Wordless Wednesday

While visiting family in New Haven last week, my husband and I made a kid-friendly adventure at Lighthouse Point, a beautiful park on the central basin of the Long Island Sound.

Connecticut locals have various opinions about swimming in the water because of the toll of industrial communities on the Sound.  In recent years, water quality is improving, however, there are still high levels of nitrogen as well as hypoxia (low levels of oxygen), other toxic substances, and “adverse ecological effects” for bottom-water habitats.

According to the National Estuary Coastal Condition Report from 2007, toxic substances enter the Long Island sound from manufacturing, household cleaning and pest control substances, and automobile and power plant emissions.  Below I have included a list from the Environmental Protection Agency about what we can do to protect our oceans and water supplies:

• Conserve water in your daily life.
• Don’t be wasteful: reduce, re-use, and recycle every day.
• Pick up trash, participate in trash clean-up days.
• Cut the rings of plastic six-pack holders. Aquatic life and birds can become entangled in them.
• Don’t litter – streets and storm drains empty into rivers and streams that lead to our coasts.
• Choose non-toxic products for household use.
• Choose products carefully: avoid excess packaging.
• Dispose of household and yard chemicals properly; read their labels.
• Minimize use of fertilizers and pesticides on your yard.
• Make sure your septic system is operating properly;
• Respect your sewer system – don’t pour toxic wastes, chemicals, or any medications down the toilet.
• Remember gutters and storm drains deliver water and contaminants to streams, rivers, and eventually the ocean.
• Maintain your boats, cars, and other heavy equipment to reduce oil leaks.
• Do not dump petroleum products, including oil down storm drains; recycle used motor oil.
• When visiting coral reefs, do not touch living coral.