​The Climate Change – HAB Link

Warm winters, cool spring, hot summer.... enter nutrients. When climate change and spring runoff coincide, Harmful Algae Blooms are just round the corner. Flooding that flushes agricultural runoff down watershed blended with ever-increasing post-treatment human nutrient load pretty much guarantees that harmful algae blooms (HABs) are on their way. They are coming despite the pandemic slow-down other sectors experience. All the primary nutrient sources are still in place despite our historical stay-at-home strategy. And, although our carbon emissions are lower than before the pandemic, climate change is still marching on!

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But there is a silver lining to the pandemic. Our action team, and our six current manufacturers around the planet, all note increased awareness of nature’s susceptibility to these human impacts. It may be because many of us have had quiet time over the last two months. Time to think. Time to contemplate what’s important. But people are in action mode, and are looking for natural solutions to environmental pressure points, like HABs.

HAB’s are a hidden source of climate disruption. If they are not treated or prevented, they use up all the oxygen in water. We all know by now that HABs can kill pets and even humans; we have recently learned that they emit potent greenhouse gases, even more disruptive to the atmosphere than carbon. Gases such as methane and nitrous oxide are up to 300 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.

Water Resource Recovery (WaterRR) offers a beautiful strategy with which to intercept nutrients before they become HABs. We position BioHaven Floating Islands in strategic locations, like wastewater lagoons, stormwater ponds and inflow points on lakes, where the islands intercept nutrients in front of cyanobacteria and filamentous algae. We capture those nutrients. This is a pure and elegant form of climate action.

I am CEO of Floating Island International and WaterRR. Let’s move towards sustainable water, transition water, the liquid of life. Water can be beautiful again!

Fish Fry Lake where I live, and dozens of lakes in northern Wisconsin, like Kiss Lake, Joy Lake, and Chippewa Flowage, they’ve all shown me this. It’s like a classroom where the teacher, nature, can be a hard ass, but we end up loving her! Because she gives us beauty as long as we team with her. As long as we partner with her. As long as we act, and step into stewardship.

If you have taken the trouble to read this, thank you. You are a cog in this wheel. You are vital, and only with you and our collective willingness to act can we succeed. Now is the time. Send us a message. Let us know where the pressure points are. Where will the HABs happen, and who is responsible for that water! Reach out to us, and become part of a natural, chemical-free, sustainable solution!

Act now: email me, or call me