According to science, Miami is on its way to a watery death. Lots of legit research suggests that we have a serious problem, particularly in Miami Beach, where Whole Foods sits a mere two feet about sea level.
Despite the overwhelming evidence, it seems like lots of public officials are choosing to ignore this inconvenient truth altogether, opting instead to push for more development.
So, the Coral Gables Museum's new exhibit, "Miami 2100: Envisioning a Resilient Second Century," hopes to spark some new conversation about the soaking wet elephant in the room.
See also: King Tide Day: Students Gather on Miami Beach To Combat Sea Level Rise Apathy
So why is sea level rise such a big issue here? Well, Miami was developed on a porous limestone base with just a few feet between people and the sea, so it's more vulnerable to climate change than almost anywhere else. Add to that the artificial islands, coastal landfill, extensive dredging and all the land we re-claimed from the Everglades wetlands, and Miami is ground zero for this growing problem.
The new exhibit will be on display starting today through March 1, 2015, and it's presented by the Florida International University School of Architecture.
"It's a solution-based exhibit about sea level rise here," says museum director Christine Rupp. "It includes a lot of student work that combines images and drawings with actual models of building techniques and buildings that could be constructed to address sea level rise, in particular in the very downtown Miami, along the Miami River."
"We also have an incredible scale model of the city of Miami that shows what the city might look like with different versions from scientists about sea level rise -- three foot, six foot, nine foot," Rupp adds. "We are also integrating images from around the globe and the areas most susceptible to sea level rise.
The exhibit is designed to school clueless residents, developers and government officials on the realities of our city's future -- and how we can protect this precious little piece of land. It incorporates projects completed in FIU's Departments of Architecture and Landscape Architecture over a three-year period.
"It has images, it has architectural models, it has a model of the city of Miami, drawings, video from local experts on sea level rise. It's really a multimedia exhibit."
Let's hope that media opens some eyes.
The exhibit opens tonight, but there are a host of other events scheduled around the exhibit over the next few months including lectures, panels, and tours. You can check out the full schedule on the museum's website.
The Coral Gables Museum is located at 285 Aragon Ave.. Coral Gables. Museum admission is $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, $3 for children 6-12. Free for children under 3 and members of the military.
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