Why I’m Running
As a lifelong Alachua County resident and as an environmental engineer, I am running to protect our water and environment, provide good planning for climate change and growth, and to maintain our current infrastructure.
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Current and Former Board Positions:
- Utility Advisory Board Member for City of Gainesville (current member and former Chair)
- Alachua County Code Enforcement Board (engineer)
- Alachua County Environmental Advisory Board (former Chair)
- United Way of North Central Florida (board member)
- Florida Defenders of the Environment (executive board member)
- United States Green Building Council, Heart of Florida Chapter (President, LEED for Homes Chair)
- Cultural Arts Coalition (board member)
- NAACP Environmental Justice Committee Member
- Sequential Artists Workshop (board member)
Through my work, experience, and education I have become an expert in sustainability, utility, housing, environmental and energy issues and I have been honored to serve on many local and state boards.
I am pleased to announce that I will be running a carbon-neutral campaign. Please consider this when making donations.On Facebook
Have you filled out and turned in your census documents? You can use a pen and paper or type in the unique code mailed to your residence. Only one person in each household needs to get it done. Make sure that SOMEONE in your household has filled it out as accurately as possible.
Given the shape our economy will be in after this pandemic, it will be extremely important that EVERY member of our community is counted! This is how federal funding and aid is assigned to our community.
Right now you DO have time. So make sure you don't forget - DO IT NOW!
Thank you so much.
The doubling rate for Florida is 2.28 days - that means the number of cases doubles in that time frame. The sooner everyone stays home the sooner this will level off and the doubling time will began to increase. Thanks to Steve Hagen for graphing this.
I’m not happy with our government - state and (especially) federal - but locally our folks are doing great and our community is stepping up, solving problems and taking care of each other. #proudtoliveinAlachuaCounty
I’m sitting on my porch, in the dappled sunlight, listening to birds, drinking hot tea, and smelling the blooms on my Meyer lemon tree and wondering about the good that could come out of the Coronavirus. Because with all these good things it’s hard to contemplate the bad.
What if:
We reconnected with our immediate families and enjoyed more meals together?
We found our neighbors that are alone or sick and we remembered the joy of service?
As we run out of fresh vegetables we realized how great a small garden would be in our yard or balcony and we started growing more of our own?
As we run out of meat and other animal products that we realize that simple plant based foods like beans and rice are delicious, cheaper, and healthy and we became more plant based?
We realized that we don’t need to go go go all the time and our porches and balconies are awesome?
We rediscovered the joy of reading?
We rediscovered the joy of making art?
We rediscovered the joy in leisure?
We got enough sleep!?
What if, despite this stress, we all lowered our stress?
What if we realized just how precious we all are?
What if we realized that healthcare and science are important components to our government?
What if we started looking for leadership in our government that valued our lives, our contributions and our wellbeing? Who governed from a place of love?
Maybe, as hard as this virus will be, some good will come from it.
What are the best ways to support each other during this journey? We are going to face isolation, frustration, hard decisions, financial hardships, fear, and possibly illness.
We have opportunity to be good neighbors, caring friends, and thoughtful strangers. What are some ways? Does your neighborhood association have a plan? Does your church or your place of work? Your book club, your board, your exercise class? There are ways we can support each other through this and come out stronger. Let’s do it.
On Twitter
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REMINDER: If you want to vote in the Florida Democratic Presidential Primary on March 17, you need to be registered to vote as a Democrat by tomorrow. Independents, Republicans and others are not allowed to vote as Democrats in Florida.
https://registertovoteflorida.gov/home
It’s sad to see the county has decided to decrease Grace’s funding. Grace has served as a lifeline & safety net for our most vulnerable citizens. Enough is enough. It’s time to do the right thing. The county should live up to its agreement & fully fund their share of Grace.
City commissioners are asking county officials not to reduce funding for the local homeless shelter. https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190905/city-asks-county-to-equally-fund-grace-marketplace
I'm a 6th generation Floridian, born and raised in Alachua County, and environmental engineer running a #CarbonNeutral campaign for Alachua County Commission, District 1! 🏳️🌈 Please support my campaign below!
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mary-alford-for-alachua-county-commission-district-one-1