Florida’s 8,000 miles of coastline exhibit tremendous natural beauty, attracting tourists and enriching the lives of our state’s 15 million coastal residents. Changes in weather patterns, extreme events, deoxygenation of ocean waters, ongoing erosion, and human development are disrupting and degrading our state’s coastal ecosystems, including our beaches, dunes, seagrass meadows, oyster and coral reefs and wetlands. Reasons cited for this climate change include emissions problems, lack of proper waste control, and increased development of surrounding areas. 

Many are attempting to restore or create new ecosystems to regain these ecosystems and their services. This challenge invites participants to create applications to help with emissions problems, lack of proper waste control, and sustainable development plans.

How can we:

• Target and reduce emissions in the state of Florida?

• Better collect and dispose of waste?

• Sustain long term development without radically affecting the environment?

Florida’s springs, rivers, and estuaries define the natural aesthetic of the state and are largely responsible for establishing Florida as the 16th largest economy in the world. However, the physical, chemical and biological condition of the state’s waterways are dramatically changing due to climate change, shifts in land use, and population growth. Harmful algae blooms, macro algae blooms, pathogen outbreaks and hypoxia (low oxygen events) are now pervasive in many waterways, threats that are projected to worsen with warming temperature and continued land use change.

This challenge invites participants to find applications to help increase the productivity and optimization of land use and improve zoning laws to promote better land use.

How can we:

• Target and reduce the impact of coastal land use on Florida's waterways? 

• Use land in a sustainable and climate-safe manner?

• Promote better land use through zoning laws?

Florida is the fishing capital of the world, with more anglers than any state and recreational and commercial fisheries that are worth over $15 Billion annually to the state economy. Many Floridian’s fish or grow/harvest shellfish in our state’s rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal oceans, either for fun (i.e. recreational fishers) or to support their livelihoods (i.e. commercial fisheries and aquaculture). Changes in water quality, water temperatures, aquatic habitat loss (e.g., mangroves, oyster reefs and seagrass), and other global change factors are transforming both the recreational and commercial fisheries sectors. 

This challenge invites participants to help both public and private organizations to detect or deter changes in water quality, increasing water temperatures or monitor and aid in reduction of aquatic habitat loss.

How can we:

• Detect and deter changes in water quality?

• Detect and deter increasing water temperatures? 

• Monitor and aid in the reduction of aquatic habitat loss?

Florida has one of the largest per capita consumptions of energy in the United States. The bulk of this energy is drawn from fossil fuels leading to high carbon emissions. Currently there is a lack of public and private spending and initiatives in the Sunshine State for use of renewable energy resources such as solar and wind. 

Participants are invited to contribute to help develop applications for facilitating higher usages of renewable energy sources and optimize for efficient energy usage for all types of resources. 

How can we:

• Analyze and target locations for renewable energy sources?

• Optimize power generation to reduce overproduction? 

• Target and reduce areas of inefficient energy usage?

Production of animal products for human and other animal consumption emits 14.5% of global greenhouse emissions. Ongoing global greenhouse emissions continue to contribute to the effects of climate change now and into the future and less demand for meat and other animal products as well as more sustainable animal husbandry could lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Participants in this challenge are invited to encourage reduced consumption of meat and other animal products and find ways to promote more sustainable animal husbandry.

How can we:

• Target and reduce wastes associated with animal product production?

• Analyze and predict outcomes of efforts associated with methods for sustainable animal husbandry? 

Do you have a solution that encompasses more than one of the challenges above? Do you have an idea that is completely out of the box, but still addresses the theme at hand? If so, take on the Wildcard challenge. Participate in the Hackathon to help combat climate change!

Sign up and join the challenge today!