Our Mission
To educate and advocate for the protection of Collier County’s natural resources. Whether addressing sea-level rise, the alarming rise of plastic pollution, alternative energy sources, supporting restoration of the Everglades, or smart growth, the Committee seeks to inform the public, engage public officials and collaborate with other allies to promote sustainable growth, protect our water resources and wildlife and mitigate the effects of climate change
Program Plan 2024-2025
Sea Level Rise
• Update training/presentation materials from ACUNE to ACUNE+ by March 1
• Hold training sessions on ACUNE+ for city and County staff (including new Deputy City Managers and City Council members. Provide private tutorials as requested. Likely to number 8-10 sessions.
• Work with the City of Naples, the City of Marco Island and Pelican Bay to use ACUNE+ for resiliency planning. Naples has completed a Vulnerability Plan and is in the process of obtaining input for their Resiliency Planning, similarly for Marco Island.
• Present ACUNE+ at 8-10 meetings to more completely inform residents of Collier County about the benefits of the tool to protect their property.
Resiliency in Response to Climate Change
• Educate ourselves, the Environmental Affairs Group, on ways to respond to the danger of rising heat levels. Work with the City of Naples as they identify heat islands during the coming season.
• Explore ways to collaborate with the Naples Botanical Garden to encourage government and citizens to plant native species, particularly shade trees and decorative plantings that require less water. Develop at least one collaborative activity within the next year.
Water Quality
• Work with the Conservancy and other local NGOs to educate and advocate for improvement in local water quality responding to opportunities which might arise.
• Develop a strategy to publicize the findings of the recent report on the Economic Impact of Harmful Algal Blooms on health and the economy..
• Advocate to county officials and citizens for the upgrade of Collier County wastewater treatment plants to remove nitrogen and phosphate from reuse water.
Everglades Coalition (EVCO)
• Continue to be a member of EVCO to represent the State LWV and support environmental issues as they apply to the greater Everglades. Designated members of the EAC will attend the quarterly meetings of EVCO. All LWVCC members are encouraged to attend EVCO’s annual meeting.
Plastics Task Force
● Educate at least 400 City and County residents about plastics pollution by March 2025, through 4-6 presentations. Some priority audiences we hope to reach include young people (students), HOA leaders and business owners and operators.
● Engage all of the organizations to which the League has made presentations since late 2023, by providing them with additional information and support about how they as individuals and organizations can reduce their plastics “footprint”.
● Create and/or facilitate the writing of 4 articles, letters to the editor or other content on plastics pollution for publication by local media (print, broadcast and/or social) by March 2025.
● Lead the LWVCC in the creation and adoption by March 2025, of an internal policy aimed at reducing our use of plastics in League events and activities.
● Define, by March 2025, a collaboration with one or more other organizations, with the aim of creating greater awareness about plastics pollution and what we can do collectively to reduce it.