Florida Talks Speaker Series: Blue Revolution with Cynthia Barnett

Blue Revolution: A Water Ethic for Florida

Water defines us as Floridians no matter where we live: Idyllic beaches surround us on three sides. Rivers flow for ten thousand miles through the peninsula. We’re blessed with nearly eight thousand lakes and a thousand more freshwater springs. Florida’s economy and lifestyle are built on a foundation of pure and plentiful water. Yet, the latest generation of Floridians has not inherited water as clean and abundant as their parents’. Barnett shows how one of the most water-rich states faces scarcity and quality woes – and how it doesn’t have to be that way. With a shared ethic for water, Floridians come together to use less and pollute less. We live well with water today, in ways that don’t jeopardize fresh, clean water for tomorrow.

Funding for this program was provided through a grant from the Florida Humanities Foundation with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

About the Speaker Cynthia Barnett is a long-time journalist and author who has covered water issues from the Suwannee River to Singapore. She is described by the Boston Globe as “part journalist, part mom, part historian, and part optimist.” She is the author of three books on water. Mirage: Florida and the Vanishing Water of the Eastern U.S., won the gold medal for best nonfiction in the Florida Book Awards and was named by The St. Petersburg Times as one of the top 10 books that every Floridian should read. Blue Revolution: Unmaking America’s Water Crisis, was named one of the top 10 science books of 2011 by The Boston Globe. Barnett’s latest book, Rain: A Natural and Cultural History, was longlisted for the National Book Award and named a “best book of the year” by NPR’s Science Friday, Kirkus Reviews, the Miami Herald, and others. She sees water as a unifying force that can bring Floridians together around our most precious natural resource.

This event will take place in City Hall Council Chambers. Please register once per group to reserve your seats. If COVID-19 levels spike to critical levels, this event will be canceled. In that case, anyone with a reservation will receive an email. You can also find the most up-to-date event information at nprlibrary.org