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To the Editor:
I’m a proud Floridian. I grew up watching Miami Heat games and cheering on the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium.
On weekends, I would go to the beach. Sandcastles, jellyfish, sea turtles, I’ve seen it all.
You would think that having our football mascot named after a marine animal would make us Floridians more aware of the state of our beaches, but many of us might be unaware of the seaweed epidemic that haunts our beaches and shores right now.
Sargassum, a thick brown seaweed, can be seen washed up on the shore of many beaches, stretching more than 5,000 miles on the shore. Research shows that more than 10 million tons of seaweed —enough to fill nearly 3,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools — have hit Florida beaches in recent years.
The University of South Florida’s oceanography lab finds that this number continues to double every month from November to January. Scientists speculate this enormous seaweed influx is being accelerated due to climate change, specifically a shift in ocean currents.
Melting glaciers caused by fossil fuels and other warming gases have allowed sargassum to reproduce at record speed.
The seaweed epidemic hinders Florida’s tourism industry, disrupting visitors’ vacations.
Florida Gov. Ron Desantis notes that tourism contributes $333 million to Florida’s economy per day, and a tourism survey shows that 39 percent of tourists come to Florida specifically for its beaches.
The presence of seaweed on beaches may not only make it uncomfortable for tourists and locals like myself to swim, but it also is shown to irritate skin upon contact, according to the Florida Department of Health. Additionally, the presence of large amounts of seaweed releases methane and hydrogen sulfide, which has a foul smell and can cause respiratory problems.
Cleaning up sargassum is both challenging and costly, with cleanup costs surpassing $120 million in 2018. This is the equivalent of buying over 120 luxury homes. Over 1,600 dump trucks per day were needed to remove the seaweed. Even once the seaweed was loaded into trucks, disposal still posed an issue, as there was no place to get rid of such large amounts.
Some may think that seaweed is an integral part of the ocean, serving as a habitat and a source of food for animals. It is true that seaweed was not always a problem. In 2011, the amount of seaweed washing up on shores was considered beneficial to marine ecosystems because it served as both food and shelter. Additionally, seaweed absorbs carbon dioxide from the ocean water, which protects shelled animals from ocean acidification.
However, the vast amount of seaweed being released into the beach in recent years sucks oxygen from water and suffocates the sea creatures, making it a problem that should be addressed immediately.
Therefore, we must mitigate the rapid growth of seaweed and take action as a community.
I believe that the fastest way in which we fight this problem is by addressing it from its root, and that starts with changing our behavior to be more climate conscious and aware of our environment.
A great way to start is by taking advantage of our amazing public transportation system. The Brightline, a new high-speed passenger train system, now has daily trips between Miami and Orlando. Take advantage of this resource when planning your next Disney World trip. If you’re looking to spend the day in Miami, take advantage of the Miami Trolley public transportation system. It’s free!
Additionally, get involved in cleaning our beaches from both excess seaweed and other debris that may be contaminating our environment. Beach cleanup organizations such as Clean Miami Beach and Island Huggers are always looking for more volunteers. Follow the instagram @cleanmiamibeach for more information on how to sign up and become a volunteer.
Leenoy Gazit
Leenoy Gazit is a student at Cornell University studying healthcare policy. He was born and raised in Miami.
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