In this episode we connect you with Christian Wagley, a science-rooted environmental advocate working with Healthy Gulf organization. Christian brings a deeply personal connection to this work, sharing a childhood memory fishing with his grandfather —when he first witnessed the loss of a thriving yellow perch population to pollution. That early experience ignited a lifelong commitment to protecting water and communities.

In this conversation, we explore what it means to pursue science-driven advocacy and how that expertise is rooted in place. 

Christian breaks down how outdated zoning codes still favor sprawl over smart, human-scale community design, and why citizen engagement is critical now to ensure the county’s long-term resilience.

He also offers actionable opportunities—like Florida’s Solar Energy Loan Fund (SELF) and federal clean energy incentives—for households and leaders to build healthier, more sustainable communities together.

If you care about coastal resilience, community planning (Walton 2040), and our future, this episode is for you.