Lee County Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida

03/04/2026

Read and weep for science.

Thomas Van Lent worked at the Everglades Foundation for 17 years before he was sued and sent to jail after being accused of stealing secrets.

02/15/2026

This is what’s known as “documenting the decline.” It runs through every corner of environmental research. The data are not new. The warnings are not new. The projections are not new. For decades—through the 1970s, 80s, and 90s—we told ourselves the public and policymakers ignored climate forecasts because they were too abstract: computer models, atmospheric physics, lines on a graph. Too technical. Too theoretical. Too easy to dismiss.

That excuse is dead.

Now the evidence is physical, visible, undeniable. And still it’s ignored—more aggressively than ever. The stronger the evidence becomes, the harder certain groups push back. They don’t lack information. They lack willingness. Their worldview—rooted in ignorance, compulsive consumerism, greed, and the pursuit of power—cannot accommodate the implications of climate reality. More reports will not move them. More data will not convert them. It never has, and it never will.

Meanwhile, those in power are not merely stalling climate action—they are actively dismantling it. They are clearing the way for crony-capitalist schemes that will repackage collapse into short-term profit: exploitative technologies, hollow “solutions,” extractive business models dressed up as innovation. By the time the market finishes monetizing the crisis, the window for meaningful prevention will be gone.

We will continue to fail unless awareness among the informed minority is transformed into immediate action—political, social, and technological. Outrage without mobilization is useless. Concern without power is irrelevant. This begins at the ballot box and must be forced into policy.

Our current government is deliberately steering in the opposite direction. This November will reveal whether authoritarian control has been consolidated deeply enough—nationally, statewide, locally—to suppress the will of the clear majority demanding change.

12/22/2025

Give a green gift to a true-blue friend this holiday season

A 2026 year-long membership in the Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida for only $10

Send them your wishes for a green future in 2026 and in the years and decades to come

Go to https://secure.actblue.com/donate/decfgift to send someone this special holiday gift.

DECF will create a personalized holiday card with your name and forward to you for approval. DECF can then deliver the card to the gift recipient via email and text.

05/18/2025

The Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida (DECF) is electing its 2025-27 officers now. 2025 DECF state members may vote. If you are a paid member then request your ballot from [email protected]. Results will be announced at 7pm ET on Tuesday, May 20. PLEASE VOTE IF YOU ARE A MEMBER!

04/21/2025

Join the Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida as we celebrate our environmental movement and contemplate how we take on the challenges of this new era. Featured speakers are Richard Grosso, Land Use and Environmental Attorney, and Shannon Estenoz, former Assistant Secretary of the Interior for...

04/08/2025

HB 1001/SB 1388 are being referred to as the “Boater Freedom Bill”, but in practice they will free bad actors to flout important environmental protections. They aim to make law enforcement’s job more difficult when interacting with boaters.

03/08/2025

You can become a state and county chapter member of DECF at https://secure.actblue.com/donate/decfmembership

Joseph Bonasia delivered a presentation about the petition drive for the Florida Right To Clean Water constitutional amendment at a meeting of the Lee County chapter of the Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida on March 8.

03/08/2025

Joseph Bonasia delivered a presentation about the petition drive for the Florida Right To Clean Water constitutional amendment at a meeting of the Lee County chapter of the Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida on March 8.

02/08/2025

It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that the Cape Coral Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-2 yesterday to approve changes to the Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map paving the way for construction of a 14.5-acre Utilities Complex within the Yellow Fever Creek Preserve. The reccomendation will now go to the City Council, where approval is expected.
This decision will have devastating consequences for the wildlife that call the preserve home, disrupt the delicate ecosystem of Yellow Fever Creek, and diminish the ability of residents and visitors to experience the preserve in its pristine state.
This vote only strengthens our resolve to continue advocating for our wildlife and green spaces. We must make our voices heard whenever the city puts forth proposals that threaten these natural treasures.
Next on the horizon? **REDFISH POINT** The proposal to allow a huge development in the wetlands south of Rotary Park will be reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Committee on March 4. Stay tuned here or visit https://protectourwetlandsincapecoral.org

photo by Kathleen Colligan