Goodell is an award-winning investigative journalist, writer and editor for rolling stone magazine. He has written several books on environmentalism and global warming and is considered a leading expert in his field.
Goodell began his talk with some sobering facts about the effects of climate change, pointing out that Eckerd is “ground zero” in the fight against sea level rise. Citing new research from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), he explained that even in the best-case scenario, our oceans will gain about a foot of water over the next 30 years. In the worst case, they will gain 13 feet by 2150. “The water will come,” Goodell said. “The question is how high and how fast.”
Throughout her presentation, Goodell talked about her writing experience. The water will come, detailing the four-year research project that went into the final book. On a trip to Miami, he saw firsthand the effects of sea level rise after extreme flooding during the spring tide in 2013. This experience sparked a global survey of sea level rise of the sea, encouraging him to travel to the places in the world most affected by floods.
After listening to Goodell’s presentation, Cameron “Cam” Larmer, a marine science student from Sarasota, Florida, called climate change the “problem of the century” and explained how the issue of climate change related to his studies. . “Any issue that interests me with ocean conservation, it all sort of comes down to climate change,” Cam says.
Goodell highlighted this association during his presentation, but insisted that students and young people from all fields can contribute to positive change.
