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Industry Outlook 2008
Shades of Green
Not all 'green' plans are equal. But some companies and governments are taking real strides in sustainability.
Water
» ASR Systems, Gainesville
Aquifer Storage Recovery (ASR) is a method of storing water during floods to recover later during times of water shortage. Water is stored deep underground through wells, eliminating the need for large, costly (some say environmentally destructive) reservoirs. ASR Systems President David Pyne literally wrote the book on ASR and helps install systems around the world. Florida has been storing water in ASRs since 1983, but the practice remains controversial here. Nevertheless, the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan calls for more than 300 ASR wells. If Pyne and his colleagues prove their technology safe for Florida, ASR could go a long way toward solving the state’s water-supply problems — as well as the global water crisis.
» AquaFiber, Winter Park
This biotechnology company uses algae, a proprietary flow-way system and ozonation to remove harmful nutrients from water. AquaFiber last year won a pay-for-performance contract, the first of its kind for the St. Johns River Water Management District, to remove phosphorus from Lake Jesup in central Florida. The company will receive $500,000 annually if it can remove at least one metric ton of phosphorus a year from the impaired lake for the next five years. CEO Tom Bland says ongoing tests at Lake Apopka indicate the company will be able to do much better. Besides cleaning up pollution, applications for AquaFiber’s technology could include urban water supply and environmental restoration. Meanwhile, AquaFiber is studying its algal byproduct as a potential biofuel, as well as for carbon sequestration — the long-term storage of carbon to keep it out of the atmosphere.
Government
» Miami
To say that Miami lacks a green reputation is an understatement. The city has one of the worst air-pollution rankings in the country and is among the most wasteful water consumers in the state. In response, Mayor Manny Diaz has laid out a plan for Miami to become one of the greenest cities in America. His Miami 21 vision encompasses more public transportation, green building, a green fleet of vehicles for the city, a climate-protection agreement and an Office of Sustainable Initiatives, among other projects. A new water-conservation program is under way, as is an effort to restore the city’s tree canopy cover by a minimum of 30% by 2020.
» Pinellas County/St. Petersburg
The densest county in Florida, with little land left on which to grow, has a well-deserved reputation for environmental stewardship. The county has a model water-reuse program. St. Petersburg tracks sustainability indicators, including water use, energy use and solid-waste generation, to measure progress over time.
