the florida keys are making changes as sea levels rise, and every change comes with an immense cost. for example, people are adapting to nuisance flooding by elevating the roads, which is an expensive process for the keys government. in fact, it can cost about $10 million to elevate a mile of road two feet, and the county has over 300 miles of roads.

residents face the expense of elevating their homes, as well. currently, regulations about raising homes are intended to prevent flooding from hurricane storm surges, but this will also help protect homes from the effects of sea level rise: higher storm surges and more permanent flooding in the future.

additionally, if sea level rise deters tourism to the keys, every level of the economy from the government to businesses to individuals would be affected. 

in this podcast episode, hear about economic impacts of sea level rise in the florida keys.

the previous episode covered what sea level rise looks like in the keys. next, in the third and final episode of this series, i talk to keys residents about their opinions on sea level rise. you can find that episode here.

_{originally posted 12/13/2011}

piezoelectric energy is created by the vibrations, friction, or static between solid materials. this can be obtained through a variety of methods, such as the friction of tires on the road, or the movement of shoes across a surface that contains piezoelectric crystals. this technology was discovered in 1880 by jacques curie, and has been subject to research over the past century as a potential new form of alternative energy. the potential for piezoelectric energy seems endless with modern advances in technology, as it can and has been implemented in a variety of different outlets. for example, it is not uncommon for nightclubs to be powered by dancers in europe, creating energy that powers the entire establishment, from the stereo to the lighting. here in the united states, gyms exist in which stationary exercise equipment possesses this technology in order to power the gym. furthermore, the greatest potential for piezoelectric energy seems to lie in the outlet of highway and road construction. piezoelectric crystals that are placed under these surfaces that experience the vibrations of thousands of vehicles and pedestrians a day have the potential to power entire towns and communities, perhaps even nations and the world. this technology is one of the most up-and-coming in alternative fuel exploration and will most likely be implemented into a variety of technologies in the future.