Presentations
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An integral piece of Central Florida Earth Day are three unique presentations, workshops, panels, and activities in the Presentations Tent. Come hear from an inspiring group of leaders and visionaries assembled to speak from diverse perspectives on a wide-range of issues facing our community, state, nation, and world.
The presentations are moderated by Shannon Blair. If you are interested in being a speaker at Earth Day, please fill out the Speaker Application. |
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11:00 a.m. Impacts of Animal Production on Water and Climate
Three speakers will discuss how water and climate issues are affected by animal agriculture and society’s other land use decisions. Dr. John Capece, of Kissimmee Waterkeeper, will provide an overview of the Kissimmee River Basin, including the extent of the cattle industry in Central Florida and its impacts upon water quality and algae blooms throughout south Florida. Rock Aboujaoude, Jr., of Campus Climate Corps, will discuss the greenhouse gas emissions of the cattle industry and agriculture in general and how regenerative agriculture can yield climate mitigation through carbon farming. Chuck O'Neal, of Speak Up Wekiva, will talk about the Rights of Nature movement and how it delivered the Right to Clean Water amendment to the Orange County Charter which serves as the basis for legal actions against urban sprawl and as the model for a statewide constitutional amendment.
Dr. John Capece is an Orlando native. Since 1979 as a UF student and professor, he performed research on hydrology & water quality. He managed Calusa Waterkeeper from 1995 to 2018 and is now Kissimmee Waterkeeper, covering from Orlando to Okeechobee. John also manages a student exchange organization, Intelligentsia International, hosting more than 500 students from 74 nations for full-time internships since 1999. Many of its student interns have been assigned to climate projects through the Campus Climate Corps program.
Rock Aboujaoude, Jr. is a graduate student at the University of Florida where he focuses on climate change and carbon sequestration systems in agriculture. Rock has a BS degree from UF in Food and Natural Resources Economics. He serves as national vice president of the national graduate student honor society, Alpha Epsilon Lambda, and a director of Campus Climate Corps. He has worked in the Florida Senate as an environmental analyst of legislation and as the the national legislative director of the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students. Rock has attended the annual UN climate conferences since 2015-Paris and each year he delivers a series of 14 daily, live Zoom briefing to US students from the UN conference.
Chuck O'Neal is a founding member of the Florida Rights of Nature Network and President of the environmental organization Speak Up Wekiva, Inc. Chuck wrote an early draft of the Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act. He served as Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee and as First Vice President of the League of Women Voters of Florida. Chuck brought legal action to stop the ill-conceived hunting of the Florida Black Bear and has fought to protect Florida's springs and aquifers from all sources of pollution.
Dr. John Capece is an Orlando native. Since 1979 as a UF student and professor, he performed research on hydrology & water quality. He managed Calusa Waterkeeper from 1995 to 2018 and is now Kissimmee Waterkeeper, covering from Orlando to Okeechobee. John also manages a student exchange organization, Intelligentsia International, hosting more than 500 students from 74 nations for full-time internships since 1999. Many of its student interns have been assigned to climate projects through the Campus Climate Corps program.
Rock Aboujaoude, Jr. is a graduate student at the University of Florida where he focuses on climate change and carbon sequestration systems in agriculture. Rock has a BS degree from UF in Food and Natural Resources Economics. He serves as national vice president of the national graduate student honor society, Alpha Epsilon Lambda, and a director of Campus Climate Corps. He has worked in the Florida Senate as an environmental analyst of legislation and as the the national legislative director of the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students. Rock has attended the annual UN climate conferences since 2015-Paris and each year he delivers a series of 14 daily, live Zoom briefing to US students from the UN conference.
Chuck O'Neal is a founding member of the Florida Rights of Nature Network and President of the environmental organization Speak Up Wekiva, Inc. Chuck wrote an early draft of the Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act. He served as Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee and as First Vice President of the League of Women Voters of Florida. Chuck brought legal action to stop the ill-conceived hunting of the Florida Black Bear and has fought to protect Florida's springs and aquifers from all sources of pollution.
1:00 p.m.: How to Advocate for the Environment
Discussing ways environmentalists can advocate for their causes when dealing with the government. How climate change and politics impact our environment.
The first member of Generation Z to be elected to Congress, Maxwell Alejandro Frost is proud to represent the people of Central Florida. In Congress, Frost is committed to representing the people of his hometown in Orlando and Central Florida and being their voice in Washington, D.C. Frost is laser-focused on working to deliver change and results on issues of housing affordability, healthcare, abortion rights, LGBTQ+ rights, voting rights, transportation, justice reform, climate change, and more.
Commissioner Emily Bonilla was elected in November 2016 and re-elected in 2020 to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners. Her district runs from parts of Downtown Orlando to East Orange County through Bithlo and Christmas. Commissioner Bonilla is honored to serve her district because she has the opportunity to improve the lives of residents by focusing on smart growth, economic development, protecting the environment, supporting local service organizations, and listening to the people.
The first member of Generation Z to be elected to Congress, Maxwell Alejandro Frost is proud to represent the people of Central Florida. In Congress, Frost is committed to representing the people of his hometown in Orlando and Central Florida and being their voice in Washington, D.C. Frost is laser-focused on working to deliver change and results on issues of housing affordability, healthcare, abortion rights, LGBTQ+ rights, voting rights, transportation, justice reform, climate change, and more.
Commissioner Emily Bonilla was elected in November 2016 and re-elected in 2020 to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners. Her district runs from parts of Downtown Orlando to East Orange County through Bithlo and Christmas. Commissioner Bonilla is honored to serve her district because she has the opportunity to improve the lives of residents by focusing on smart growth, economic development, protecting the environment, supporting local service organizations, and listening to the people.
3:00 p.m. Climate-Friendly Food Choices
This presentation will outline the climate benefits of making plant-based food choices and dispel some of the common misconceptions around the production of meat, dairy, and eggs. In particular, the impact of grazing will be addressed, as well as a comparison of local meat vs. less meat.
Dawn Moncrief is the Founder and President of A Well-Fed World (awfw.org), a hunger relief and environmental protection organization that supports plant-based feeding and farming projects in 94 countries. Dawn holds two master's degrees from The George Washington University and presents throughout the US, UK, Europe, and Africa. Her research and writing highlight the ways in which the use of animals for food exacerbate global hunger, resource-depletion, and climate change. Plants-4-Hunger.org
Dawn Moncrief is the Founder and President of A Well-Fed World (awfw.org), a hunger relief and environmental protection organization that supports plant-based feeding and farming projects in 94 countries. Dawn holds two master's degrees from The George Washington University and presents throughout the US, UK, Europe, and Africa. Her research and writing highlight the ways in which the use of animals for food exacerbate global hunger, resource-depletion, and climate change. Plants-4-Hunger.org
