Early in the week, UM Professor of Practice and artist Xavier Cortada displayed 100 trowels on the windows of Storer Auditorium. Each trowel was hand-painted with a blue wave across the bottom edge. Pointing to the ground, the trowels foreshadow the problem to come: saltwater intrusion. In the years to come, rising seas will push seawater upwards through oolite and into the freshwater aquifer below our feet.
On Thursday, an Earth Week ceremony was held as the 100 trowels and 100 native salt-tolerant plants (Gumbo Limbo, Green Buttonwood and Seagrape) were distributed to fellow ‘Canes. Xavier Cortada (UM Professor of Practice), David Kelly (MBS Professor, Department of Economics and Director, MS in Sustainable Business) and Fernando Bretos (Director, Museum Volunteers for the Environment, Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science) delivered remarks to attendees.
Attendees were able to learn more about Miami Business School’s newest program, the Master of Science in Sustainable Business, which launches its inaugural class this August. To learn more about the new 10-month program, click here.
This reforestation effort helps sequester the carbon humans pumped into the atmosphere and models a proactive approach by transforming the present-day tree canopy to one less vulnerable to the rising seas.
Learn more about the importance of native trees at www.nativeflags.org.
