Slimy Green Beaches May Be Florida's New Normal

[libertybele]

Such a shame!  Big sugar companies and politics hard at work!

Slimy Green Beaches May Be Florida's New Normal

The green slime that washed onto Florida beaches earlier this month marks the eighth time since 2004 that toxic algae have fouled the Sunshine State’s storied coastline.

The algae blooms of 2013 were so severe the event became known as Toxic Summer. And this year’s outbreak has so thoroughly spread through delicate estuaries on both coasts that Florida officials declared a state of emergency in four counties. Toxic sludge has killed fish, shellfish, and at least one manatee and has sickened people who have touched it.

“This is absolutely the worst,” says Evan Miller, an environmental activist and founder of Citizens for Clean Water. Miller lives in the tourist town of Stuart, 110 miles (177 kilometers) north of Miami. “We’ve never seen algae so thick. You can see it from space. There are places in Stuart that are on their third and fourth cycle of blooms now.”

As the latest outbreak continues to play out with sporadic bursts of new algae blooms, dismayed Floridians are wondering if the recurring appearance of this tourist-repelling, fish-killing scum is their new normal.

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/07/toxic-algae-florida-beaches-climate-swamp-environment/

[mountaineer]

Climate change! 

[libertybele]

Climate change! 

It's called the Sugar Cane industry paying off the Army Corp of Engineers and the EPA.  The Army Corps of Engineers should have rebuilt the Lake O dyke decades ago and the EPA shouldn't be allowing the run off from Lake O into surrounding waters, but have it run into the Everglades area as it once did.  Problem is ... too much water running into the Everglades area makes it too wet to grow sugar cane.  It's called corrupt politics and screw the environment and the people.

The Caloosahatchee river for one is being affected.  Before they allowed the run off from Lake O, the water in the river was actually blue ... within a short period of time after they allow the run off the river usually turns brown.  Now it has turned into bright green slime.  It is killing wild life; manatees, fish, sea turtles, etc.  Not to mention what it is doing to the fishing industry, tourism and property values. 

[dfwgator]

Frank Zappa - I'm the Slime

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[libertybele]

The truth about South Florida's green slime:

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