Green: The Good and Not-So-Good

When it comes to the environment, the word “green” usually makes us think of a thriving environment. But too much of anything is not good. Just as too much food (nutrients) is not good for us. Too much nutrient is not good for the water either. There are many different causes for too much nutrient getting into water – in ponds, lakes, streams, canals, rivers and even out into the ocean. These nutrients cause algae to grow so much that it begins to kill the life in the water. There have been many more of these “ALGAE BLOOMS” in the past decade.

During the Fall of 2018 in Florida, water from Lake Okeechobee which was full of algae from too many nutrients (farm and human waste, too much fertilizer from agriculture) flowed out to the Gulf of Mexico causing something called the Red Tide. This tide killed millions of fish, even manatees and dolphin. That problem is so huge that it will take many agencies and the government to figure a solution. (Read more here)

But like Steve and Eddie in Chapter 4 of KATE BUFFETT AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, observing a problem and then learning how to fix or improve it is more realistic. (Read that chapter here).

Almost every community has a golf course. Some golf courses are home and a healthy habitat for many species including birds, fish, mammals, reptiles and even microscopic organisms. Other golf courses may not have figured out the best way to accomplish a “healthy green” environment. You might enjoy (with parents’ permission) an interview with a local golf pro or maintenance team. After you read what Steve and Eddie discovered you might want to share that chapter with your teacher or club.learn and discover even more than one person can.

Learn more here: What is a harmful algae bloom?

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