Environmental Crisis in Florida - Red Tide & Green Algae

chite

https://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/weather/new-why-red-tide-killing-spree-florida/pKBrmy4zR75rMrQK1JVwsM/

https://weather.com/science/environment/news/2018-07-31-florida-algae-blooms-red-tide-health-wildlife

Video: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/red-tide-toxic-algae-in-florida-can-cause-health-problems/

The Anthropocene is truly showing it's colours, a shade of toxic green and red algae blooms on the west coast of Florida.

Algal blooms occur seasonally in the Gulf of Mexico, when water conditions enable their populations to explode and spread. But this year's event includes especially high quantities of algae that produce a toxin, and the impact on marine wildlife is devastating, affecting sea birds as well as fish and turtles in unprecedented numbers - the Fort Myers News Press

Honestly, I just don't know what to say other than the fact this is the result of our profligate consumerism worldwide (along with garrulousness, cronyism governance), where we know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

Photos from Facebook on the impacts from a local:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1922755247787775&set=pcb.1922755971121036&type=3&theater

pleas advice

sounds like the start of a low budget sci-fi horror film...

bazz26

blanch152

chite wrote: »

https://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/weather/new-why-red-tide-killing-spree-florida/pKBrmy4zR75rMrQK1JVwsM/

https://weather.com/science/environment/news/2018-07-31-florida-algae-blooms-red-tide-health-wildlife

Video: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/red-tide-toxic-algae-in-florida-can-cause-health-problems/

The Anthropocene is truly showing it's colours, a shade of toxic green and red algae blooms on the west coast of Florida.

Algal blooms occur seasonally in the Gulf of Mexico, when water conditions enable their populations to explode and spread. But this year's event includes especially high quantities of algae that produce a toxin, and the impact on marine wildlife is devastating, affecting sea birds as well as fish and turtles in unprecedented numbers - the Fort Myers News Press

Honestly, I just don't know what to say other than the fact this is the result of our profligate consumerism worldwide (along with garrulousness, cronyism governance), where we know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

Photos from Facebook on the impacts from a local:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1922755247787775&set=pcb.1922755971121036&type=3&theater

Seriously? 15 people got hospitalised. Try this:

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2056553/smog-linked-third-deaths-china-study-finds

2 years off your life expectancy for everyone, now that is environmental catastrophe.

J. Smith

A bird in the hand is worth is worth algae.

chite

blanch152 wrote: »

Seriously? 15 people got hospitalised. Try this:

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2056553/smog-linked-third-deaths-china-study-finds

2 years off your life expectancy for everyone, now that is environmental catastrophe.

Well, this is a relatively recent crisis that has been ongoing for the last number of months. Whereas the smog issue in China has been present for much longer. Both are relevant, don't get me wrong - what's happening in Florida is very much a catastrophic disaster as people cannot go down to the beaches due to respiratory problems, nevermind the deathtoll on the marine biodiversity. It's also interesting how you've taken an anthropocentric view on this, just mentioning the impacts on people.
This is not a competition on who has it worse, just hilighting what's currently happening over there atm.

bazz26

It's certainly something to be concerned about on a Saturday night....

chite

chite wrote: »

https://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/weather/new-why-red-tide-killing-spree-florida/pKBrmy4zR75rMrQK1JVwsM/

https://weather.com/science/environment/news/2018-07-31-florida-algae-blooms-red-tide-health-wildlife

Video: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/red-tide-toxic-algae-in-florida-can-cause-health-problems/

The Anthropocene is truly showing it's colours, a shade of toxic green and red algae blooms on the west coast of Florida.

Algal blooms occur seasonally in the Gulf of Mexico, when water conditions enable their populations to explode and spread. But this year's event includes especially high quantities of algae that produce a toxin, and the impact on marine wildlife is devastating, affecting sea birds as well as fish and turtles in unprecedented numbers - the Fort Myers News Press

Honestly, I just don't know what to say other than the fact this is the result of our profligate consumerism worldwide (along with garrulousness, cronyism governance), where we know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

Photos from Facebook on the impacts from a local:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1922755247787775&set=pcb.1922755971121036&type=3&theater

Devastating algae blooms are a normal part of nature, so if you want to say it's because of human activity, I guess you should back it up.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

chite wrote: »

https://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/weather/new-why-red-tide-killing-spree-florida/pKBrmy4zR75rMrQK1JVwsM/

https://weather.com/science/environment/news/2018-07-31-florida-algae-blooms-red-tide-health-wildlife

Video: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/red-tide-toxic-algae-in-florida-can-cause-health-problems/

The Anthropocene is truly showing it's colours, a shade of toxic green and red algae blooms on the west coast of Florida.

Algal blooms occur seasonally in the Gulf of Mexico, when water conditions enable their populations to explode and spread. But this year's event includes especially high quantities of algae that produce a toxin, and the impact on marine wildlife is devastating, affecting sea birds as well as fish and turtles in unprecedented numbers - the Fort Myers News Press

Honestly, I just don't know what to say other than the fact this is the result of our profligate consumerism worldwide (along with garrulousness, cronyism governance), where we know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

Photos from Facebook on the impacts from a local:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1922755247787775&set=pcb.1922755971121036&type=3&theater

It's a natural cyclical occurrence. I'm not sure how you're linking it to worldwide consumerism. But I share your indignation, if it helps you.

As for the hype about 'unprecedented', the journalist and yourself need to do a bit more research on the subject.

chite

Deleted User wrote: »

Devastating algae blooms are a normal part of nature, so if you want to say it's because of human activity, I guess you should back it up.

Conner Raspy Ladybug wrote: »

It's a natural cyclical occurrence. I'm not sure how you're linking it to worldwide consumerism. But I share your indignation, if it helps you.

As for the hype about 'unprecedented', the journalist and yourself need to do a bit more research on the subject.

I will acknowledge the fact that some of what I said originally may have been bordering on sensationalist (this was prompted by the ongoing extreme weather phenomenon that have been happening here and abroad - Lisbon was 46Cvyesterday, highest on record - and will continue to do so, among other issues coming up in farming and more as a result of this). But that doesn't mean that the situation is something to be looked over.

I would've thought that anyone who read the reports in the links and the photos would have been enough to show why it is a crisis currently happening. If this was happening in Ireland then there would be loads of media coverage on it and concerns being shared by the public.

It's true that algal blooms regularly occur, however this is the exception. A dead whale shark found in Sanibel Island, Florida was tested positive for a neurotoxin called brevetoxin, produced by algae known as Karenia brevis. Algal blooms in very high concentrations makes this more likely to occur (plus the fact that this has been so persistent over a prolonged time period than usual). Biologists are saying that the timing and the location of where this happened implicate the HAB (harmful algal bloom) or red tide. The death of a whale shark as a result of the algal bloom is certainly unprecedented and unheard of before.

Do I need to explain how human activity is linked to this?
People are saying that the problem is being exacerbated by the sugar industry with runoff and sewage going into the Gulf of Mexico, from the likes of R. Caloosahatchee and the St. Lucie Estuary. The Mississippi river is probably the same, which combined with the discharge from the Okeechobee lake is of concern.

People are being told to not swim in the affected areas, plus this algae can be airbourne in seaspray, causing respiratory problems. The issue of the toxin being accumulated in filter feeding animals such as mussels and oysters, so seafood is a potential hazard. All of this information was said by the director of the US National Office for Marine Biotoxins and HABs, Don Anderson.

If you want better sources, than surely you can't do better than the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, where there's an FAQ section and Red Tide Status Reports on the website.
http://myfwc.com/research/redtide/general/contact/