As the third-largest state, Florida is extremely diverse with more than 20 million people living in different communities ranging from the tranquil southern-accented Panhandle to the fast-paced urban cosmopolitanism of South Florida and the sprawling clash of South-meets-North-meets-Latin-America of the I-4 corridor.

For Floridians, water is in our DNA. We’re surrounded on three sides by the Gulf, the Florida Strait and the Atlantic Ocean; lakes and rivers and springs and swamps and glades riddle the state with freshwater.

The interconnectedness of our freshwater and marine ecosystems is a keystone of the Floridian environment, and something worth protecting.

At Ocean Conservancy, we believe that locals should retain the freedom to decide what’s best for their communities, especially when it comes to smart policy that protects Florida’s beautiful beaches and ocean environments.

Florida’s ocean and coastal environments are at a crossroads, and we are facing an “all-hands-on-deck” moment. Solving Florida’s ocean challenges will require all of us to work together, from Congress to city hall to the actions of individuals like our friends and our neighbors.