Ocean dead zones & agricultural phosphorus.

What we do on land impacts the ocean. Fleece blankets and clothing add to microplastics in the ocean - washing in a special fabric bag keeps the microplastic out of the wash water.

We have a shared paradise with limited resources. The more we can ration the limited resources the more will remain later. We can hope for technological innovation but without it in hand we are only wishing.

For washing fleecy laundry, we have an innovation from the clothing company Patagonia - Guppyfriend Microplastic Washing Bags. Put the fleecy throw blanket or jacket into the microfine mesh bag and seal it before laundering. The bag acts as a filter to retain microplastic from the fleece fabric. (patagonia.com)

There is an estimated 25 years of bioactive phosphorus left for fertilizer type of use in the US, and more elsewhere on Earth, estimated to last 300-400 years. (1)

Precious. Slideshow - ‘Pick up litter’ - a collection of image collages: (canva.com).

• *This article was initially posted on March 17, 2020 on earth-ocean.info and I didn’t know about the cyclical cataclysm issue that we seem to be facing this generation (pole shift). It was half of this article Aether Theory - Our Ticket to Outer Space? (deNutrients.substack) but that seemed too long ;-) and two separate topics. Aside, I gave you all the weekend off because I was making your Christmas present - stay tuned!

The ‘fact’ of the planet having a low supply of bioactive phosphorus has been argued with me recently online - I’m not sure about what I might not know. A debunking article says we have about 300 years supply of bioactive phosphorus left on Earth for current usage rates.

• Why does the myth of ‘global phosphate shortage’ still exist?, 08. 31. 2017, (agchemigroup.eu). Three hundred years is not much of a supply over time - so it doesn’t seem like a myth if we expect human civilization to be an ongoing thing.

The greatest change we need to make is from consumption to production.

Switching now to more traditional farming methods would conserve bioactive phosphorus better and improved recycling of bioactive phosphorus would be better for coastal ocean water and life. Agricultural run-off of fertilizer excess and other chemicals is increasing acidity in the ocean and adding to the growing areas of no or low oxygen, which have been called “ocean dead zones”.

Phosphorus fertilizers made with fossil fuels tend to run off into ground water and wash out into the ocean. The excess can cause an overgrowth of algae which uses up the fertilizer and dies eventually. Decomposition bacteria use up oxygen in the water while consuming the algae. Switching to traditional composted manure and leftover plant material would recycle phosphorus back into the soil instead of having the fossil fuel-based phosphorus fertilizer that tends to run off into ground water supplies.

Rice paddies I think. Tiering hilly land for farming helps reduce erosion and can increase the amount of usable crop acreage.

Farming with organic composted fertilizers can be done on more small-scale container gardens located throughout urban areas. The extra containers can collect excess rainwater and reduce risk of flooding of urban drainage systems. Porous patio and parking area coverings also help drain rapid flooding rain or melting snow into the ground rather than overfilling drainage systems.

Repairing coastal health with planting of sea grasses and mangrove trees would be helpful along with mussel aqua-farming to use up the extra nutrients of fertilizer runoff in a more useful way. Returning oxygen to the low oxygen areas in deeper water and the coastal regions is also needed to help restore life in the ocean. (Map of the low oxygen areas of the ocean *on earth-ocean.info.)

Ocean dead zones are visible. Colorful algae can’t grow without enough oxygen, they die, and then decomposition bacteria use up any remaining oxygen consuming the dead algae. Ocean dead zone near African coast shows lowest oxygen levels ever recorded, (inhabitat.com) There are dead zones along all coastal areas. Acidic run-off from farm-land or industrial waste into coastal ocean water is part of the risk for dead zones forming.

Removing plastic from the ocean and reducing how much we add to it are also needs which are being worked on by many teams around the world. Large nets placed along rivers and dams has been found to be very successful at catching plastic waste before it floats out to sea. Humans still need to periodically empty the nets of the accumulated trash though, or the water way will clog.

We love clean beaches & sea turtles. Slideshow - ‘Pick up litter’ - a collection of image collages: (canva.com).

The ocean is very large, and many more teams are needed to help keep it clean or to clean up the growing floating island of garbage. Microplastic is in our food and in our water, not just in ocean water. It is raining odd blue jelly balls in some areas now, which seems to be a plastic polymer that absorbs water extremely well, like plastics used in diapers.

• More information about changes that could help make agriculture more sustainable for the future and the current water supply is available in a report, see the link in the following article: "Transforming Food Systems: Today's Realities and Tomorrow's Challenges," Inter Press Service.

• The impact of agricultural practices on the oceans is discussed in the first World Ocean Review. More recent reports cover aspects of ocean health and resources in more detail. The World Ocean Review provides summary and in depth reports on the oceans and coastal regions, fishing, and mineral resources, and impact by climate change and human use. WorldOceanReview.com.

• More information about algae overgrowth is available in chapter 2 How the Sea Serves Us of the World Ocean Review 4.

• Slideshow - ‘Pick up litter’ - a collection of image collages: (canva.com).

Slideshow - ‘Pick up litter’ - a collection of image collages: (canva.com).

Disclaimer: This information is being provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of Fair Use and is not intended to provide individual health guidance.