'The Florida Dream,' 9 p.m. Thursday

It's often been said that Floridians lack a sense of being Floridians. With so many of our state's residents originally from someplace else, it's harder for us to have a shared cultural heritage, a sense of "place," a feeling of belonging or deep-seated pride. It also makes it harder for us to feel like stakeholders in the important decisions that have to be made.

The work of historians such as Gary Mormino, the Florida studies professor at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, can help to create that shared heritage. Mormino's latest book about our state, Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams, is now the basis of a new public television documentary titled The Florida Dream, which premieres at 9 p.m. Thursday on most of the state's public TV stations.

The Florida Dream is produced by the Florida Humanities Council and Tampa's WEDU-TV, Channel 3, and made by Larry Elliston (you might remember him from his Down Home Florida days on WTVT-TV, Channel 13). The documentary mostly focuses on the story of Florida since World War II -- a war which exposed this thinly populated, sandy state to 2.2-million men and women who trained here at 200 military installations. A lot of them liked what they saw, and would come back as tourists and future residents.

Florida soon enough was being carved up to meet an explosive postwar growth. Entire cities sprang from nothing. For $30 down and $30 a month, middle-class America could have its share of retirement paradise -- even the concept of a "retirement community" was a brand-new idea. In a survey taken in the 1960s, the two most popular vacation spots in the nation were the Grand Canyon -- and Cypress Gardens near Winter Haven. Florida had 5-million visitors a year in 1950; by 2000 the figure was 72-million.

Of course, there was a price. Rivers were straightened and the Everglades fouled. By the 1960s, every major body of water in the state was polluted. More than 50 native species are threatened or endangered. As Mormino notes, perhaps the biggest long-term issue in Florida is not taxes or insurance, but water.

The Florida Dream treads lightly over the specifics of the political and policy choices that Florida faces today, but it sets the stage for them. It's well worth watching. For more information, check out the show's web site at www.wedu.org/floridadream.

Comments

[Larry]

Howard, and speaking of water, time for an update on the bottomless black hole they are throwing the taxpayers money down called a "desalinization plant"? Any word on when that boondoggle will be working, if ever. I don't think the average person realizes just how much money we taxpayers fork over to that organization in not only monthly charges to your water bill, but also take a peek at the real estate tax bill. It's enormous and ridiculous.

[20/20]

Larry,

Everything the experts (we paid for but did not listen to) warned us about with regard to this boondoggle has come to fruition.

They said we didn’t need it… we don’t
They said the drought was cyclical … it was
They said the aquifer would replenish… it has
They said it would cost twice than what was stated… it has
They said it was in the wrong place… it is
They said it would not produce what’s promised… it doesn’t
They said water quality would diminish… it has
They said water rates would climb… they have

They said we were fools if we agreed to it… we are.

It is truly one of the saddest stories of politically-influenced mismanagement this area has experienced in decades. But I maintain hope for a better tomorrow.

[David Mathews]

Has anyone at the St. Pete Times paid attention to the drought which is presently afflicting the Southeast, Georgia in particular?

This is a big story and very significant as a warning to the state of Florida. For those unfamiliar with the crisis, these are two news videos:

"Atlanta Lakes Drying Up"
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=49750&cl=4425299&ch=61492&src=news

"All Dried Up"
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=49750&cl=4354631&ch=3598482&src=news

Creative Loafing magazine identifies the obvious cause of the problem:

"Water crisis demands curbs to uncontrolled growth"
http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=319540

"And what about those of us who live in metro Atlanta? Who among us wants the rivers, lakes and streams that run through our neighborhoods to be depleted and polluted just so developers can build more subdivisions and roads? The district water plans also allow local governments in the metro region to move water from the Etowah to the Chattahoochee, from the Chattahoochee to the Ocmulgee, from the Oconee to the Flint, with no restrictions.

"The Atlanta secession over water will continue unless we all say NO to more unbridled growth. The metro region needs to live within its means, use the water it has efficiently, and leave enough in our rivers to sustain the people and wildlife downstream for generations to come."

***

I wonder if Florida's political leadership takes this threat seriously? Pam Iorio in particular seems to follow to principle, "Growth is everything, to Hell with the consequences!"

Florida has escaped the most extreme form of this drought so far. But no one should assume that Florida can continue growing for another forty years and continue to escape an extreme drought forever.

Growth must end. Growth will end.

If Florida does not bring an end to its growth voluntarily, Florida will see its growth come to an end catastrophically and tragically.

***

Finally, Oil settled at a record high on Friday, just short of $84 a barrel. The national average price of gasoline is 50 cents higher than it was last yeat at this time.

Americans are going to lose their SUVs and mobile lifestyles soon. How soon? I am going to guess: Within five years.

How does a state like Florida survive in the post-automotive, post-tourism age?

Not very well. I can guarantee you, not very well at all!

[David Mathews]

One more comment, a suggestion:

The St. Petersburg Times should write a major article about Georgia's water crisis and put it on the Front Page of the Sunday paper, above the fold.

This is a big story and warning about the future.

Can you imagine how much more "challenging" these droughts will become when there are 400,000,000 Americans consuming America's finite water supplies?

Nor should anyone disregard the impact of Global Warming over the next fifty years. Droughts may occur more often and become more severe.

The future ain't pretty.