Solutions to Avoid Red Tide (START) was launched in 1995 in response to a devastating year-long red tide bloom by Jim Patterson, who was the Mayor of LKB at the time. A number of years ago, START shifted its primary focus away from just educational information to a more proactive stance in producing programs that reduce the nutrients in our waterways that feed red tide. START’s plans for 2019 include:
- Contacting policy makers to ensure they properly fund: 1.) the elimination of Lake Okeechobee polluted releases into our waterways and 2.) assistance to local governments to upgrade our waste-water treatments to upgrade our wastewater treatment facilities, conversion of septic systems to sewers and the improvement of our older, inefficient storm water holding ponds;
- The expansion of projects that reduce the nutrients in Sarasota Bay; and
- The exposure of our “Red Tide and You” presentation to government officials, interested businesses and local community service organization.