Readers of Florida’s largest newspaper opened the front section yesterday to find a full-page ad featuring a powerful message from Orvis CEO Perk Perkins, who addressed his letter to Governor Scott and members of the state legislature:
“The Everglades ecosystem supports 1.3 million jobs and represents $109 billion to Florida’s economy,” writes Perkins. “But that ecosystem is collapsing and Florida must act now to save it. History will be made here, one way or the other.”
Click here to read the full ad from the Miami Herald.
Orvis is working in close partnership with the Everglades Foundation to achieve a long-term solution to the diversion of freshwater overflows from Lake Okeechobee. These overflows have led to massive toxic algae blooms in the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries, and devastating drought in the Everglades. Building a deep-water reservoir in the Everglades Agricultural Area would help redistribute Lake Okeechobee overflows south, stopping the algae blooms and restoring the natural flow of clean freshwater into the Everglades, thereby healing and preserving the ailing ecosystem.
Twenty-seven major outdoor brands signed on to Perkins’s letter, putting some serious economic muscle behind the message.
Here’s what you can do to help:
- Tell Florida’s leaders to support SB 10 to build the EAA Reservoir. Text the word “WATER” to 52886.
- Visit the Orvis Commitment Everglades page to learn how Orvis will match your donation to help fund the important work of the Everglades Foundation.
- Visit the Everglades Foundation to learn how you can get involved on the ground.
- Sign the #NowOrNeverglades Declaration
Thank you for your support air is!z
We must act now. A treasure that is no where else on earth are the Everglades. Let us not blow it.
It is a heroic effort that an outdoor company like Orvis would make the issue of the EVERGLADES and lake Okeechobee be slammed down the Governor’s throat in Florida. Hats off for taking the lead in what should have been done by every Florida resident and outdoorsman in the world. I hope that one-day a hundred years from now this effort of ORVIS will still be talked about as Perk Perkins could have used the money he spent on that and as advertisement but instead advertised what his company supports in order to maintain a fishery for his products as well as showing his belief in protecting our waterways.