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Category: Coasts & Marine, Community Volunteers, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Lawn, Natural Resources, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
Written by Amelia Sewell, 2025 undergraduate summer intern hosted by Emily Ducker of the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) Overview This summer, I had the privilege of interning with the Office of Water Supply at the ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Research, , Water, Wildlife![a tangle of fishing line, plastic beads and other plastic waste on a beach. [credit: unsplash.com, soren funk]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/wp-content/blogs.dir/40/files/2025/03/2025_Water_microplasticsBeach01_unsplashSorenFunk_CROP1650x470TINY.png)
We're hearing a lot about microplastics in the news, but what exactly are they and what can I do to reduce the impact of microplastics in our environment? Well, first, what are they? Microplastics are defined as plastic particles no larger ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Health & Nutrition, Water![assorted microplastics shown resting on two fingertips, with a pile of microplastics in the background. [credit: uf/ifas, tyler jones]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/wp-content/blogs.dir/40/files/2025/02/2017_Waste_microplasticCloseupFingers01_ifasTylerJonesCROP1650x470TINY.png)
You might have heard about "microplastics," a term that has been in the news in recent years. But, do you know what microplastics are? What damage they can cause? Or, how to help lessen the impacts? We've got you covered. Microplastics ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Water
Stormwater runoff is one of the biggest threats to Florida’s natural waterways and water quality. Runoff refers to water from everyday rain events, which happen frequently during our summer months. Contaminants such as fertilizer, ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Water
We had some big waves in mid-December, and with that washed up a slew of plastic fragments and bottle caps as well as natural debris such as sargassum seaweed and black mangrove propagules. However, there was something different on our beaches ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
No nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizers in Orange County landscapes 6/1 - 9/30 because too much of it ends up in our water. The reason we have fertilizer regulation is because water quality is measured and managed, and pollution levels are ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Work & Life![A water-bottle filling station at the UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County office. [CREDIT: UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/wp-content/blogs.dir/40/files/2022/02/2022_Waste_blogSaCoWaterFillStationTLP01CROP1338x357TINY.png)
Sarasota County recently took a big step in reducing the volume of single-use plastics generated locally each day, installing 16 water bottle filling stations at various county sites. The installations were part of the County's commitment ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Water