“Duke Energy gets 90% of its electricity from burning gas or coal,” Maguire said. “They are an extremely dirty and polluting utility, and they essentially get to do that polluting for free because it’s the young people today that are going to deal with a warmer environment and stronger storms and more flooding in the decades to come.”
“I see it as a freedom issue,” said Raymer Maguire, Director of Campaigns and Policy at The CLEO Institute, a Miami-based organization focused on climate education and advocacy. “Every year, Florida is getting a little less free.” SB 180 is Florida’s most expansive preemption law, but it is far from the only one. In the past decade, state lawmakers have passed a spate of prohibitions limiting local control over issues such as firearms, LGBTQ issues and, increasingly, environment and climate regulation.
“We keep mopping the floor of this overflowing bathtub,” Yoca Arditi-Rocha, CEO of The CLEO Institute, said, “and we're cleaning it with taxpayers' dollars.” She’d like to see state legislators turn off the tap.
“In 2023, JEA claimed a new methane gas plant was the most affordable option for Jacksonville’s energy needs. Just two years later, projected costs have increased 139%, and an independent analysis found the project could cost customers an additional $2.5 billion over its lifetime, plus roughly $1 billion in health impacts from pollution,” said Susan Glickman, Vice President of Policy and Partnerships at The CLEO Institute.
You cannot make change by complaining and dwelling on the situation; calling, emailing or coming in person to see your legislators is the only way for your voice to be heard and for real change to happen.
They advocate for climate and biodiversity action by participating in a number of local organizations, including the Marine Resource Council, Tampa Bay Regional Resilience Coalition, and Miami Waterkeeper. They collaborate with climate-minded groups like The CLEO Institute and educational institutions like the Sea Level Solutions Center at Florida International University.
The CLEO Institute, a climate change advocacy group, reports that Donalds has received $1.79 million in campaign contributions from Florida’s major power utilities over the years, trailing only Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson among Florida leaders.
"We all know Miami is in an affordability crisis. If you live here, you've seen it, you know what I mean," said Jocelyn Mahone, Communications Manager for The CLEO Institute. "Unfortunately, we have people who think that cutting trees to build more is the answer."
"What if a 5K could change the world?"
“It's about making sure that Miami Beach is protected for the kids, for future generations, and that this planet remains a livable and healthy place for all of us.“
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