"What difference does it make if I do "green" things, if everyone else doesn't?"
That's a question my students often ask when we're talking about changing our behavior to protect the environment. Today's report from the Potomac Conservancy, "State of the Nation's River" provides an answer. Thanks to the actions of private citizens, as well as government and business support, the Potomac River has climbed from a grade of D 10 years ago to a grade of B today! There's still work to be done in the areas of invasive species, riparian buffers, and underwater grasses, but the Potomac has seen marked improvement in:
- reduced P and N pollution (which leads to algal blooms and dead zones which are a big issue in the Chesapeake Bay)
- increased numbers of shad and Bald Eagles
- better access to recreation along the river
- decreased sediment into the river
- increased land conservation in the watershed
There's still work to be done, but this report is an important sign that individual action DOES make a difference!
No comments:
Post a Comment