The
future of the Sunshine State is in the hands of the children. A new
project is using comic book superheroes to get kids interested, informed
and involved in addressing Florida’s numerous environmental challenges,
like habitat destruction, pollution and invasive species. In the
recently published premier issue, the team faces Everglades pythons and
an exploding oil derrick in the Gulf.
“Florida
Five” is the creation of Islamorada writer and artist Erich
Decker-Hoppen. He designed a superhero for each of five eco-systems: Gator for the swamps, Panther for the fields and forests, Osprey for the coastline, Dolphin for the seas and reefs, and Manatee
for the inland waterways. The stories will feature their adventures
fighting to protect the environment, and they will also be about
Florida’s youth taking action.
“The
superheroes are for inspiration,” Decker-Hoppen says. “The real heroes
will be the kids who get the message and make the environment a personal
priority before they reach adulthood. We need these kids to become the
scientists and politicians who can solve today’s dilemmas.”
To give kids an outlet for their inspiration, the project has an interactive website, floridafive.org.
Visitors can read ECO-Alerts and ECO-Tips to get ideas for their own
projects. They can share their stories and learn what other kids are
doing to make a difference. They can also submit coloring pages and
their own Florida Five artwork and story ideas.
“My plan is to get this rolling,” Decker-Hoppen, “and then let the kids take over!”
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