ECO

By Nanette Wiser

SUSTAINABLE SIPS Eckerd College senior management student Christian Harsha wanted to design and sell reusable on-the-go eating utensils with a novel quick-wash container cup. Utensoul was born and pitched to win by Christian and his international team of college entrepreneurs for a Top Ten spot at the European Innovation Academy (EIA) held in Porto, Portugal, this summer. EIA gathers up to 500 students from around the world annually and asks them to pitch an idea to one another to form teams, refine the idea and then pitch the final product to venture capitalists. Along the way, students are mentored by faculty and professionals, and the top teams receive financial support and professional mentoring for continuing their company toward official launch.

PLANTING TIPS Tampa Bay Water’s board approved $549,030 in 2023 funding for the Florida Friendly Landscaping Program™ (FFL) in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties this summer, a windfall for sustainable plantings. FFL is a program of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Services (UF IFAS) and its former namesake, Florida Friendly Yards. FFL promotes wise irrigation practices and proper Florida landscape designs to reduce water use and prevent pollution. In 2021, the program helped save an estimated 62 million gallons of water for the tri-county area through proper irrigation and drought-friendly landscaping. https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/

WHAT A HOOT Boyd Hill Nature Preserve provides a safe, healthy environment for permanently injured, non-releasable birds of prey (BOP) including owls, hawks, and raptors. These birds are cared for at the preserve as Wild Avian Ambassadors for environmental education programs given by park rangers and Avian Education Stewards (BOP volunteers). As an Avian Education Steward, you can help care for the birds and help educate visitors about their place in nature and what they need to survive in the wild! To volunteer, 727-893-7326. Largo’s McGough Nature Park also hosts a Nature Center, eagle Sarge and a volunteer program.

WILD TALKS In 2023, The Straz presents National Geographic Live series to Ferguson Hall featuring an all-female lineup for the first time. Audiences will experience the world’s wonders through storytelling as they venture through the depths of the ocean, learn about giant pandas in the wild and recover lost stories from Black Wall Street. Featured speakers include marine biologist Diva Amon 1/17, photographer/filmmaker Ami Vitale 2/21 and archeologist Alicia Odewale 5/23.  www.strazcenter.org

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