As a wildlife ecology senior at UF, you’d think I visit Florida’s natural springs all the time. Well, I’ve only gone twice. But that’s not on account of the springs themselves. Florida’s natural springs are beautiful. The cold clear water provides a perfect swimming and diving hole and serves as a great place to spot native wildlife like otters, alligators and manatees. Springs benefit society, too, by supporting the diversity of wildlife and providing clean drinking water for communities.
The Florida springs kind of fell into the background of my mind after a freshman year trip to Poe Springs. That is, until I joined UF’s Public Interest Communications Student Association, or PICSA. This student organization tied to the College of Journalism and Communications leads several campaigns aiming to push positive social change in Gainesville, one of which being the Stand Up 4 Springs campaign.
This campaign started helping springs by boycotting Ginnie Springs, which — partnered with Nestlé Waters — is allowed to pump almost 1 million gallons per day out of their natural springs. This overexploitation of natural resources has dramatically reduced the spring’s water flow, which affects the wildlife living there and the community’s ability to recreate. Working together with the Florida Springs Council and the Sierra Club, PICSA has continued the campaign since its start in 2022…