- May 5, 2024
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Roz Parneix walks Flagler’s beaches as often as she can — and she has since she moved here about eight years ago.
And what she’s seen in nearly a decade of edging Florida’s coastline is disheartening: Her beach is shrinking, and it’s shrinking fast. She estimates that Flagler Beach has diminished by about one-third since she’s moved her.
There is, of course, the matter of shoreline erosion, which has been on the minds of city and county commissioners alike for years. But Parneix also attributes the shrinking coastline to climate change, and she’s determined to fight against it.
On Saturday, Parneix hosted a candlelight vigil to raise awareness about climate change. She and other environmental advocates stood on the beach at Varn Park and spoke of how to take action to a group of about 20.
“It’s all about the grassroots movements,” Parneix said. “If we can get a lot of people in Flagler County writing to policymakers, and if enough other counties in the nation can as well, we can make an impact.”
Flagler County’s coastline is at high- to very-high-risk of sea level rise, according to the 2013 report from the National Climate Assessment, which was released in draft form in January. The report includes photos of streets in Miami that flood during high tides and warns that this may happen elsewhere without proper intervention. The report also says higher temperatures, which have been reported in the Southeast, yield increased wildfires and decreased agricultural productivity.
Net water supply is expected to decrease in the Southeast over the next decade, the organization reports. The National Climate Assessment is commissioned by the Global Change Research Program, a federal agency.
“I care about the ocean, and I care about the future,” Parneix said. “I want children — and children’s children — to be able to enjoy the beach all their lives.”
The biggest thing people can do is write to their representatives in both state and federal government, Parneix said. But there are other steps people can take as well.
“Sometimes, people will think, ‘Well, I’m just one person; what good can I do?’” Parneix said. “But all of us, together, can create an impact.”
Conserving energy by using fluorescent bulbs, filling dishwashers before running them and taking shorter showers can all help. A single tree will can absorb up to 48 pounds of carbon dioxide annually, according to a cooperative extension service from North Carolina State University.
Parneix plans to spread the word as much as she can in Flagler County. She’s hosting an informative party at her home later this month and is joining with other concerned residents in efforts to start a county-wide conversation.
“This is an important issue, so I’m going to keep pushing it and pushing it,” Parneix said.
To get involved, contact Parneix at [email protected].
