| Want to know why we have a large dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico? I've got a two part answer for you. But first, here's some background. The cause of the dead zone starts on our farms, which use ammonia fertilizer or spread manure on their fields. If and when that runs off into waterways, it works its way to the Mississippi and then into the Gulf. The pollutants feed algae blooms, which then die. Their bodies are digested by microorganisms that use up all of the oxygen in the water, leaving none for any other life forms. The condition is called hypoxia.
So why isn't the government doing more about it? First, because Congress chronically underfunds our conservation programs (and continues to do so under Democratic leadership). Second, because the USDA doesn't target conservation funding at the areas most responsible for the pollution. I believe it was only recently that the Dept of Interior analyzed which areas are most responsible for the dead zone, but still - you'd think this would be a no-brainer! Why can't we use this money (what little Congress bothers to appropriate, anyway) where it will do the most good? |
