Dead Zones

The Earth is Dying and Most of Us Don't Care, a series: Dead Zones 

    When we think of lakes, oceans, and rivers, we typically picture the abundance of life teeming beneath the surface. Oceans are depicted as deep blue-green waves filled with brightly colored coral and tropical fish. Marine life both large and small makes up the vast oceans. Smaller numbers of silver, green and brown fish fill the lakes and rivers. Many microscopic organisms live in the mud, which houses plants and crustaceans as well. 

    Point being, people believe that all bodies of water are filled with life. Unfortunately, this is a misconception. Our waters are currently plagued with numerous problems. The most commonly known being pollution (Plastic Paradise) and climate change. Climate change and Pollution aren't the only issues they face. Is there more to the dying oceans and lakes? What silent killers lie beneath the water's surface? There is an issue, unknown by most that are harming the health of the oceans: Dead Zones.

 What is a ¨Dead zone¨?

A dead zone is an occurrence of hypoxia, or reduced levels of oxygen in the water (OceanService). 

¨ Besides the sediment, there are dissolved molecules, nitrogen and phosphorus. And those, through a biological process, lead to the formation of areas called dead zones. ¨

- Nancy Rabalais

How Is a Dead zone Created?

Dead Zones can occur naturally but are typically the result of human activities that cause nutrients pollution. 

• Nutrients pollution refers to excess nutrients in runoff from pipes/wastewater
• Fertilizer from crops = wastewater
• Wastewater usually from areas with a high concentration of humans (NASA)

Excess water from humans runs into the coast, which stimulates algae growth. As the algae decompose, the process consumes oxygen and depletes the supply of the area. (Oceanservice) 

Why is this important?

Marine life cannot live without oxygen, and therefore cannot survive in a dead zone. Marine life will either move to another location or die-off if they are unable to move. (OceanService)

How can we help?

During her TedTalk in New Orleans, Nancy Rabalais Gives plenty of good examples of how people can help in their everyday lives.

• Eat Less Meat
• Avoid using corn oil
• Use a car that uses nonethanol gas

She ends her talk, stating:

¨To change the type of agriculture in the US is going to be many big steps. And it's going to take political and social will for that to happen. But we can do it. 

I strongly believe we can translate the science, bridge it to policy and make a difference in our environment. We all want a clean environment. And we can work together to do this so that we no longer have these dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico. ¨

I too believe that we all have the potential to change the world that we live in. Everyone must contribute to the cause and work together to better our habitat.

Works Cited

"Aquatic Dead zones." Earth Observatory Nasa, 1 Jan. 2008, earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/44677/aquatic-dead-zones. Accessed 25 Nov. 2019.

Diving Photos Maldives. Diving Adventures Worldwide, www.diving-adventures-worldwide.com/project/photos-maldives/. Accessed 25 Nov. 2019.

Model of Earth Showing Population Density + Dead Zones. 2 Jan. 2008. Earth Observatory Nasa, 2 Jan. 2008, earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/44677/aquatic-dead-zones. Accessed 25 Nov. 2019.

Rabalais, Nancy. "The ¨dead zone' of the Gulf of Mexico." Nov. 2017, New Orleans. Lecture.

"What Is a dead zone?" Ocean Service NOAA, 2 Aug. 2019, oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/deadzone.html. Accessed 25 Nov. 2019.

Plastic Paradise

The Earth is Dying and Most of Us Don't Care, a series: Plastic Paradise

@MariefeandJakesnow Snow, Jake, and Marie Fe Snow. The picture on Beach with Plastic.

I'm sure that you've probably heard about it all. Whether it be climate change, plastic straws, or dying sea creatures. The bleeding hearts of "environmental activists" always seem to creep through your social media. Unfortunately, their persistence and limited knowledge of the issues have had an adverse effect on their target audience. Rather than creating awareness, these posts create ignorance. Despite our contempt for the #plasticparadise posts, perhaps it's about time to consider the real problems behind the hashtag.

So why is plastic waste in the ocean a problem?

"In the ocean, plastic debris injures and kills fish, seabirds and marine mammals. Marine plastic pollution has impacted at least 267 species worldwide, including 86% of all sea turtle species, 44% of all seabird species and 43% of all marine mammal species. The impacts include fatalities as a result of ingestion, starvation, suffocation, infection, drowning, and entanglement.7"

"The Problem of Marine Plastic Pollution." Clean Water Action

Besides affecting the health of our fellow earth inhabitants, plastic pollution can actually harm the health of humans as well. Plastics in the ocean break down into smaller particles, which are ingested by all marine life. We will eventually ingest these particles after consuming any sort of seafood. Gianna Andrews of the Geology and Human Health studies states: "...toxins in plastics are directly linked to cancers, birth defects, immune system problems, and childhood developmental issues." Plastic particles can harm both animals and humans if consumed and cause a lot of harm. Decreasing populations of sea life can affect the environment, as species lose both predators and prey. Plastic pollution can affect every living thing, including us. We are not exempt from the effects of pollution.

So what can you do? Basic recycling, consciousness when buying single-use plastics, and cleaning up trash that you may see, are always helpful. If you feel as if that isn't enough, you could help out on a larger scale. Try to see what legal action can be taken against this plastic monstrosity by contacting govt. officials. We are living in a time that could possibly be the end of the earth, if that doesn't motivate you then I don't know what will.

Works Cited:

Andrews, Gianna. "Plastics in the Ocean Affecting Human Health." Geology and Human Health, serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/health/case_studies/plastics.html. Accessed 15 Nov. 2019.

"The Problem of Marine Plastic Pollution." Clean Water Action, www.cleanwater.org/problem-marine-plastic-pollution. Accessed 15 Nov. 2019.

Snow, Jake, and Marie Fe Snow. Picture on Beach with Plastic.