Nutrients are essential to life—in moderation. Good thing cities and states are committing to reducing runoff. Listen up:
Algal blooms have run amok in Lake Erie. (NOAA)
Phosphorus in fertilizers is a wonder for plant growth—but not so much for clean water.
When it runs off the land and into our waterways, phosphorus can cause algal blooms that lead to beach closures and contaminated drinking water.
David Ullrich, executive director of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, a binational coalition, says this is a huge concern for communities in the region.
So it was welcome news when Michigan and Ohio’s governors, and the premier of Ontario, committed to reducing phosphorus runoff by 40 percent within nine years.
“As soon as they made that commitment, we strongly endorsed it,” comments Ullrich.
The coalition’s endorsement means more than 100 cities will also help tackle the problem. That’s important since phosphorus comes not just from farms, but urban areas as well.
Get schooled:
- Learn the facts on harmful algal blooms with info from U.S. National Ocean Service
- Check out the Memo-of-Cooperation between Cities Initiative (CI) and Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA)
- Find out why the EPA says to keep people and pets away from green, smelly water (aka, algal blooms)
Fine print:
- This segment was produced in partnership with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future
