On the Treasure Coast of Florida, where my family
and I currently live, there are 70 miles of beaches running along side of the clear blue Atlantic Ocean. They are enjoyed year round by many locals and visitors. You’ll be sure to find children playing in the surf and sand, beach lovers relaxing in their favorite chairs or taking leisurely walks searching for shells (and treasure, as it is known to appear from time to time), and fisherman casting their lines in hopes of making the biggest catch of the day. We also have the Indian River Lagoon, a 156 mile stretch of one of the most diverse estuaries in the United States. It is found to be home to over 3,000 different species of living organisms, including a varied population of birds, mantees living or migrating through the lagoon seasonally, and sea turtle nesting.
One Saturday afternoon, my husband and I decided to take our two kids to visit the Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit in Fort Pierce. We were able to get a glimpse into the depths of the underworld, walking through this small but wondrous exhibit. Through their displays of marine and coral habitats, we were able to learn more about the ecosystems and their importance to the earth. But the sad part, we learned, is our Lagoon in serious trouble. Our dolphins are dying, turtles are sprouting tumors, shellfish are being poisoned, and red tide is causing more harmful events. Many may suspect and/or agree that the waterways are being polluted by runoffs of fertilizers, pesticides, toxic trash, and air pollutants to name a few, but no one can identify the exact source.
Groups of scientists, marine biologists, ocean engineers etc. join forces to study and dedicate their expertise to the protection and restoration of aquatic ecosystems and want to find a solution. Organizations like ORCA (Ocean Research & Conservation Association ~~www.teamorca.org) have developed technology to detect and evaluate the water quality, making sure it’s safe for consumption, swimming and living.
Now, we don’t necessarily need any college education or degrees to help protect and restore these aquatic ecosystems. We can start right at home educating ourselves and applying the three R’s. Reduce the amount of toxic cleaners, fertilizers and pesticides by products that are concentrated and have more nature based ingredients; purchase products with containers that are acceptable for Recycling; and Reuse by finding another purpose or donate it to a charity, an organization, or person who may need it, if the product has some life left in it.
It is said that a human’s body consists of approximately 61.8% of water and our earth is covered by 70.8% of water. Millions of humans and different species rely on water, an essential ingredient to survival. If you are willing to protect and preserve your body, wouldn’t you want to do the same with our water sources?
