly from the scientists and engineers who make them. Upcoming topics include ongoing anti-cancer drug discoveries from the ocean. The free lectures are on Wednesdays at 4pm at the beautiful FAU Harbor Branch Johnson Marine Education Center Auditorium. Advance registration is required through their website here: Ocean Science Lecture Series | Florida Atlantic University (fau.edu).

We all care deeply about the health of our waterways and the first step in making a difference is becoming more informed. Please let us know if you have an environmentally focused educational program coming up and we’re happy to share the information through our own communication channels.