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What Will Nikki Do?

February 4, 2022 DReynolds

That’s the question I’ve had on my mind a lot over the last month.

What will Nikki do?

That’s Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture and 2022 Democratic candidate for Florida Governor Nikki Fried. Three friends of mine and I filed what’s called a Petition for Rulemaking to demand that her office comply with a 2006 Florida law that calls for our government agencies to create the rules and steps for businesses to reduce carbon pollution, while also eliminating the systemic cause of that pollution: fossil fuels. Friday, February 5^th will mark 30 days since my friends and I filed our Petition and the law allows the government 30 days to respond to our request.

Yesterday my friends, our lawyers, and I met with the Commissioner and her Staff to discuss our Petition, its status, and her office’s next steps. I don’t yet know what the Department of Agriculture and, within it the Office of Energy, will do but I can say that the time has come for Florida’s political leaders to follow the 2006 law, something that has sadly not happened since it was implemented nearly two decades ago. Just think about that. Nearly two decades after a law was created to commence eliminating fossil fuels and to shift energy sources to sustainable ones in one of the most fragile places on the planet, and our entire government has done exactly nothing to create the rules and processes to demand compliance. And we wonder why our climate crisis only gets worse by the day.

Commissioner Fried has frequently talked about our climate crisis but has thus far failed to take any meaningful action to address the cause of the pollution caused by fossil fuels. In 2019 Commissioner Fried, for example, addressed the attendees of the Florida Energy & Climate Summit and talked about the urgent need for Florida and America to address energy and climate issues including saying this:

“It’s time as the nation’s third largest state – using the third-most energy – to face the facts on climate change and energy efficiency, and start preparing for the future. There’s no time to wait. Greenhouse gases are up 400% since 1950, and over 900 people move to Florida every day – we have to change how we use energy. That’s why today, I’ve unveiled an ambitious package of legislation to address greenhouse gas emissions, fund research on climate resilience and sustainability, and help fund energy and water efficiency upgrades on Florida’s farms.”

Florida Agricultural Commissioner Nikki Fried, October 3rd, 2019

Or, consider that in early 2021 the Commissioner said the following:

“Florida is one of the states most vulnerable to the climate crisis. Our leaders should be moving forward on clean energy-instead they are upholding a system that raises costs for consumers and protects special interests at the expense of our future. We have to break the system.”

Florida Agricultural Commissioner Nikki Fried

I sure do agree with that sentiment. Yes, we do need to “break the system,” our antiquated use of fossil fuels, and along with it our energy distribution system, including the overt control of power creation and distribution by monopolistic public utilities far more interested in their investors and profits than eliminating pollution no matter what their expensive advertising might otherwise suggest. But, the issue is that such comments and speeches are just talk.

It is now essential that we see actual action and, thus, this week’s response to our Petition, a petition that young people all over Florida have enthusiastically signed on to support (thanks everyone!), holds the promise of allowing Florida to take a serious, meaningful step towards addressing the cause of our climate change crisis.

So tonight, on the eve of the Commissioner’s deadline to respond to the Petition that my friends and I have presented to demand that the talk comes to an end and the solutions commence, let’s all ask and wonder “what will Nikki do?” And here’s to hoping she does the right thing, the bold thing, and, remarkably, the thing that none of Florida’s so-called leaders have been willing to do in the 16 years since the law that called for action was created.

To learn more about our petition or to join us as we demand that the state of Florida take action to address the cause of our climate crisis please visit the petition website here.

Climate Change, Commissioner of Agriculture, Delaney Reynolds, Democrat, Eco Warrior, Florida, Florida Governor, Florida Petition for Rulemaking, Global Warming, Governor, Miami, Miamisearise.com, Nikki Fried, Petition for Rulemaking, Politics, Renewable Energy, Sea Level Rise, Sea Rise, State of Florida, Sustainable Energy, The Sink or Swim Project

Delaney, What Can I Do To Help?

January 2, 2022 DReynolds

What can I do to help? That’s easily the number one question I get asked during my lectures and public events. Especially by young people. Today I am pleased to offer you a new answer that is quick and simple, but ever so important.

I’d like you to sign a petition that demands that Florida’s government actually enforce our existing laws by implementing rules that set a goal that requires 100% of our state’s electricity will come from renewable energy by 2050! And I would also like you to share the link with all of your friends too. Any Floridian age 25 or younger can sign the petition and immediately have your voice heard by becoming part of the solution.

This month, January 2022, three friends of mine (Valholly, Isaac and Levi, ages 18, 16 and 14) and I are formally demanding that the State of Florida government take action by enforcing our existing laws and take action to make Florida 100% reliant on renewable energy by 2050. We want you to join us by signing a petition so that Florida’s leaders know that Florida’s youth are serious about our government doing more than just talking about the issue. We want, and I know you do too, to see actual action.

Most adults in charge today simply talk about the issue and fail us, our future and our environment by nearly never actually acting to address the core problem; fossil fuel pollution that creates greenhouse gases that are warming earth to dangerous levels. The sad fact of the matter is that in a place called the ‘sunshine state’ only 4.3% of our state’s energy is currently derived from renewable sources such as solar power and that’s pathetic.

The good news is that we have a law in place that allows Florida’s government to enact actual change right now if only our leaders were compelled to do more about the problem than talk about it while they protect the special interests and polluters that want to avoid or delay the changes we must implement to solve this crisis. This is where you and your friends can become agents of change by demanding action today.

On January 5th my friends and I plan to deliver something called a Petition for Rulemaking to Commissioner Nikki Fried that asks the Department of Agriculture that she leads to use its explicit authority under Florida law to promulgate a rule establishing a goal of 100% renewable energy from the electricity sector by 2050. Commissioner Fried, whose is also running for Florida Governor in 2022, often talks about the importance of having our leaders move our state towards clean energy by ‘breaking the system’ but in nearly four years of service she has failed to actually take any meaningful action. Now’s her opportunity to do more than talk about the issue by embracing our Petition and now is your chance to demand she and the State actually do something to help solve our core climate problem.

I would greatly appreciate you supporting me and my friends by signing the Petition. We see the steps that we are taking as an opportunity to demand action while also placing our climate crisis at the forefront of the Florida Governor’s race at a critical time. Helping us put this Petition on Commissioner Fried’s desk – signed by as many young people in Florida as we can possibly reach! – while she’s actively campaigning might just force her to “walk her talk” on climate issues or, perhaps, our request will reveal that her self-professed “strong” climate agenda is nothing but more hot air. In any case, I need your help. Florida’s environment and our planet need your help.

Please join us by signing the Petition today and sharing this important youth led initiative with as many of your friends as absolutely possible. Our climate, environment and society is running out of time and now its time for young people to DEMAND the changes we want and deserve.

Climate Change, Delaney Reynolds, Eco Warrior, Global Warming, Miami, Miamisearise.com, Politics, Sea Level Rise, Sea Rise, The Sink or Swim Project

Sign Florida’s Youth Climate Change Petition Today!

December 31, 2021 DReynolds

It’s our turn. It’s up to you and I, the youth of the world. Young people globally are going to have to do what adults before us have failed to do: solve our climate change crisis. And today I am pleased to share a way that young Floridians can use their voice to lead the way in demanding the type of change that we need to foster right here in Florida.

Young people all over the world frequently ask me “what can I do?” about our climate crisis and I am pleased to share a simple step that you can take today to make a positive, important difference.

As part of my ongoing efforts to get the state of Florida to begin addressing the core cause of our climate crisis, the use of fossil fuels, I’ve learned that in 2006 the Florida Legislature created a law that mandated an increase in the use of renewable energy and a reduction in our dependence on fossil fuels for electricity production. That’s the good news. The bad news is that I have also learned that in all years (15 and counting) the state and its agencies have done little to nothing to comply and that’s something I’d like to see change so that we can begin the transition to renewable energy, and away from fossil fuels, that forward thinking state lawmakers intended nearly two decades ago.

With this in mind some friends and I are trying to motivate our state to begin to follow the 2006 law by presenting something called a Petition for Rulemaking to formally ask Commissioner Fried to commence the process to lead us to sustainability. If she elects to support the Petition, that step will show she’s serious about addressing our climate crisis. And if she does not commence the rule making process she’ll prove that her frequent comments about our climate are meaningless and that she cares more about protecting the established polluters than protecting our future.

Here in Florida the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS), whose role in our government is to “promote[] Florida agriculture, protect[] the environment, safeguard[] consumers, and ensure[] the safety and wholesomeness of food.” Unfortunately for our climate, Florida’s government is not protecting our environment by curbing our fossil fuel use and carbon emissions – the cause of our climate change crisis. We need to change that and you can help by joining our petition.

With these things in mind I am pleased to announce our Florida youth led petition for rulemaking that demands that the FDCAS establish a goal to generate 100% of Florida’s electricity from renewable energy by 2050 and the steps to get us there. In doing so, the State of Florida and its government will be required under this rule to begin to plan and execute ways in which to accomplish that. You can find the petition by clicking here and I hope that Florida youth under the age of 25 will both sign it today and share it with all of your friends on social media. The more youth that voice their concern the better.

As you consider joining our youth led petition, here are some unfortunate facts to consider as motivation:

(1) Florida is ground zero for climate change. The climate crisis is already having devastating impacts on Florida: rising sea levels and resultant flooding, beach erosion and damage to coastal property, extreme damage to marine ecosystems, spread of infectious diseases, and increased severity of storms and extreme weather events. Florida’s tourism, agriculture, and recreation industries are all suffering.

(2) Florida is the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the U.S. Florida’s state government has known for decades of the dangers of climate change but has done little to protect its youngest citizens by taking aggressive action to avert the crisis.

(3) Only 4.3% of Florida’s electricity comes from renewable sources, while natural gas makes up 75% of Florida’s electricity system. Even though the Florida legislature has mandated an increase in the use of renewable energy and a reduction in the state’s dependence on fossil fuels, Florida’s electricity system is still dominated by fossil fuels.

(4) According to Evolved Energy Research, it is economically and technically feasible to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2050. Transitioning to renewable energy would create 222,082 construction jobs and 90,727 operation jobs, reduce energy costs and save lives. State government should not be standing in the way of a new energy future for Florida!

Allow me to end by thanking a few of my friends from all over Florida that are joining me in signing this petition and fighting for our planet and generation’s future. Thanks to Levi, Valholly, and Issac, who were part of the historic group of eight brave young Floridians that sued the State of Florida, Florida’s Governor, and Cabinet in the case Reynolds v. State of Florida to demand that our state enforce the laws that cut back and eliminate our state’s carbon emissions. Thanks as well to the exceptional people at Our Children’s Trust, the youth-focused environmental law firm that helped us with our case and that are leading the federal constitutional climate case, Juliana v. United States. Demanding change within a culture where politics so often protects the polluters is hard and to my young friends and the folks at OCT, thank you again and again.

And to the youth of Florida, NOW is the time for you to get involved. Please sign the petition TODAY and share it with every single person you know on social media. Our future is in our hands and whether you are old enough to vote or not you can make a difference right NOW.

Adults have long failed us by putting politics and profits ahead of our planet. Our climate and too many of the natural places we cherish are at dire risk. I know you know this, and I know you agree, so it’s up to you and I to solve our climate crisis. I most sincerely hope that you will join my friends and I in demanding that our government take action today.

www.ourchildrenstrust.org/floridapetition