Florida's Gulf Coast Battles Deadly And Smelly Red Tide (npr.org) 123
Greg Allen, writing for NPR: Florida this week declared a state of emergency because of a slow-moving natural disaster -- red tide. Red tide is toxic algae that have persisted off Florida's Gulf Coast for nearly a year. In recent weeks, the algae bloom has worsened, killing fish, turtles and dolphins and discouraging tourism on some of the state's most beautiful beaches.
Scores of dead fish were visible on the shore of Manatee Beach on a recent morning. There was a smell from the fish, but something more -- an acrid smell that can make you cough. Mary Vanswol, who was at the beach with her husband, James, said, "Uh, the smell is terrible. And it's affecting my lungs. I'm coughing, not so much him, but I am. It's just sad to see all the dead fish." The Vanswols live nearby and usually go swimming. But not today. After getting a look at the dead fish and the murky, slightly reddish-hued water, Mary Vanswols said they were leaving. "I wouldn't even walk along the edge of it. I just don't think it's safe," she said. Robert Weisberg, an oceanographer at the University of South Florida whose lab produces seasonal and short term forecasts of red tide, told Gizmodo a confluence of ocean circulation and environmental factors are likely responsible for initiating the bloom. Others experts are pointing to the potential role of human-driven nutrient pollution in helping to maintain it.
Scores of dead fish were visible on the shore of Manatee Beach on a recent morning. There was a smell from the fish, but something more -- an acrid smell that can make you cough. Mary Vanswol, who was at the beach with her husband, James, said, "Uh, the smell is terrible. And it's affecting my lungs. I'm coughing, not so much him, but I am. It's just sad to see all the dead fish." The Vanswols live nearby and usually go swimming. But not today. After getting a look at the dead fish and the murky, slightly reddish-hued water, Mary Vanswols said they were leaving. "I wouldn't even walk along the edge of it. I just don't think it's safe," she said. Robert Weisberg, an oceanographer at the University of South Florida whose lab produces seasonal and short term forecasts of red tide, told Gizmodo a confluence of ocean circulation and environmental factors are likely responsible for initiating the bloom. Others experts are pointing to the potential role of human-driven nutrient pollution in helping to maintain it.
Don't worry, they're a swing state (Score:3)
Re:Don't worry, they're a swing state (Score:5, Interesting)
Part of the problem is that their idiot governor, Rick Scott (R), deleted funding for control of red tide. He doesn't believe in environmental regulations or climate change so didn't think it was necessary to inconvenience the sugar plantations by putting controls on their pollution.
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your comment and the main post imply the assumption that red tide is man made and unnatural.
nature by itself can be "toxic", kill "fish, turtles and dolphins", "discourage tourism on some of the state's most beautiful beaches", can have an "acrid smell that can make you cough", prevent "usual swimming", etc etc
it is impossible to be a true nature lover and not "look at the dead fish and the murky, slightly reddish-hued water" and other such things. only people living in an artificial bubble containing a ma
Re:Don't worry, they're a swing state (Score:5, Informative)
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Yes well than real solution would be to let the mangroves etc move back it; If you get rid of the coastal golf courses, lawns, and artificial sandy beaches there will be no man-made fertilizers to deployed to run anywhere. As per usual this is just one typically left leaning group saying "your environmentally destructive practices are unacceptable but mine are perfectly alright because my intentions and feelings..and by the way you can't build that wind turbine in view of my house."
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If you get rid of the coastal golf courses,“
Sssssss! Lèse-Majesté!
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Yes well than real solution would be to let the mangroves etc move back it; If you get rid of the coastal golf courses, lawns, and artificial sandy beaches there will be no man-made fertilizers to deployed to run anywhere. As per usual this is just one typically left leaning group saying "your environmentally destructive practices are unacceptable but mine are perfectly alright because my intentions and feelings..and by the way you can't build that wind turbine in view of my house."
I'm a lefty who doesn't play golf, you insensitive clod.
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I used to spend every winter in Florida for work, and I often stayed to burn up my vacation (use it or lose it) and go camping.
Since I spent most of my time in the keys and on the Atlantic side of the state for work, I tried to spend time on the gulf side to check out. There was always a little bit of foul smell, and yuck, but one year it was particularly bad.
I ended up camping in the mangroves as it was the only acceptable place to be because of the stench and who knows what nasties that were washing up o
Re:Don't worry, they're a swing state (Score:4, Informative)
If you bother to read TFA (the second one, which may be a bit too much to ask), you'll see that human pollution and climate change are causing this red tide to be much worse than the "natural" events of the past.
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er no
these blooms are natural and happen off coasts all over the world, for longer than man has been making tools. they've been going on including around florida for longer than the USA has existed.
imagining they can be "controlled" is just laughable.
are you going to blame the Republicans for anthrax in deer poop?
Re:Don't worry, they're a swing state (Score:4, Informative)
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Yeah but that's not what's happening. Rather farmers put fertilizer out, then get hit by sudden runs of storms from either coast. Which is what happens in a lot of cases, hell we just finished having a similar problem way way way north up here in Ontario. Weather forecasts have 0% of rain for literal days, farmers go out and spray fertilizer, and surprise! Next 4 days of nothing but rain off and on.
Poor weather forecasting has a much bigger impact on fertilizer runoff then farmers "dumping" run off, on t
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https://theconversation.com/wh... [theconversation.com]
One key aspect of rehabilitating polluted lakes, rivers and estuaries is knowing whether actions are having a positive effect. This requires long-term environmental monitoring programs, which unfortunately have been scaled back in Florida and many other states due to budget cuts.
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Someone is trying to make you believe that forest fires were just as plentiful when it was lightning starting them instead of careless humans (example throwing lit cigarettes out the car window)
And they lasted just as long before humans took all the water.
How the hell is anyone so delusional?
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Did you read your own link?
If the bloom moves inshore, nutrient runoff from land may promote bloom expansion. A bloom can linger in coastal areas for days, weeks or even months.
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It will all be fixed when rising ocean levels (which of course are not happening) drown Florida.
Re:Don't worry, they're a swing state (Score:5, Interesting)
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> Who is listed as Jesus's dad on his birth certificate?
Well, since He's supposed to be the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, that'd be Himself. (Obviously, some sort of kinky time travel thing took place way back when.)
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No, no time travel involved. There was an "incident" at conception.
Re:Don't worry, they're a swing state (Score:4, Informative)
Yeah - the florida governor is able to control oceanic currents. These algae blooms happen. Ever hear of the Red Sea? Yeah - it's been called that since 2500BC for the same reasons as this algae bloom, well before any Republicans got your panties in a twist. Take off your hippie hat for a few seconds and try to think rationally.
That's not what he said. Quit the hyperbole.
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The governor cannot control the immediate problems, however with some leadership the environment of local areas can be better managed. As well if we can get enough politicians in charge who just don't hate scientists. We can have some policies around from slowing the problem.
Even as a state governor if stupid polices from the feds laxing environmental controls, your state could force stricter rules.
Re:Don't worry, they're a swing state (Score:5, Interesting)
Yes let's apply political ideology and pretend that Scott's policies regarding the discharge of waste from sugar plantations, agricultural runoff, and livestock yards are in now way connected to the Red Tides. Funny how this argument so closely parallels the climate denial meme that "the climate has always changed" therefore, ignore reality. The truth is that if it weren't for the ocean currents, Gulf Current and Florida Loop Current, the situation would be a lot worse. These tides didn't arise by blowing in from somewhere else. They arise from an overabundance of nutrients in the water, stemming largely from uncontrolled agricultural runoff. The same is true for the Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone, which results from the runoff of fertilizers used by corn farmers in the Midwest finding there way into the Mississippi River Drainage System. The reality for Scott, Floridians, and its tourist industry is that these are now going to be permanent fixtures of Florida's coastlines for years to come until the policies or the politicians are changed. Perhaps there is a bit of irony in the fact that the Red Tied trump Trump's GOP promises and delivers is not the one that the public wants.
BTW, the "Red" in Red Sea more likely refers to the direction South. The Greeks attached colors to each cardinal direction as did a number of Asiatic languages, that for South being red. The Greek Historian Herodotus used interchangeably with the name referring adjective southern. In English these cardinal colors were earlier used in similar fashion, such as the Black Sea, the White Sea and the Yellow Sea. The ancient Greeks had no knowledge of microorganisms.
As for thinking rationally, you ought to give it a try rather than mindless appeals to ideological orthodoxy. Who knows? You might look good in a hippy hat. It might even be good for your health, relative to the tin-foil hats that seem to be the rage in many GOP circles these days.
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Ever hear of the Red Sea? Yeah - it's been called that since 2500BC for the same reasons as this algae bloom‘
Same thing on the Red Planet I suppose.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yam_SuphYam Suph (Hebrew: -) has traditionally been understood to refer to the saltwater inlet ... In Jewish sources, 1 Kings 9:26 yam suph is translated as "Sea of Reeds"
===
https://www.ucg.org/the-good.../the-bible-and-archaeology-the-red-sea-or-the-reed-se...3 Jun 1997 - Others have adopted the idea that the Israelites took a central route and crossed a shallow lake north of the Red Sea called the Reed Sea
===
https://www.gotquestions.org/red-reed-sea.htmlSo the Hebrew phrase y
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Yeah - the florida governor is able to control oceanic currents. These algae blooms happen. Ever hear of the Red Sea? Yeah - it's been called that since 2500BC for the same reasons as this algae bloom, well before any Republicans got your panties in a twist. Take off your hippie hat for a few seconds and try to think rationally.
No but the Florida governor is able to encourage his legislature to use regulations, inspections and fines to control the agricultural runoff that severely aggravates algae bloom. But then again, being a free market fundamentalist like most other right wing-nuts, he's probably waiting for the free market to solve this problem or maybe he's waiting for the free market to expose it as a Chinese hoax? Whichever it is, I'm not holding my breath. As for the name of the Red Sea being due to the algae bloom, that
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Re: eh? nearly a year? (Score:1)
They did say "seasonal" which means it comes and goes. But this time it has stuck around for nearly a year which made it a state emergency.
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Nothing of this magnitude (more than 150 miles of coastline affected) has happened in recent history.
Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)
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it is not to be confused with The Red Bloom: a scourge which plagues Florida in the form of an overweight bald methamphetamine addict in a cape fashioned from a bath rug who steals urinal mints from hotel bathrooms and once consumed nearly ten kilos of frosting at a pastry factory in Tallahassee before being subdued by a combination of police dogs, tazer, and coronary artery disease.
I'm not familiar with that subspecies of Homo floridensis. Does it have a specific range? It must be a sight to see in the wild, although it's probably best to avoid observation during it's mating season.
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"I'm not familiar with that subspecies of Homo floridensis. Does it have a specific range? It must be a sight to see in the wild, "
They migrate there, usually in their seventies. They drive big Cars, Cadillacs and they feed very early in the evening, eating stuff called 'early bird special' specially prepared for them by the local population.
You can approach them very carefully, but don't spook them with political talk or they get apoplectic.
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But now he owns Mar-a-Lago, so bite it, lib.
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They don't seem to have this problem in Chicago, although they have been known to release Green dyes into the water on St. Patrick's Day. In Chicago the problem is with live grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idelle that were introduced into the Mississippi River and threaten the ecology of the Great Lakes.
Red tide? (Score:2)
You know what comes after a red tide? A red storm!
The Russians are coming!
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You know what comes after a red tide? A red storm!
The Russians are coming!
Would you say there is a Red Storm Rising?
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Wolverines!
happening for thousands of years (Score:1)
uh, these red blooms are a recurring thing
you'll find they happened in 2014, 2012, 2007, 2005.... 17th century...
so change your underwear and calm down, you alarmist tards
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no, these have been going on since algae has existed
imagining "x or y might increase the severity" without a shred of proof is just scare mongering.
seriously, these are natural. they've been going on since algae existed...for *billions* of years!
Re:happening for thousands of years (Score:5, Informative)
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other things than industrial fertilizer have been doing it too, for all of history
science indeed.
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other things than industrial fertilizer have been doing it too
Care to name the ones that are causing this particularly severe outbreak?
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This metastudy has all the resources you might need to conclude that science has in fact been done.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/p... [nih.gov]
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Yeah of course. Since humans exhale CO2 clearly my car has no impact.
Since you stubbed your toe and thus feel pain, don't criticise me when I kick you in your balls for your stupid comment.
Re:happening for thousands of years (Score:5, Informative)
That's the trouble with science (Score:2)
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no, these have been going on since algae has existed
imagining "x or y might increase the severity" without a shred of proof is just scare mongering.
seriously, these are natural. they've been going on since algae existed...for *billions* of years!
Read this news [stanford.edu]. Want more? Here [researchgate.net] is another one for you. When you said "without a shred of proof," it demonstrates that you are ignorant because there are plenty of "shred of proof" but you aren't trying to even look for one.
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hey genius, none of that speaks of blooms off Florida
first link is of bloom near mexico
2nd feature is a bunch of circles off the coast of everywhere... yes those blooms have been going on off the coast of everywhere for all time of life on post-oxygenated earth
thanks for random google spew
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Hey genius, you are the one that don't understand the issue. The problem is NOT about red tide occurrence, but it is the effect being expanded. Those links are related to explanation why, and that is related to the issue. Again, not about red tide occurrence as you attempt to mislead the whole issue.
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I have lived here (on the east coast of Florida, but with a similar problem) for all my 56 years. While we occasionally have algae blooms they're becoming more frequent, arrive earlier, and last longer. To top it off the last few years our algae blooms have been found to be toxic. I've fished and dived my entire life here in Martin County and it is getting worse each year.
The Big lake Okeechobee drains west through the Caloosahatchee canal/river to the Gulf of Mexico, and east through the St. Lucie canal/ri
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That's only partly true. The last "red tide" of this scale happened from 2004 to 2006. However, the number of dead animals on the beaches seems to be unprecedented this time, probably because the "red tide" is accompanied by a blue-green algae bloom, which is caused by a different organism, although has the same proximate cause: too much for the algae/bacteria to eat. The governor has declared a state of emergency, so even he's taking it seriously (now). Probably at least partly because of the potential
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You mean the governor is taking his election seriously, he wants to be a senator so he can help do to the country what he's done to Florida and its coastal waters.
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Yet, this "alarmist" notice is relatively warranted as the occurrence and persistence is far, far greater than has ever been recorded.
And, the toxicity of this particular strain is higher than usual.
Seems prudent to me for any intelligent species to keep both an eye on this and perhaps determine the causes and remedies.
Who's the "tard" here?
GOP's Red Tide (Score:1)
Trump has insisted that a Red Tide is coming. The Florida GOP has now gotten behind their leader to make it happen by putting in place GOP environmental policies that make will make Red Tides a permanent fixture of Florida coastlines for years to come. .
Let us offer then our hopes and prayers (Score:2)
Let us offer then our hopes and prayers then that the Blue Wave will very soon do away with the Red Tide.
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Better dead than Red. Vote Democratic and cast off the Russian puppetmaster.
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And then it all evaporates and becomes Purple Rain.
Thoughts and prayers (Score:2)
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Well golly, we should be ready for a miracle on removing the bloom any day now. Care to make any predictions for us heathens?
Sahara all over again (Score:1)
Red, smelly and dangerous... (Score:3)
The GOP jokes just write themselves.
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I agree! As a big, strong, straight, cis-male like you, I too scorn the company of women!
What are they good for anyway?
Not that it matters (Score:2)
About 80 percent of Florida will be below sea level by 2050.
Red state? (Score:2)
Crimson tide problem? (Score:2)
Maybe they should see about relocating their state farther from Alabama.
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if only it was a smelly green tide, then it would be a sign of the abroccolypse.
Red Tide every day (Score:1)
old vs new environmentalism (Score:2)
Climate change alarmists have done much disservice to the honorable cause of environmentalism.
When you shout at the top of your lungs, all day every day, "Global warming! Global cooling! Carbon! Ocean levels will rise by ten meters in a decade! The sky is falling! Reeeeeeeeeeeee!" - people start to think you're an unhinged crank.
Whereas when you say, "Hey, let's not dump industrial chemicals into the river, that might have really bad consequences" - pretty much everyone agrees.