Northwest Ohio friends who were advised to not drink the water because of toxins from harmful algae blooms- more from the amazing Circle of Blue. Nutrient pollution from synthetic fertilizers is a leading cause of degradation of U.S. water quality-- nitrogen pollution can render entire stretches of water bodies dead; fertilizer runoff has created a 5,800 square mile dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. This is a good time to talk about how agriculture is NOT regulated for nutrient pollution under the Clean Water Act (can you affirm this Jennifer Seidenberg Bock Aubrey Ann Parker?). Colorado passed new rules in 2012 to tackle nutrient pollution-- the rules will gradually phase in over the next 15 years, impacting the largest wastewater plants first (though, once again, not regulating agriculture). Its also a good time to recommit to eating organically/ encouraging farmers to discontinue use of synthetic fertilizers. German scientist Justus Von Liebig was responsible for the theory that Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium levels are the basis for determining healthy plant growth. However, this theory, which dates to the 1800s, doesnt take into account the dozens of other nutrients and elements that are essential to plant growth such as sulfur, hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, magnesium, etc. Nor does the theory talk about the importance of beneficial soil organisms that help plants to flourish and to fight off pests and diseases. In fact, elements such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur, magnesium, copper, cobalt, sodium, boron, molybdenum, and zinc are just as important to plant development as N-P-K. Any other scientists able to speak on this? Rowen White? #OG #toledowaterwarning
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 23:03:36 +0000
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