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Florida's Gulf Coast Battles Deadly And Smelly Red Tide (npr.org)
Greg Allen, writing for NPR: Florida this week declared a state of emergency because of a slow-moving natural disaster -- red tide. Red tide is toxic algae that have persisted off Florida's Gulf Coast for nearly a year. In recent weeks, the algae bloom has worsened, killing fish, turtles and dolphins and discouraging tourism on some of the state's most beautiful beaches.
Scores of dead fish were visible on the shore of Manatee Beach on a recent morning. There was a smell from the fish, but something more -- an acrid smell that can make you cough. Mary Vanswol, who was at the beach with her husband, James, said, "Uh, the smell is terrible. And it's affecting my lungs. I'm coughing, not so much him, but I am. It's just sad to see all the dead fish." The Vanswols live nearby and usually go swimming. But not today. After getting a look at the dead fish and the murky, slightly reddish-hued water, Mary Vanswols said they were leaving. "I wouldn't even walk along the edge of it. I just don't think it's safe," she said. Robert Weisberg, an oceanographer at the University of South Florida whose lab produces seasonal and short term forecasts of red tide, told Gizmodo a confluence of ocean circulation and environmental factors are likely responsible for initiating the bloom. Others experts are pointing to the potential role of human-driven nutrient pollution in helping to maintain it.
Scores of dead fish were visible on the shore of Manatee Beach on a recent morning. There was a smell from the fish, but something more -- an acrid smell that can make you cough. Mary Vanswol, who was at the beach with her husband, James, said, "Uh, the smell is terrible. And it's affecting my lungs. I'm coughing, not so much him, but I am. It's just sad to see all the dead fish." The Vanswols live nearby and usually go swimming. But not today. After getting a look at the dead fish and the murky, slightly reddish-hued water, Mary Vanswols said they were leaving. "I wouldn't even walk along the edge of it. I just don't think it's safe," she said. Robert Weisberg, an oceanographer at the University of South Florida whose lab produces seasonal and short term forecasts of red tide, told Gizmodo a confluence of ocean circulation and environmental factors are likely responsible for initiating the bloom. Others experts are pointing to the potential role of human-driven nutrient pollution in helping to maintain it.
Part of the problem is that their idiot governor, Rick Scott (R), deleted funding for control of red tide. He doesn't believe in environmental regulations or climate change so didn't think it was necessary to inconvenience the sugar plantations by putting controls on their pollution.
I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
Fertilizer runoff from plantations feeds the algae. "Reverend" Scott cut funding for water quality enforcement, including regulating the farms' use of fertilizer. So yes, it's related. But of course, "Reverend" Scott thinks that Jeebus, concealed carry, and the free market solve everything. (Throw in a bit of Medicare fraud for lubrication, since we're talking about Rick Scott.)
Yes let's apply political ideology and pretend that Scott's policies regarding the discharge of waste from sugar plantations, agricultural runoff, and livestock yards are in now way connected to the Red Tides. Funny how this argument so closely parallels the climate denial meme that "the climate has always changed" therefore, ignore reality. The truth is that if it weren't for the ocean currents, Gulf Current and Florida Loop Current, the situation would be a lot worse. These tides didn't arise by blowing in from somewhere else. They arise from an overabundance of nutrients in the water, stemming largely from uncontrolled agricultural runoff. The same is true for the Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone, which results from the runoff of fertilizers used by corn farmers in the Midwest finding there way into the Mississippi River Drainage System. The reality for Scott, Floridians, and its tourist industry is that these are now going to be permanent fixtures of Florida's coastlines for years to come until the policies or the politicians are changed. Perhaps there is a bit of irony in the fact that the Red Tied trump Trump's GOP promises and delivers is not the one that the public wants.
BTW, the "Red" in Red Sea more likely refers to the direction South. The Greeks attached colors to each cardinal direction as did a number of Asiatic languages, that for South being red. The Greek Historian Herodotus used interchangeably with the name referring adjective southern. In English these cardinal colors were earlier used in similar fashion, such as the Black Sea, the White Sea and the Yellow Sea. The ancient Greeks had no knowledge of microorganisms.
As for thinking rationally, you ought to give it a try rather than mindless appeals to ideological orthodoxy. Who knows? You might look good in a hippy hat. It might even be good for your health, relative to the tin-foil hats that seem to be the rage in many GOP circles these days.