Regarding “The heat is on: Warming water threatens aquatic life in Chesapeake Bay region” (Jan 18): As a Maryland resident who is deeply concerned about the impacts of climate change and global warming, I appreciate this article and the opportunity it serves in providing education about preserving our local natural resources and marine life. However, I was disappointed the article ignored the significant role animal agriculture plays in harming the watershed. We can’t discuss climate change, and therefore increasing water temperatures, without acknowledging one of the biggest culprits and ways to prevent further damage.
Animal agriculture, meaning the breeding and raising of animals (e.g. cows, pigs, chickens, ducks, sheep) for the primary purpose of raising food and other products for human use, is one of the leading causes of climate change (some experts would argue it’s the number one cause). Why? In addition to the massive amounts of CO2 and methane emissions from these animals, manure runoffloaded with nitrogen and phosphorus finds its way to streams, rivers, bays, and oceans, despite agricultural regulations. In turn, this “fertilizer” feeds and causes the overgrowth of blue-green algae, which results in massive loss of oxygen in the water, creating “dead zones.” In these dead zones, marine life is unable to survive. As a result, this also has an impact on our beautiful shore birds as well, who rely on the aquatic ecosystem for food.
Think about it: 94% of global non-human mammal biomass is livestock. That’s a lot of poop! It saddens me to also mention that a section of the Chesapeake Bay was one of the first dead zones ever identified (in the 1970s).
To effectively restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay region, and help prevent key marine biodiversity loss, transition policies and programs must be enacted to help animal agriculture farmers switch to climate-smart, plant-based crop production that is lucrative and beneficial for all. In addition to all fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and grains, commodities such as hazelnuts, chickpeas, oats, and hemp are in particularly high demand as consumers are gravitating to healthier, less expensive animal-free foods. As the 2023 Farm Bill is currently being drafted on Capitol Hill, now is a prime time for Senators Cardin and Van Hollen, Representative Hoyer, and the community to encourage legislation that helps farmers while creating a healthier planet.
Sincerely,
Alissa Kircher
Sources:
- EPA: Estimated Animal Agriculture Nitrogen and Phosphorus from Manure
- Our World in Data: Environmental Impacts of Food Production
- BBC: The Search for Carbon-Neutral Protein
- Yale University: Climate Change and the American Diet
- National Geographic: Dead Zone
- Investigate Midwest: Warming Winters are Increasing Fertilizer Runoff and Polluting Waterways, a New Study Finds
- Civil Eats: Methane from Agriculture is a Big Problem. We Explain Why.
- Baltimore Sun: Don’t Blame Government for Chesapeake Bay Pollution…
- EPA: The Sources and Solutions: Agriculture
- Civil Eats: New Research Shows Dangerous Levels of ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Freshwater Fish
