As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, the Florida Department of Health is no longer monitoring water quality at local beaches because they are closed. Likewise, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is reducing its water testing for red tide.
But local waters have been unusually clear this month, a great reason to get outside and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22.
One Florida event is #GetTrashed, a challenge to take a walk outside with gloves and a plastic bag and pick up enough trash to fill a bag. But wear your mask and stay at least 6 feet from anyone else. Check out more events here.
Arbor Day is also still being celebrated on Friday, April 24. Organizers suggest virtual celebrations, like live-streaming a reading of the poem, “Trees,” by Joyce Kilmer on your Facebook page. Check out more virtual celebration suggestions.
And if you do nothing else environmental this week, resolve to learn enough about federal oil spill policy to help you decide whom to vote for in the next presidential election, in honor of the 11 people killed in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which happened 10 years ago April 20.
The spill poisoned the Gulf of Mexico and its marine life with 200 million gallons of oil for nearly three months, some washing up on beaches from Texas to Florida.
The Washington, D.C.-based environmental group Oceana says that the federal government’s proposal to expand offshore drilling to nearly all U.S. waters will result in more spills.
“Offshore drilling is still as dirty and dangerous as it was 10 years ago,” said Diane Hoskins, Oceana campaign director. “If anything, another disaster is more likely today as the oil industry drills deeper and farther offshore… When they drill, they spill. The BP disaster devastated the Gulf, and we cannot afford to repeat it. Protecting our environment has never been more important than it is today. President Trump’s plan is still a preventable disaster if we stand together to protect our coasts.”
In a recent report, Oceana found the Gulf coast suffered significant economic losses following the Deepwater Horizon disaster:
- The recreation industry lost more than $500 million, and more than 10 million user-days of beach, fishing and boating activity.
- Fisheries closed and demand for Gulf seafood plummeted, costing the seafood industry nearly $1 billion.
- Housing markets across the region experienced a decline in prices between 4% and 8% that lasted for at least five years.
Oceana also found the environmental impact of the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf was unprecedented:
- For five years, more than 75% of all dolphin pregnancies failed in the oiled area.
- Bryde’s whales, one of the most endangered whales in the world, decreased by about 22%.
- As many as 800,000 birds died, including up to 32% of laughing gulls and 12% of brown pelicans.
- Up to 170,000 sea turtles were killed by the spill.
- About 8.3 million oysters were killed, and certain populations of fish, shrimp and squid decreased by as much as 85%.
See Oceana’s full report here.
Then turn off your computer, go outside and celebrate the Earth.
