The recent Florida State Republican majority and their T-Party cohorts decision to end weekly bacterial testing on Florida beaches because of budget cuts could, at the end, cost them much more in tourist dollars earned than that it would save them in budget cuts.
Already the changes elicited some concerns from locals and tourists who frequent Florida's popular and picturesque beaches.
The Florida state Health Department said it held public meetings across the state to seek public input on the changes. A complete report on the findings of these meetings has not been released.
In Europe and many other countries around the world the Blue Flag classification system is used. Blue Flag is a voluntary eco-label awarded to over 3650 beaches and marinas in 44 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean.
The Blue Flag works towards sustainable development of beaches and marinas through strict criteria dealing with Water Quality, Environmental Education and Information, Environmental Management, and Safety and Other Services.
The Blue Flag Program is owned and run by a non-government, non-profit organization known as the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and is based in Denmark. It is supported by UNEP (a UN division of Technology, Industry and Economics) and is a very important partner to FEE in informing the public about eco-tourism with the Blue Flag example and extending the principles of the Program to non-European regions. Other organizations supporting the Blue Flag program are: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO, The World Conservation Union (IUCN, International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA,EUCC - The Coastal Union, and the European Union (EU).
It might be beneficial and probably also cost effective for Florida to sign-up with the Blue Flag program.
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