A man walks on pink snow at the Presena glacier near Pellizzano, Italy on July 4, 2020. MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP via Getty Images
In a troubling sign for the future of the Italian Alps, the snow and ice in a glacier is turning pink due to the growth of snow-melting algae, according to scientists studying the pink ice phenomenon, as CNN reported.
<p>The algae will make the snow melt faster. The salmon-hue that has tinged the snow is from algae that carry carotenoid pigment, which reflects the distinctive color. While most algae thrive in warm freshwaters, these are known as cryophilic, meaning they thrive in colder temperatures, where they create the "watermelon snow" effect, according to <a href="https://www.salon.com/2020/07/06/bizarre-pink-snow-in-the-alps-is-actually-a-bad-omen-for-earth/" target="_blank">Salon</a>.</p><p>The concern is that the algal bloom on the snow will accelerate the effects of the climate crisis. As <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/06/algae-turns-italian-alps-pink-prompting-concerns-over-melting" target="_blank">Agence France-Presse</a> (AFP) reported the plant, known as <em>Ancylonema nordenskioeldii</em>, is often found in Greenland's so-called Dark Zone, where the ice is also melting.</p><p>Normally ice reflects more than 80 percent of the sun's radiation back into the atmosphere, but as algae appear, they darken the ice so that it absorbs the heat and melts more quickly, according to AFP.</p>
<p>"Everything that darkens the snow causes it to melt because it accelerates the absorption of radiation," said Biagio Di Mauro of Italy's National Research Council to AFP. "We are trying to quantify the effect of other phenomena besides the human one on the overheating of the Earth." He noted that the presence of tourists could also have an effect in weakening the snow.</p><p>Di Mauro told CNN that the spring and summer had very little snowfall high in the Alps, which has seen higher than average temperatures. "This creates the perfect environment for the algae to grow," he added.</p><p>Di Mauro emphasized that the algal bloom is particularly bad news for the glaciers, which may see a rapid melting. That would be in line with glaciers around the world that are starting to fade away as global heating continues to push up atmospheric temperatures.</p>
<p>"A classic reminder of how uncertainty is not our friend," said Dr. Michael E. Mann, a distinguished professor of atmospheric science at Penn State University, to Salon by email. "In this case, we're seeing an amplifying feedback wherein biological darkening (due to Algae growing on the surface of melting ice), leads to more solar absorption by the ice and even faster melting. We call this a 'positive feedback' but it is anything but positive. It reflects a process which is leading to faster melting of the glaciers than our simple models predict."</p><p>As CNN noted, Di Mauro has come across cold temperature algae before. He has previously studied the Morteratsch glacier in Switzerland, where an algae called <em>Ancylonema nordenskioeldii</em> has turned the ice purple.</p>
<p>Ken Caldeira, an atmospheric scientist at the Carnegie Institution for Science's Department of Global Ecology, told Salon that "photosynthetic organisms are designed to absorb sunlight. Some small fraction of the energy in sunlight goes into making carbohydrates but most of it goes into heating the organism and its local environment. If that organism is living in snow, the snow is likely to melt."</p><p>This algae has also been found in southwestern Greenland as well in as the Andes and Himalayas. Globally, glaciers are melting. A <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/antarctic-glacier-sea-level-rise-2645574336.html" target="_self">March study</a> found an Antarctic glacier had retreated three miles and can cause five feet of sea level rise if it melts completely. A <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/himalayan-glacier-melt-doubled-2638927563.html" target="_self">2019 study</a> found that Himalayan glacier melt has doubled since 2000. Additionally, conservationists and scientists have held funerals for glaciers in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/iceland-glacier-funeral-2639890762.html" target="_self">Iceland</a> and the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/swiss-alps-pizol-glacier-funeral-2640547054.html" target="_self">Swiss Alps</a>.</p>
From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
The Australian brewery Young Henrys is working to fight climate change with algae. Young Henrys
By Josh Bonifield
The Australian brewery Young Henrys is working to fight climate change with an unusual ingredient—algae.
<p><br/></p>
<p>The fermentation process that occurs during beer production releases massive amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2), which can contribute to climate change. It takes a tree <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-15/growing-algae-to-brew-greener-beer/11720484" target="_blank">approximately two days </a>to absorb the CO2 released from producing one six pack of beer. But, Young Henrys says their in-house cultivated algae not only absorb the CO2 released, they <a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/science/2020/01/15/beer-climate-change-algae/" target="_blank">also produce as much oxygen as two and half acres of wilderness</a>.</p><p>Algae, a photosynthetic organism, are often seen as a nuisance because they can cause red tide—a toxic algal bloom —or infect local water sources. But, they are also <a href="https://www.hypergiant.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/algae_is_the_new_green.pdf" target="_blank">up to five times more effective</a> at absorbing carbon than trees, according to the technology company Hypergiant.</p><p>Oscar McMahon, Young Henrys' Co-Founder, sees their potential to curb beer production emissions. McMahon tells Food Tank, "This is a unique project and the focus is not to profit. It is to create something that we can then share with other people to adapt and use."</p>
<p>Young Henrys signed onto this project with the University of Technology Sydney to reach carbon neutrality. To experiment with the effectiveness of its system, Young Henrys uses two bioreactors to cultivate algae. The first, a control, contains CO2, oxygen, and algae. The second contains the same three components but is connected to a fermentation tank. As the fermentation process produces additional CO2, the gas flows into the bioreactor. </p><p>According to McMahon, at the end of each day, the control bioreactor consistently contains 50 percent less algae. This demonstrates that the algae in the experimental bioreactor successfully consume the harmful greenhouse gas, McMahon tells Food Tank. The hope is that this system can not only lower CO2 emissions from beer production, but ultimately convert it into oxygen.</p><p>This specific project will continue for one more year, but McMahon hopes that algae will continue to lower Young Henrys carbon emissions as they find additional uses for the organism.</p>
<p>Young Henrys is currently experimenting to incorporate algae into food, pharmaceuticals, and bioplastics. Other companies around the world <a href="https://www.corbion.com/algae-portfolio" target="_blank">are also developing</a> energy bars, <a href="https://www.iwilife.com/" target="_blank">dietary supplements</a>, protein shakes, and other food and drink items using algae.</p><p>To scale up algae production and develop these new products, McMahon and Young Henrys are in consultation with engineering and beer industry groups to make this process scalable. McMahon says that both micro-breweries and national breweries will require the infrastructure and technology to easily incorporate algae in beer production.</p><p>McMahon describes the beauty of algae and the microorganisms used in beer fermentation as "ying and yang organisms, similar things that live in big tanks of liquid that conduct opposite yet correcting jobs."</p>
<p class=""><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://foodtank.com/news/2020/06/australian-brewery-incorporates-algae-into-beer-production/" target="_blank">Food Tank.</a></em></p>From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
Harmful algal blooms, seen here at Ferril Lake in Denver, Colorado on June 30, 2016, are increasing in lakes and rivers across the U.S. Helen H. Richardson / The Denver Post / Getty Images
During summer in central New York, residents often enjoy a refreshing dip in the region's peaceful lakes.
But sometimes swimming is off-limits because of algae blooms that can make people sick.
<iframe style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/14386367/height/45/theme/standard/thumbnail/yes/direction/backward/" height="45" width="100%" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>"Some of the algae may produce chemical toxins that can have harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, terrestrial and marine mammals, and birds," says Jennifer Graham, a research hydrologist with the United States Geological Survey.</p><p>She says reports of harmful algal blooms are increasing across the country, and climate change could be part of the reason.</p><p>Some harmful algae prefer warm temperatures, so blooms may be growing more common as rivers and lakes warm.</p>
<p>Extreme weather can also contribute to algal blooms because heavy rain can cause nutrients to run off farm fields and sewage systems into waterways.</p><p>"Nutrients are basically the food source for algae," Graham says.</p><p>In New York's Finger Lakes and other locations across the country, the USGS is monitoring algal blooms.</p><p>Graham says they are trying to better understand toxic bloom growth and severity, so local agencies can make informed decisions about how to protect people.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/05/as-u-s-lakes-and-rivers-warm-reports-of-harmful-algal-blooms-are-on-the-rise/" target="_blank">Yale Climate Connections</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
- Algal Blooms Can be Deadly to Your Dogs - EcoWatch ›
- Every Mississippi Beach Is Closed Due to Toxic Algae - EcoWatch ›
- Toxic Algal Blooms Connected to Climate Change and Industrial ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Coastal Antarctica has seen has a curious phenomenon over the last few years. The green snow that hugs parts of its shores has started to spread farther inland. And it's all caused by the climate crisis.
<p>A <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-16018-w" target="_blank">new study</a> published in the journal <em>Nature Communications</em> on Wednesday found that the green glow in the snow is actually caused by a microscopic <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/algae">algae</a> blooming on the surface of the snow, according to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/green-snow-algae-antarctica-spreading-climate-change/" target="_blank">CBS News</a>.</p><p>The researchers from the University of Cambridge in the UK and the <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/media-post/climate-change-will-turn-coastal-antarctica-green/" target="_blank">British Antarctic Survey</a> say the algae will spread as the planet heats up because warming temperatures are creating more of the slushy conditions that the algae need in order to thrive, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/20/climate-change-turning-parts-antarctica-green-say-scientists-algae" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p><p>Where the algae are at their most dense, their bright green shine alters the appearance of the snow and is actually visible from space. The scientists also say that as the algae spreads, it will invite in other species that will feast on it as a potent source of nutrition, as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/20/climate-change-turning-parts-antarctica-green-say-scientists-algae" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> reported.</p>
<p>To conduct the study, the researchers looked at satellite data gathered between 2017 and 2019 and combined it with on-the-ground measurements over two summers in Antarctica. That process allowed the scientists to map the microscopic algae as they bloomed across the snow of the Antarctic Peninsula, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/21/world/green-snow-antarctica-climate-change-intl-scli-scn/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a>. The data was gleaned from images collected by the European Space Agency satellites with measurements from Antarctica's Ryder Bay, Adelaide Island, the Fildes Peninsula and King George Island.</p><p>What is reported is actually a conservative estimate since the data only included green algae. The satellite is only capable of picking up green, which means the data ignored the red and orange algae that accompany it.</p>
<p>"We now have a baseline of where the algal blooms are and we can see whether the blooms will start increasing as the models suggest in the future," said Matt Davey of the University of Cambridge's Department of Plant Sciences to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climate-change-antarctica/climate-change-turning-antarcticas-snow-green-idUSKBN22W16F" target="_blank">Reuters</a>.</p><p>Even though mosses and lichens are the dominant plant species in Antarctica, the new mapping identified 1,679 separate algal blooms that are a key component in the continent's ability to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, as <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climate-change-antarctica/climate-change-turning-antarcticas-snow-green-idUSKBN22W16F" target="_blank">Reuters</a> reported.</p><p>"The algal blooms in Antarctica are equivalent to about the amount of carbon that's being omitted by 875,000 average UK petrol car journeys," Davey said to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climate-change-antarctica/climate-change-turning-antarcticas-snow-green-idUSKBN22W16F" target="_blank">Reuters</a>. "That seems a lot but in terms of the global carbon budget, it's insignificant. It does take up carbon from the atmosphere but it won't make any serious dent in the amount of carbon dioxide being put in the atmosphere at the moment."</p>
<p>The green snow appears along the Antarctic coast, which are "warmer" areas. There, the average temperatures reach just above freezing in the summer.</p><p>The researchers found that the distribution of green snow algae is strongly influenced by marine birds and mammals, because their excrement serves as an effective fertilizer. Over 60 percent of blooms were found near penguin colonies, and others were found near birds' nesting sites, according to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/green-snow-algae-antarctica-spreading-climate-change/" target="_blank">CBS News</a>.</p><p>"This is a significant advance in our understanding of land-based life on Antarctica, and how it might change in the coming years as the climate warms," said Davey in a <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/antarctica-turning-green" target="_blank">press release</a>.</p><p>In order to flourish, the algae need a ready supply of water, which they should have an ample amount of as the planet heats up and snow on the Antarctica Peninsula melts.</p>
<p>"As Antarctica warms, we predict the overall mass of snow algae will increase, as the spread to higher ground will significantly outweigh the loss of small island patches of algae," said co-lead author Dr. Andrew Gray, of the University of Cambridge and the University of Edinburgh, as <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/green-snow-algae-antarctica-spreading-climate-change/" target="_blank">CBS News</a> reported.</p><p>And the algae will help more snow melt.</p><p>"It's very dark — a green snow algal bloom will reflect about 45 percent of light hitting it whereas fresh snow will reflect about 80 percent of the light hitting it, so it will increase the rate of snow melt in a localized area," said Gray to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/21/world/green-snow-antarctica-climate-change-intl-scli-scn/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a>.</p>
From Your Site Articles
- Antarctica Experiences First Known Heat Wave - EcoWatch ›
- Man Swims Under East Antarctic Glacier to Highlight Impacts of the ... ›
- Record-Setting Harmful Algae Blooms in New Jersey's Largest Lake ... ›
- Pink Snow in the Italian Alps Means Trouble, Scientists Say - EcoWatch ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
A surfer rides on a bioluminescent wave at the San Clemente pier on April 30, 2020 in San Diego, California. Joe Scarnici / Getty Images
Beachgoers in California are enjoying a dazzling display of crashing bioluminescent waves in Southern California. The waves light up at night as they crash and froth in the shallow water, The Guardian reported.
<p>Surfers riding on the lit up waves described it as a once in a lifetime experience, and one said she felt like she had superpowers when she touched the electric blue water, according to <a href="https://abc7.com/bioluminescent-waves-glowing-waters-hermosa-beach/6152180/" target="_blank">KABC</a> in Los Angeles.</p><p>An <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/algae">algal bloom</a> of phytoplankton in the water causes the remarkable display. The phenomenon occurs every few years along the coast of southern California, though locals say this year's sea sparkle is especially vibrant, possibly related to historic rains that soaked the region and generated algal bloom, as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/05/california-beaches-bioluminescent-waves-algae-bloom" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> reported.</p>
<p>"I've been surfing for 20 years now, and I've never seen anything like it," said Dale Huntington, a 37-year-old pastor at a church in San Diego. Huntington woke up at 3 a.m. after beaches reopened to surf the iridescent waves, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/05/california-beaches-bioluminescent-waves-algae-bloom" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p><p>"My favorite part was paddling out – it was almost like there was a glow stick around your hand," said Huntington to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/05/california-beaches-bioluminescent-waves-algae-bloom" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>. "My board left a bioluminescent wake. There were a few of us out there and we were giggling, grown men shouting 'this is so cool' and splashing around like kids in the bathtub."</p>
<p>Last week, Patrick Coyne <a href="https://youtu.be/bJcTWr8-mFo" target="_blank">captured footage</a> of a pod of dolphins in the bioluminescent waves. Newport Coastal Adventure uploaded the <a href="https://youtu.be/bJcTWr8-mFo" target="_blank">video</a> to its Facebook page, according to <a href="https://abc7.com/pets-animals/dolphins-glow-as-they-swim-in-bioluminescent-waves-in-oc---video/6126166/" target="_blank">KABC</a>. The company said its captain took Coyne out to look for dolphins Wednesday and encountered the amazing interaction with the glowing dolphins just after sunset.</p><p>The phytoplankton organisms responsible for the light show are known scientifically as <em>Lingulodinium polyedra</em>. They collect on the water's surface, giving the surface a reddish-brown tint, known as a red tide. At night, the algae put on a light show and are particularly noticeable in turbulent waters, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/05/california-beaches-bioluminescent-waves-algae-bloom" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p>
<p>The tiny creatures turn bright blue in "predator avoidance behavior," according to bioluminescence expert Michael Latz, a scientist at <a href="https://scripps.ucsd.edu/news/everything-you-wanted-know-about-red-tides" target="_blank">Scripps Institution of Oceanography</a> at UC San Diego, as <a href="https://patch.com/california/newportbeach/red-tide-blue-waves-crash-orange-county-coastline" target="_blank">Patch</a> reported.</p><p>The bioluminescent algae have drawn crowds to beaches. One San Diegan, who lives in a coastal neighborhood, <a href="http://www.sdnews.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Sunset+Cliffs-+residents+upset+with+-disrespectful-+and+-enormous-+crowds+every+evening%20&id=27733345" target="_blank">implored local officials</a> to restrict access to the beach while shelter-in-place orders are still in effect, complaining that the red tide has drawn large crowds like the "Fourth of July on steroids," as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/05/california-beaches-bioluminescent-waves-algae-bloom" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> reported.</p><p>ABC-San Diego news affiliate <a href="https://www.10news.com/lifestyle/exploring-san-diego/tips-on-enjoying-san-diegos-bioluminescence-waves-safely" target="_blank">KGTV</a> offered guidelines for enjoying the light show, which included observing public health orders, not staying in one spot, and being mindful of the terrain so you avoid dangerous bluffs and rocks.</p><p>It is safe to swim in the water, though night swimming is inherently risky. The <a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2020/05/05/red-tide-sticks-around-o-c-7-things-to-know-about-glowing-biolumensent-waves/" target="_blank">Orange County Register</a> reported that the red tide algae do not produce yessotoxin, a compound that acts as a neurotoxin, which happens in areas of the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Mexico.</p><p>Red tides stretch from Baja California up the coast to Los Angeles. They have been noticed since the early 1900s and can last from a few days to a couple of months. Scripps Institution of Oceanography scientists say the glows are most lively at least two hours after sunset, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/05/california-beaches-bioluminescent-waves-algae-bloom" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p>
From Your Site Articles
- Mumbai's Glowing Waves a Sign of Climate Change - EcoWatch ›
- Celebrate World Oceans Day From Home With the UN This Monday - EcoWatch ›
Related Articles Around the Web
- Video, photos show glowing blue waves in the South Bay - Los ... ›
- Surfers ride blue bioluminescent waves off San Diego CA | The ... ›
- Dolphins 'glow' in the dark as they glide through bioluminescent ... ›
- Rare bioluminescent, glowing waves show up off Huntington ... ›
- Bioluminescent Waves Light Up Southern California Coasts – CBS ... ›
Read More
Show Less
A. Battenburg / Technical University of Munich
Algae in a pond may look flimsy. But scientists are using algae to develop industrial-strength material that's as hard as steel but only a fraction of the weight.
<p>Thomas Brück of the Technical University of Munich, Germany, and his team developed a process that uses algae oil to create carbon fibers. They're strong, lightweight materials that can be used in cars, airplanes and buildings.</p><p>Making these carbon fibers uses far less energy and produces far less carbon pollution than making concrete or steel. But that's not its only climate benefit.</p><p>Algae absorb CO2 as they grow, so when algae oil is used as a raw material for carbon fibers, the CO2 gets locked inside.</p><p>Years later, when those carbon fibers need to be disposed of, they can be ground up and permanently stored underground.</p><p>"So you have this very new advanced material where you can actually store atmospheric carbon indefinitely," Brück says.</p><p>He says scaling up will require big investments in algae cultivation. But once that's in place, this new technology could create strong industrial materials that also benefit the climate.</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2019/10/researchers-turn-algae-into-a-material-as-hard-as-steel/" target="_blank">Yale Climate Connections</a>. Additional reporting provided by Sarah Kennedy, ChavoBart Digital Media.</em></p>
From Your Site Articles
- This Spirulina Is Straight From the Farm and Ready for Your ... ›
- Australian Brewery Incorporates Algae Into Beer Production ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
A dog named Sheba runs out of a duck pond in Prospect Park Sept. 2, 2007 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
Daniel Barry / Getty Images
The toxic algae blooms that have killed dogs in Texas, North Carolina and Georgia have been detected in three New York City parks. Parents and pet owners are being warned to keep their kids and dogs away from the infected water, which can be fatal when dogs lap it up, swallow it while swimming, or lick it off their own fur, as the New York Times reported.
<p>Two of the city's most popular parks, Central Park and Prospect Park in Brooklyn have water coated in an algae bloom laced in the harmful and sometimes deadly cyanobacteria, as the <a href="https://nypost.com/2019/08/24/toxic-algae-thats-killed-9-dogs-found-in-central-park-prospect-park/" target="_blank">New York Post</a> reported.</p><p><br></p><p>The blooms are not technically algae, but cyanobacteria — aquatic and photosynthetic bacteria</p>
<p>The New York Department of Environmental Conservation, which routinely tests the waters in New York City's parks, found dangerously high levels of toxins in the Harlem Meer at the north end of Central Park, the Turtle Pond next to the Great Lawn in Central Park, the pond in Prospect Park and the pond in Morning Side Park, as the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/25/nyregion/toxic-algae-nyc-parks.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fclimate&action=click&contentCollection=climate&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront" target="_blank">New York Times</a> reported. </p>
<p>"When enjoying fresh water features in city parks, it is important to try to avoid contact with any algae and keep pets on leashes and do not allow them to enter or drink from lakes and ponds unless in areas specifically designated for such activities," a spokeswoman with NYC Parks said in a statement sent to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/science/new-york-city-toxic-algae-central-park-water" target="_blank">Fox News</a>.</p>
<p>"Many factors influence algae blooms, including high nutrients, stagnant water, high temperatures, and low oxygen," she continued.</p>
<p>Urban areas are particularly susceptible since a variety of nutrients found on nearby roads, sidewalks and sewage pipes, pour into the lakes and ponds. Plus, the waters are shallow, which allows nutrients to mix easily, according to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/25/nyregion/toxic-algae-nyc-parks.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fclimate&action=click&contentCollection=climate&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront" target="_blank">New York Times</a>.</p>
<p>The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation website publishes a <a href="https://nysdec.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=ae91142c812a4ab997ba739ed9723e6e" target="_blank">map of locations</a> where a harmful algal bloom (HAB) has been detected. However, it warns that the map may be incomplete as HABs often develop and spread quickly, particularly in August and September. "HABs may be present in all or parts of a waterbody. Avoid recreating in discolored water, or water that has visible scums," the <a href="https://nysdec.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=ae91142c812a4ab997ba739ed9723e6e" target="_blank">website warns</a>. </p>
<p>Cyanobacteria releases toxins that can cause skin rashes, gastrointestinal distress and neurological problems. The toxins can also trigger liver damage and respiratory paralysis in animals, as the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/25/nyregion/toxic-algae-nyc-parks.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fclimate&action=click&contentCollection=climate&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront" target="_blank">New York Times</a> reported.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://nypost.com/2019/08/24/toxic-algae-thats-killed-9-dogs-found-in-central-park-prospect-park/" target="_blank">New York Post</a> tracked down dog walkers near the algae-covered Harlem Meer.</p>
<p>"That water is horrible –there is a ton of junk inside there plus the algae," said Eric Quick, 30, as he walked his two dogs.</p>
<p>"There are a bunch of fish and turtles that die on a regular basis, so you don't know what's in there. You see a lot of floating turtles. It's pretty awful," said Sunday Humphrey, 53, who doesn't allow her pitbull-rottweiler mix near the water.</p>
<p>The Parks Department has put up yellow signs near the Harlem Meer and in Prospect Park warning park goers about the Harmful Algal Bloom, saying not to fish in the water, not to drink the water, not to let animals or children near the water, and to rinse any skin exposed to the cyanobacteria. </p>
<p>"I just had my dog on a walk right near the water," said Marcin Nasuro, 24, who was with his poodle in Prospect Park, as the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/25/nyregion/toxic-algae-nyc-parks.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fclimate&action=click&contentCollection=climate&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront" target="_blank">New York Times</a> reported. "I wouldn't come near the lake if I knew it was toxic. A dog's like a kid. It's like a part of your family."</p>
<p>This year toxic algae blooms have decimated businesses near popular summer spots. Every <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/mississippi-beaches-toxic-algae-2639129460.html" target="_self">beach in Mississippi was closed</a> earlier this summer and New Jersey's largest and most popular <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/lake-hopatcong-algae-blooms-2639659015.html" target="_self">lake has been closed</a> since June because of toxic algae, as Ecowatch reported. </p>
<p>Scientists attribute the spike in HABs to the climate crisis, which has increased the intensity of rainstorms. </p>
<p>"There is a relationship between a changing climate and increased intensity of storms," said Marit Larson, the chief of natural resources in New York City's Department of Parks and Recreation, to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/25/nyregion/toxic-algae-nyc-parks.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fclimate&action=click&contentCollection=climate&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront" target="_blank">New York Times</a>.</p>
<div id="2d9ee" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="K6XJ931576661560"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1162328163734753280" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Dogs Are Dying From Toxic Algae in Lakes and Ponds #ClimateFacts via @EcoWatch
https://t.co/bNHYqPJ9Yj</div> — The YEARS Project (@The YEARS Project)<a href="https://twitter.com/YEARSofLIVING/statuses/1162328163734753280">1565955603.0</a></blockquote></div>
From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
jurgita.photography / Moment / Getty Images
By Grace Francese
Outbreaks of potentially toxic algae are fouling lakes, rivers and other bodies of water across the U.S. Nationally, news reports of algae outbreaks have been on the rise since 2010.
<p>What's worse, some algae blooms produce dangerous toxins called microcystins. The <a href="https://www.ewg.org/" target="_blank">Environmental Working Group</a> just released <a href="https://ewg.org/interactive-maps/2019_microcystin/" target="_blank">a report</a> showing that microcystins have been found in lakes across the U.S. – even when there's no visible toxic algae outbreak.</p><p>Here's what you should know about kids' and pets' safety around potentially dangerous water and what you can do to prevent the growth of algae blooms.</p>
What are algae blooms?
<p>These smelly blooms <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tZooDsX8Fo" target="_blank">aren't actually algae at all</a>, but photosynthetic microorganisms called cyanobacteria.</p><p>Runoff from farm fields is often polluted with phosphorous and other chemicals in manure and commercial fertilizers. When this polluted runoff gets into lakes, it feeds the growth of cyanobacteria, especially in warm weather. Increasingly heavy rains and flooding, exacerbated by the climate crisis, make the problem worse. </p>What are microcystins?
<p>Many algae blooms are gross, forming a foul-smelling slime on a lake's surface, but not hazardous. But for reasons no one yet understands, some produce poisonous chemicals called cyanotoxins, including the group known as microcystins.</p>What are the health risks?
<p>Microcystin-producing cyanobacteria are a hazard to anyone, but the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/habs/" target="_blank">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> says children are especially vulnerable, since they're most likely to ingest water while swimming. Exposure can cause coughing, nausea, weakness, cramping and headaches, as well as long-term health effects such as liver failure.</p><p>Contact with skin, drinking <a href="https://www.ewg.org/toxicalgalblooms/#map" target="_blank">contaminated tap water</a> or eating contaminated fish can also cause health problems. Even breathing in microcystins can be harmful, and recent studies have shown that the <a href="https://www.news-press.com/story/tech/science/environment/2019/03/15/new-health-questions-raised-fgcu-research-toxic-algae-dust/3176195002/" target="_blank">toxins can become airborne</a>, drifting a mile or more from the site of the outbreak.</p>How can I recognize and avoid algae blooms?
<p>The best approach is to check with your city, county or state health departments, which may issue warnings. You can also use EWG's <a href="https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/2019_microcystin/map/" target="_blank">map</a>to see whether authorities have found microcystins in a particular lake in the past few years.</p><p>If you can't find information about a specific lake, get to know the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsgg2rqPKEE&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">warning signs</a>. Look out for dead fish or animals in or near the water, and slime that looks like blue, blue-green, bright green or dark green spilled paint.</p><p>Only experts who test the water can determine definitively whether an algae bloom is toxic. So if you come across what looks like an algae outbreak, stay away – even if you're not sure it's toxic. Don't swim in it, and do your best to avoid breathing the air around it. Contact your health department and alert local news media.</p>What should I do if I think my child has been exposed to a toxic algae outbreak?
<p>If you think your child has come into contact with toxic algae, or shows flu-like symptoms after playing in or near it, rinse them off with water. Make sure they also drink plenty of water. Seek medical attention as soon as possible.</p>How can we prevent algae blooms?
<p>Farming practices like vegetative buffers along streams and rivers help minimize runoff, but these practices won't be widely implemented without regulations that require farmers to apply them. </p><p>Ideally, states would test lakes and other bodies of water for microcystins and other cyanotoxins and warn the public when there's danger. But EWG's new report found that only 20 states test regularly for microcystins and make the data public, and often only after a delay.</p><p>The Environmental Protection Agency should regulate these toxins to protect our tap water supplies. <a href="https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi/P100N2VG.PDF?Dockey=P100N2VG.PDF" target="_blank">More than two-thirds</a> of all Americans get their drinking water from utilities that rely at least in part on lakes, rivers or other surface water. Yet the EPA doesn't regulate the level of microcystins and other cyanotoxins in drinking water.</p><p>For more info about toxic algae outbreaks, check out this <a href="https://www.ewg.org/news-and-analysis/2019/05/toxic-algae-blooms-what-you-should-know" target="_blank">overview</a>. EWG also maintains a resource center on algae blooms <a href="https://www.ewg.org/key-issues/water/toxicalgae" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
Read More
Show Less
Trending
Mint Images - Norah Levine / Getty Images
Pet owners around the country are seeing their beloved canines perish after letting them cool off in waters harboring toxic algae.
<p>Dogs in North Carolina, Georgia and Texas have all died recently after swimming in waters covered in a harmful algae bloom, which is difficult to detect.</p><p>"Your typical lay person will not be able to tell one algae from another, or a good from a bad," said Dr. Mark Aubel, of Greenwater Laboratories who studies harmful algae blooms, to <a href="https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/marietta-couple-shares-warning-on-toxic-algae-after-dog-dies-less-than-an-hour-after-visit-to-lake-allatoona/85-b8c44ca2-a390-4c4e-82a2-0e67ab29dd94" target="_blank">Atlanta's 11 Alive</a>. "It just kind of behooves anybody that sees algae in a lake, in a pond, that they'd probably want to be cautious and just not expose themselves to it or to their pets."</p>
<p>Last Thursday, a couple in Wilmington, NC tried to give their three dogs some relief from the heat by letting the dogs splash around in a nearby pond. Within 15 minutes of leaving the water, one of their West Highland terriers started to suffer from seizures. When they arrived at the veterinarian's office, the other Westie started to decline, followed shortly by the couple's "doodle" mix therapy dog. By midnight, all three dogs were dead, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/11/us/three-dogs-died-algae-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p><p>All three died from ingesting harmful blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, in the water.</p><p>"What started out as a fun night for them has ended in the biggest loss of our lives," wrote Melissa Martin, one of the dog owners, in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/melissa.martin1974/posts/10219945909782726" target="_blank">Facebook post</a> that has been shared more than 15,000 times, according to CNN.</p><p>Since she did not see any warning about the harmful algae bloom, "We are now on a mission to put signs at every body of water that can have this deadly bacteria," Martin added at the end of her <a href="https://www.facebook.com/melissa.martin1974/posts/10219945909782726" target="_blank">Facebook post</a>.</p><p>In Austin, TX, three dogs have died after exposure to the toxic algae at Lady Bird Lake in Red Bud Isle. While people are not allowed to swim in the water, the popular spot for an off-leash dog walk had no signs warning dog walkers to keep their dogs away from the lake.</p><p>Now, after three dogs have died, the city closed Red Bud Isle to the public after discovering that 40 percent of Lady Bird Lake's surface is covered in a harmful algae bloom.</p>
<p>The first dog death at Red Bud Isle happened a month ago when an Austin dog-owner's German shepherd-Rhodesian ridgeback mix lost control of his legs and struggled to breathe after swimming in the lake. The dog was brain dead shortly after arriving at the vet's office, the <a href="https://www.statesman.com/news/20190808/it-happened-so-fast-owners-describe-last-moments-of-3-dogs-who-died-after-lady-bird-lake-visits" target="_blank">Austin American-Statesman</a> reported.</p><p>The other two dogs died on Aug. 1 and 3, respectively. All three dogs had the same story: after entering the water, the dogs struggled to keep their balance and lost the ability to stand. Within an hour they were dead, the <a href="https://www.statesman.com/news/20190808/it-happened-so-fast-owners-describe-last-moments-of-3-dogs-who-died-after-lady-bird-lake-visits" target="_blank">Austin American-Statesman</a> reported.</p><p>It's not fair, and it's not okay," wrote Brittany Stanton, the owner of the last dog to die from swimming in Lady Bird Lake, in a lengthy <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10214306328674327&set=pcb.10214306360955134&type=3&theater" target="_blank">post on Facebook</a>. "Word needs to be spread about this incredibly devastating risk."</p><p>This weekend, a similar story happened in Georgia, when a couple took their border collie to Lake Allatoona. Shortly after splashing around, the dog began to vomit and by the time the owners reached the vet, the dog was brain dead, according to the owner's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/morgan.laushey/posts/10214149003188976" target="_blank">Facebook post</a>.</p><p>This summer has seen an unusually intense wave of algae blooms that have shut down lakes in the Pacific Northwest, New Jersey and every beach on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Scientists say the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change" rel="noopener noreferrer">climate</a> crisis is probably a factor in the increase of cyanobacteria, which can grow in dense clusters and produce toxic substances. An increase in the frequency and intensity of rainstorms has pushed fertilizer runoff into waterways. Furthermore, hot, sunny days and the conditions are set for a harmful algae bloom, which are appearing more frequently and earlier in the season, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/05/nyregion/lake-hopatcong-algae.html?rref=collection%252Fsectioncollection%252Fclimate&action=click&contentCollection=climate&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>.</p><p>Dogs are particularly vulnerable to cyanobacteria because they swallow so much water when they swim, as <a href="https://heavy.com/news/2019/08/austin-lake-blue-green-algae/" target="_blank">Heavy.com</a> reported.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Many Hazards of Toxic Algae Outbreaks <a href="https://t.co/VDx3L4PPR0">https://t.co/VDx3L4PPR0</a></p>— Enviro Voter Project (@Enviro_Voter) <a href="https://twitter.com/Enviro_Voter/status/1042106628009537536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
CBS New York / Screenshot
Less than a week after the official start of summer, New Jersey's largest lake was shut down by state officials due to a harmful algae bloom. Now, well into the heart of summer, Lake Hopatcong remains closed. And, several other lakes that have seen their waters turn green due to a rise in cyanobacteria have also been shut down, including Budd Lake and parts of Greenwood Lake.
<p>Summer economies have been shattered by New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection warnings about the blue-green algae. Lakeside rentals, swimming instructors, sailing teachers, boat rental operators, mini-golf clerks, ice cream vendors and many others who depend on a seasonal income have seen their bottom line decimated by the beach closures, according to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/05/nyregion/lake-hopatcong-algae.html?rref=collection%252Fsectioncollection%252Fclimate&action=click&contentCollection=climate®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront" target="_blank">New York Times</a>. </p>
<p>In fact, Lake Hopatcong, which is usually buzzing with activity, is so empty that a black bear recently took a swim across it, as <a href="https://twitter.com/News12NJ/status/1153722296835674118" target="_blank">News12 NJ tweeted</a>.</p><p>The warning for Greenwood Lake was issued in mid-July, but triggered the cancellation of the lake's annual powerboat race during the last weekend in August.</p><p>"Although you would think our boat racers would not directly be affected, there is still potential for exposure to our competitors and emergency crews," the American Powerboat Association said in an official statement, as reported by <a href="https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/passaic/west-milford/2019/07/29/greenwood-lake-nj-algae-bloom-cancels-august-powerboat-race-weekend/1857366001/" target="_blank">Northjersey.com</a>. "This bacteria is reported to potentially cause skin rashes, sickness or worse and our insurance is not prepared to take on the added liability."</p><p>Cyanobacteria, DEP officials warn, produce toxins that can cause skin irritation, stomach cramps, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, fever, sore throat, headache, muscle and joint pain, blisters of the mouth and liver damage, as the <a href="https://www.dailyrecord.com/story/news/2019/08/02/another-algae-bloom-closes-budd-lake-beach/1902332001/" target="_blank">Morristown Daily Record</a> reported.</p><p>This summer has seen an unusually intense wave of algae blooms that have shutdown lakes in the Pacific Northwest and every beach on the Mississippi Gulf coast. Scientists say the climate crisis is probably a factor in the increase of cyanobacteria, which can grow in dense clusters and produce toxic substances. An increase in the frequency and intensity of rainstorms has pushed fertilizer runoff into waterways. Add to that hot, sunny days and the conditions are set for a harmful algae bloom, which are appearing more frequently and earlier in the season, according to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/05/nyregion/lake-hopatcong-algae.html?rref=collection%252Fsectioncollection%252Fclimate&action=click&contentCollection=climate&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront" target="_blank">New York Times</a>.</p><p>"With climate change, we've got more precipitation, we've got sea-level rise and all this aging infrastructure," said Chris Sturm, managing director for policy and water at New Jersey Future, a group pushing for better-planned development, as the New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/05/nyregion/lake-hopatcong-algae.html?rref=collection%252Fsectioncollection%252Fclimate&action=click&contentCollection=climate&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront" target="_blank">reported</a>.</p><p>Without swift political action and cooperation from all the towns around Lake Hopatcong, the lake may very well see more summers ruined by harmful algae blooms. The counties around Lake Hopatcong have older sewer and drainage systems that have worn down and been overwhelmed by increasingly intense storms. Pollution streams into the lake from diffuse sources — a couple of towns around the lake have sewers, while another started a sewer project but was not able to finish it. A fourth town only has septic systems, which have to be pumped out every three years, according to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/05/nyregion/lake-hopatcong-algae.html?rref=collection%252Fsectioncollection%252Fclimate&action=click&contentCollection=climate&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront" target="_blank">New York Times</a>.</p>
From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
How Your Diet Contributes to Nutrient Pollution and Dead Zones in Lakes and Bays
12 July 2019
Insights + Opinion
iStockr / iStock / Getty Images Plus
By Donald Scavia
Every year in early summer, scientists at universities, research institutions and federal agencies release forecasts for the formation of "dead zones" and harmful algal blooms in the Gulf of Mexico, the Chesapeake Bay and Lake Erie. This year the outlook is not good.
<p>The dead zone that forms annually in the Gulf of Mexico is likely to approach, if not surpass, record size at roughly 7,250 square miles. Another dead zone in the Chesapeake Bay is projected to be within the top 20% recorded over the past 20 years — about 2.1 cubic miles, equivalent to over 3.5 million Olympic-size swimming pools. And Lake Erie is also projected to set records, with almost 50,000 tons of potentially toxic <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/algae" rel="noopener noreferrer">algae</a>.</p><p>The key factor driving these forecasts is winter and spring rainfall considerably above normal across the central U.S. The winter of 2018-2019 was the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/news/us-records-wettest-winter-capped-by-cooler-wetter-february-2019" target="_blank">wettest on record</a> across the nation, and May was the <a href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/national-climate-201905" target="_blank">second-wettest month on record</a>.</p><p>Predicting the results isn't rocket science. More rain means more flooding and more runoff from farmlands. These waters carry heavy loads of nutrients, mainly from fertilizer, that fuel algal blooms. The end results include <a href="https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/government-treading-water-dead-zone-hypoxia-agricultural-runoff-fish-kill-nonpoint-source-pollution-surface-runoff-iowa-farmers-dnr-cover-crops-improve-water-quality-12022018" target="_blank">fish kills, closed beaches, possible drinking water alerts and loss of coastal property value</a>.</p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6b9c19524966284a851cd6ce088d1740"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5LwbeK-QXNs?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<h2>Treading Water</h2><p>Algal blooms occur when water bodies become overloaded with nitrogen and phosphorus from farms, water treatment plants and other sources. Warm water and nutrients promote rapid growth of algae. Some strains can be toxic or even fatal to aquatic life and humans.</p><p>Eventually algae settle to the bottom and decay. This process depletes dissolved oxygen in the water, creating "dead zones" where oxygen levels are low enough to kill fish.</p><p>Scientists and public officials have understood this problem for decades, but progress toward addressing it has been painfully slow. Nutrient loads, dead zones and harmful algal blooms in these systems dominated by <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/agriculture" rel="noopener noreferrer">agriculture</a> have <a href="https://theconversation.com/forecasting-dead-zones-and-toxic-algae-in-us-waterways-a-bad-year-for-lake-erie-43747" target="_blank">increased or held grudgingly steady for decades</a>.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTg4NTA0OC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NTk2MjE1Mn0.Ue7bo05Dzoli07sApvV5dfwoRcRyKhMvChKYdBvgJAg/img.png?width=980" id="3081f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f442bd52f4f6396f13e3c4481e620e1f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Dead zone and harmful algal bloom trends with 2019 forecasts in red.
From http://scavia.seas.umich.edu/hypoxia-forecasts/
<p>The main policy tool available now to combat nutrient losses from agricultural lands is the <a href="https://www.farmers.gov/farmbill" target="_blank">Farm Bill</a>, enacted about every five years, which provides <a href="https://theconversation.com/trump-budget-would-undo-gains-from-conservation-programs-on-farms-and-ranches-82420" target="_blank">funds for voluntary conservation efforts</a>. Between 1995 and 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture provided almost <a href="https://conservation.ewg.org/?_ga=2.138171184.145269961.1561742445-1342849811.1561742445" target="_blank">$32 billion</a> in conservation incentive payments. U.S. water quality would be much worse without these programs, but they simply have not been sufficient to reduce nutrient loads over time.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTg4NTExMS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMzk3MzA4NH0.Ebi7DWMBm_73sX2K7vqo7QELWkbsSy5-pD8Zz6UnKF0/img.png?width=980" id="06a59" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="84bbb775b305c59557e19aa8080e1db2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Nutrient load trends; 2019 loads in red.
From: http://scavia.seas.umich.edu/hypoxia-forecasts/
<h2>Warmer and Wetter</h2><p>Scientists predict that as the climate warms, this problem is <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aan2409" target="_blank">likely to get worse</a>.</p><p>Most climate models forecast <a href="https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/" target="_blank">increased precipitation</a>, especially intense spring rains, for most of the Midwest, the Great Lakes basin and the mid-Atlantic. As air warms, it can hold increasing amounts of water vapor, which <a href="https://theconversation.com/climate-change-is-driving-rapid-shifts-between-high-and-low-water-levels-on-the-great-lakes-118095" target="_blank">contributes to more precipitation</a> during <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/extreme-weather" rel="noopener noreferrer">extreme weather</a> events. In turn, heavier rainfall will impact nutrient runoff and dead zone formation.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTg4NTI2Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwMTY1OTQ3OH0.n_NcTaebjjpG3CefMTJV_we4ayIUADotM-6iMmPpoiE/img.jpg?width=980" id="5a0f1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f695e4f69c85601cb8693eaf5d0d5a96" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Under a worst-case climate change scenario, in which global temperatures rise nearly 5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels by 2100, very heavy precipitation events in the Midwest, Great Plains and Southeast regions would increase sharply.
NOAA
<h2>A Dietary Strategy</h2><p>Farm-based <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/conservation" rel="noopener noreferrer">conservation</a> programs are important, and some new practices could <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2017.03.015" target="_blank">improve nutrient management</a>. For example, farmers can widen drainage ditches to create two-stage ditches, which allow water to flow onto vegetated side "benches" that capture nutrients during periods of heavy rainfall.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTg4NTM3OC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NDc5OTQyMX0.K4sfBZ0gDYNLYyl_IDnoebjCGtwLqs6G94PpRHHG-8Y/img.png?width=980" id="038dc" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bd2781a5dbd8cacd9fe0e82c0cdab651" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
A two-stage ditch has a low-flow channel and a vegetated side 'benches' that are flooded during higher flows. The grass slows water flow and allows nutrients to settle out.
Ohio State University Extension, CC BY
<p>But even these measures would have to be implemented at <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/fee.1472" target="_blank">unprecedented scales</a> to be effective. The challenge is even more daunting when recognizing that, for example, while the annual total phosphorus load to Lake Erie is large, it is only 10% of the amount applied in fertilizer each year. In addition, as with the Chesapeake and Mississippi watersheds, soils around Lake Erie are already laden with nitrogen and phosphorus.</p><p>In my view, part of the solution could be using markets to <a href="https://theconversation.com/industrial-corn-farming-is-ruining-our-health-and-polluting-our-watersheds-39721" target="_blank">drive a shift away from industrial-scale corn production</a>, which is a major source of nutrient pollution. One major step would be eliminating the federal mandate requiring oil companies to <a href="https://www.epa.gov/renewable-fuel-standard-program/overview-renewable-fuel-standard" target="_blank">blend corn-based ethanol into gasoline</a>, which consumes <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/time-to-rethink-corn/" target="_blank">40% of U.S. corn production</a>.</p><p>This will be politically difficult as long as presidential primaries <a href="https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/03/05/2020-democrats-ethanol-225517" target="_blank">start in Iowa</a>. But other strategies may be more feasible, such as encouraging private-sector companies to demand <a href="https://fieldtomarket.org/" target="_blank">corn raised through more sustainable practices</a>.</p><p>Reducing <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/meat-consumption">meat consumption</a>, which consumes another <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/time-to-rethink-corn/" target="_blank">36% of U.S. corn production</a> for animal feed, could also have a significant impact. Studies have shown that reducing this demand for row crops <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2015.12.001" target="_blank">reduces nutrient pollution</a>.</p><p>This idea has gained momentum with the growth of the alternative meat industry. The success of startups like <a href="https://www.beyondmeat.com/" target="_blank">Beyond Meat</a> and <a href="https://impossiblefoods.com/" target="_blank">Impossible Foods</a> is luring giants like <a href="http://fortune.com/2019/06/13/tyson-plant-based-meat-pea-protein/" target="_blank">Tyson</a> and <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/chicken-producer-perdue-enters-crowded-plant-based-meat-market-11629576" target="_blank">Perdue</a> into the game. Some are even struggling to keep up with demand for plant-based meat alternatives, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/15/business/impossible-foods-burger-demand.html" target="_blank">particularly in China</a>. One recent market analysis suggests that plant-based "meat" will <a href="https://www.atkearney.com/retail/article/?/a/how-will-cultured-meat-and-meat-alternatives-disrupt-the-agricultural-and-food-industry" target="_blank">surpass animal sources globally by 2040</a>.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTg4NTUwNC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTYzOTYzNH0.oVOIzG8xrsJyXxASLvXXstTzaCKVAJVp13WGsGZ_DdA/img.png?width=980" id="77dd9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1d0218e6ee5d5e93d7816388c8d5d4de" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
AT Kearney, CC BY-ND
<h2>Shrinking Agriculture's Footprint</h2><p>Scientists have understood for decades that excess nitrogen and phosphorus degrade Lake Erie, the Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Nutrient inputs from sewage treatment plants and other discreet, easily identifiable sources have declined because they are regulated under the Clean Water Act.</p><p>But the nutrients fouling these water bodies now come mostly from diffuse sources, particularly industrial-scale row crop agriculture. Those operations are not subject to the Clean Water Act, and voluntary conservation programs seem to have at best kept pace with the expansion of large-scale farming.</p><p>After analyzing these issues and providing policy advice on them for much of my 45-year career, it's frustrating to see so little change. But I am hopeful that current work that addresses agricultural pollution in broader contexts may have an impact.</p><p>For example, recent reports connecting <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31788-4" target="_blank">reduced meat consumption</a> to both positive environmental effects and improved health should provide additional incentives for change. <a href="https://www.wri.org/publication/creating-sustainable-food-future#main-content" target="_blank">Research institutes</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-102017-025957" target="_blank">scholars</a> are laying out comprehensive global pathways to more sustainable agriculture that are designed to feed the world and protect and restore natural ecosystems.</p><p>My hope lies in the combination of health- and market-driven movement toward plant-based meat substitutes and enlightened policies that support more sustainable practices in agriculture's critical role of providing food and fiber to the world.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Near Record ‘Dead Zone’ Predicted for Gulf of Mexico <a href="https://t.co/glpoleJ4ih">https://t.co/glpoleJ4ih</a></p>— Enviro Voter Project (@Enviro_Voter) <a href="https://twitter.com/Enviro_Voter/status/1138838616216604673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<p>
<em>Donald Scavia is professor emeritus at the School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan.<br/>
</em><em>Disclosure statement: Donald Scavia has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Erb Family Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, and the C.S. Mott Foundation.</em>
</p><p>
<em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-your-diet-contributes-to-nutrient-pollution-and-dead-zones-in-lakes-and-bays-118902" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em>
</p><script async="async" data-counter="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/118902/count?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" id="theconversation_tracker_hook" src="https://theconversation.com/javascripts/lib/content_tracker_hook.js" type="text/javascript"></script>From Your Site Articles
- Dead Zones Are a Global Water Pollution Challenge — But With ... ›
- Corporate Food Brands Drive the Massive Dead Zone in the Gulf of ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less