The Stream, March 12: Florida State Employees Can’t Say ‘Climate Change’

The Global Rundown

State employees in Florida are forbidden to formally discuss climate change, and the Detroit Water and Sewerage Board has approved a rate increase for next year. Agadir, Morocco will benefit from a new desalination plant, and Haiti has benefited from nonprofit Plumbers Without Borders. One of Saturn‘s moons is home to an ocean of hot water, increasing the chances that it is home to extraterrestrial life.

We were dealing with the effects and economic impact of climate change, and yet we can’t reference it.” — Former employee of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection on being forbidden from using the terms ‘climate change’ or ‘global warming’. (Miami Herald)

By The Numbers

500,000 – Number of people in Agadir, Morocco to be served by a new desalination plant. Spanish company Abengoa SA has started work on the plant, which is a public-private partnership project financed through local banks. Bloomberg Business

380,000 – Number of cholera cases in Haiti since the devastating 2010 earthquake. From the destruction, a new nonprofit called Plumbers Without Borders has emerged. Creating a plumbing training program for Haitians and installing water purifiers and closed-off latrines are a few of their successes. Yesterday, they celebrated World Plumbing Day. Huffington Post

Science, Studies, And Reports

Saturn’s moon Encedalus has been found to contain an ocean roughly the size of Lake Superior with a temperature of at least 90 degrees Celsius (194 degrees Fahrenheit). The existence of hot water on the moon increases the chances that it could support life, according to research published today in the UK magazine Nature. Reuters

On The Radar

Employees of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection have been forbidden from using the terms ‘climate change’, ‘global warming’, and ‘sustainability’ in official communications, reports, or emails, according to statements and records obtained by the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting. The unwritten rule has not only affected official communications and reports, but also educational efforts and public policy. Miami Herald

The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department has approved increased water and sewer rates for customers in Detroit and the surrounding suburbs. The department voted unanimously on Wednesday to increase rates for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. Detroit Free Press