Keys Energy Going Green?

It was interesting to read the PR piece in Saturday's Citizen (6-28-07) by Julio J. Barroso, Communications and Marketing Coordinator for Keys Energy Services. He makes some good points in terms of what the energy company is going to do to help address the environmental impact created when electricity is produced. Particularly interesting were his comments about the increased efficiency to be gained in electric transformer conversion and the use of LEDs. He notes that while the initial cost of such conversions are "higher than conventional replacements," the increased "life expectancy and efficiency of such units quickly pay back on initial investments." Translation: they are cheaper to operate and Key's energy can make more money.

Now what we'd like to see is some of that cost savings passed back to the consumer. What do you want to bet that as it "grows green" Keys Energy will be trying to -- heck, they will -- raise rates. But wouldn't it be nice when, as Barroso claims, "such units quickly pay back on initial investments" for Keys Energy customers to see some of that savings in the form of cold cash or a reduction in those rates that were increased?

Of course, we weren't born under a clam shell, and you know too that the likelihood of seeing any refund or rate reduction of that kind is slim to none. And that is what makes us wary of the kind of PR efforts reflected in the Barroso article. However, we can still hope that maybe one day there will emerge a company where the words used to talk to the public don't have to be described as PR. If we see it, you'll be the first to know.

Wisteria Island Cleanup

Kudos to Theo Glorie and the Coffee Plantation crew of volunteers who helped with the cleanup on Wisteria Island this past Sunday. Kudos as well to Amoud Girad's Key West Water Taxi; and to Waste Management who donated the dumpster. This cleanup is a fine example of Key West's "Do-it-for-ourselves" philosophy. Or as Grandpa used to say, "If you want it done right, do it yourself."

Our only questions are where were the owners and developers of Wisteria Island all this time before the cleanup? And why did it take an army of volunteers to do their work? If the Wisteria Island development ever comes up again before the City Commission and / or the voters (and you know it will) these questions should be at the top of the list before any yes vote on potential development.

In The Musk

The plan was supposed to breath new life into Lake Okeechobee. Instead it revealed new pollution. That's what the thousands of truck loads of muck recently scraped from the bottom of the lake revealed when scientists analyzed them. Some of the muck contains high levels of arsenic and is too toxic to be used on agricultural or commercial land, let alone one's residence.

Should we be worried about this find? You bet! Consider what else may be lurking above, below, or in the water you are going to eventually drink.

It's A Cat; It's A Rac; It's Ticket!

"We've been put on this planet and made caretaker of the planet, of the creatures here and of one another," he said. "At this point it appears we're not doing a very good job with any of those."

Those words come from a dedicated cat feeder. The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, however, doesn't seem to agree when it comes to feeding feral cats. The Commission seems to think the feeding is attracting not just cats but also raccoons, who a dedicated Officer says he's seen eating right along side the cats. Do you suppose the dishes were labeled, one for "Cat" and one for "Rac?"

The Fish and Wildlife Commission apparently has a piece of administrative code that outlaws putting out food or even your garbage "in such a manner that it attracts black bears, foxes, raccoons or sandhill cranes and thereby creates a public nuisance." An officer from the Commission has issued a $295 ticket to a well-meaning cat feeder.

So, when Bigfoot comes to your door for a visit, better be careful about feeding him. He may be followed by black bears, foxes, raccoons or sandhill cranes and you might be creating a public nuisance, not to mention aiding and abetting a stroll-away kitty.

Did Cutting The Mangroves Impact Flooding?

With reference to the flooding now going on in KW, Assistant City Manager John Jones is right: "There is nothing [they] can do about it." Now, that is. The City should have thought about this possibility before it cut the mangroves near the flooded area without a permit.

What city officials didn't mention in their attempt to explain that it wasn't the cutting of the mangroves that caused the flooding is that there is silt now filling up the culverts and that the water has no where to go. Of course, it wasn't the cutting of the mangroves that promoted that. Yeah, right.

What Bush Doesn't Get About The Enviornment

In his response to the report on global warming the President has acknowledged that there is a problem and it needs work, but that one couldn't wreck economies fixing the problem.

What the President doesn't get is that fixing the problem of global warming (if we can) is going to cost money, serious money. It is going to cost the American people more, not less, money in the short term and maybe even the long term. However, it is a matter of survival for future generations.

Doing nothing, or doing what the President is suggesting -- working on the problem gradually -- will cost even more. It is a question of "pay me now or pay me later." Either way, we are going to have to pay for what we have done to the planet.

The City's Mitigation Pact

Instead of paying fines for clearing 41,630 feet of mangroves by the Police Station without a permit from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the City Commission has approved a settlement agreement with the state to resolve the potential fines and penalties. The settlement calls for the City to spend $1.5 million over three years to mitigate the damage it did by restoring water flows to the west side of the Salt Ponds and planting red and black mangroves in other areas of the Salt Ponds.

Now, that the City has made an agreement to spend $1.5 million of the taxpayers' money for another decision by our illustrious Assistant City Manager that got the City into trouble with the state, it will be interesting to see whether the City actually keeps its word or whether this agreement will become a game of smoke and mirrors. Will the City play fast and loose with the State? Will another City Commission come along and void the agreement, as Commissioner Bethel thinks can occur without consequence?

The City's credibility is on the line, and we certainly won't hold our collective breath waiting for the City to carry out its promises. The Florida DEP and environmental groups should keep the heat on the City to make sure it does what it has promised.