MOVING WATER: THE EVERGLADES AND BIG SUGAR

by NPR reporter Amy Green

 

Amy Green pulls no punches as she exposes how Florida’s clean water is threatened by dirty power players in Moving Water: The Everglades and Big Sugar. This work is the first ever true look at some of the people who have given their time, their treasure and, some, their lives to ensure the survival of one of the most precious and important ecosystems on Earth.

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The engrossing exposé tackles some of the most important issues of our time. Is it possible to save a complex ecosystem such as the Everglades? Or, once degraded, are such ecological wonders gone forever? What kind of commitments–economic, scientific, and social–will it take to rescue our vulnerable natural resources?

 

What influences do special interests wield in our everyday lives, and what does it take to push real reform through our democracy?

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Appealing to anyone fascinated by stories of environmental crusaders like Erin Brockovich, as well as readers of political intrigue and anyone who cares about the future of Florida, this book reveals why the Everglades serve as a model for environmental restoration efforts worldwide.

 

This fantastic dialogue between environmental and investigative reporters and Mary Barley, the cofounder of the Everglades Foundation and the Everglades Trust, will keep you glued to the screen for the hour. It is fast, insightful, and factual.

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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

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“Moving Water is so well-written, so compelling, that I read the entire book in one sitting. Exploring current efforts to undo more than a century of damage, Amy Green does an excellent job of telling the story of recent water management policies that have adversely affected the Kissimmee–Okeechobee–Everglades–Florida Bay ecosystem.” – Gary Goforth, Water Resource Engineer

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“In Moving Water, journalist Amy Green unfurls the intricately threaded story of Mary and George Barley, showing how they used science and the law to help create the movement to restore the endangered Florida Everglades. Although the Barleys’ heroic efforts speak for themselves, Green’s clarity and deft research make the couple’s public service vivid and memorable. Tracing the battle to make Big Sugar and others pay their fair share to clean up the pollution they are responsible for in the Everglades, this book is a must-read. Restoring what remains of this fragile and important ecosystem should be everyone’s concern.” – Bill Maxwell, Tampa Bay Times

 

“Veteran journalist Amy Green paints an evocative picture of the sun-drenched, dying Everglades and of the woman who navigated the stormy waters of politics to try to save the troubled ecosystem. Colorful and richly informative, this debut is fact-filled environmental and political storytelling at its best.” – Kristin Harmel, #1 international bestselling author of The Winemaker’s Wife

 

“Journalist Amy Green delves into the rich history of the Everglades and explores how the sugar industry and the US government have made it increasingly difficult to protect and restore one of the world’s most delicate ecosystems. This isn’t just a story about endangered wetlands in southern Florida; it’s a story of politics and corruption, of the inherent conflict between global commerce and environmental preservation. With deep reporting and evocative writing, Green’s debut book is urgent and significant.” – Trevor Aaronson, Florida Center for Investigative Reporting, author of The Terror Factory: Inside the FBI’s Manufactured War on Terrorism

 

“Amy Green’s Moving Water promises to be a fascinating and urgently necessary read for every Floridian, with a much larger story to tell about politics, ecology, and the interdependency of individuals like Everglades activists George and Mary Barley and their environment.” – Karen Russell, best-selling author of 2012 Pulitzer Prize finalist Swamplandia!