Environmental Advocacy

Protecting Florida’s waters

I ran into nature photographer John Moran and artist/educator Lesley Gamble at a clean-up of Gainesville Glen Springs back in 2011. The spring, located just a few hundred feet from where I went to high school, is tucked behind the Elks Club, and was used for recreational swimming for decades. But now the spring-filled concrete pool gets clogged with algae and the members of Lodge have to clean it out periodically to keep it from turning into a disgusting morass. 

The fortuitous meeting led ultimately to publication of my first book, thanks to John’s recommendation to the University Press of Florida, and also to my partnership with Lesley and John in their springs advocacy program, the Springs Eternal Project. The goal of the project is to inspire Floridians to value our springs and the diverse ecosystems they support as fundamental to the health and wellbeing of us all, human and non-human; to redefine these relationships in socially just and ecologically sustainable terms; and to work collaboratively to conserve, restore and protect Florida’s precious waters for our children and theirs, for generations to come.

My role in the organization is as graphic designer – I’ve created everything from museum panels featuring John’s work to collateral to be handed out all over the state. I also incorporate Springs Eternal content in my book talks and try to inspire awareness of the state of our springs in the audiences to which I am presenting. There are other collaborators as well, including the brilliant artist Margaret Tolbert, and working with the photography assets of such talented artists is a graphic designer’s dream come true. I believe the efforts of our collective have made a difference in people’s perceptions of our springs. But saving our state’s real fountains of youth remains a herculean task.

I’ve also had the opportunity to do graphic design work for other environmental groups advocating for the restoration of Florida’s springs including the Florida Sierra Club and St. Johns Riverkeeper. Two lesser known non-profits that have hired me include the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute and the Center for Earth Jurisprudence. The Florida Springs Institute works to protect our state’s springs through sound science and education. The CEJ’s goal is lofty, they are trying to give the earth a voice in the legal system by advancing law and policy that protects the life and health of the planet. I have also had the opportunity to do presentations for environmental groups such as these throughout the state.