Send It 4 The Sea targets Biscayne Bay, Part 2 (includes video story)

Construction sites have been dumping production waste into Miami’s bay for many years. This has ultimately led to contamination of the water in the bay, making it unsafe for human use and even more dangerous for animals that call it home. The problem is virtually unregulated and easily ignored.

Whenever construction waste is dumped into the water, it creates a cloud of silt. This blocks out all light, making it hard for seagrass to complete the photosynthetic process. As the seagrass dies off, the level of oxygen in the water decreases, which can eventually lead to the complete loss of life of the bio-habitat.

For part 1 in this series, click here.

The waste also usually has toxic chemicals and organic matter that are harmful to wildlife. Professor of marine biology and ecology Larry Brand stated that “as the organic matter decays, it uses up the oxygen in the water… once you’ve used up the oxygen, everything in the water dies.” 

Send It 4 The Sea, a non-profit organization that works towards environmental change, focuses on advocating and raising awareness on the contamination of trash affecting marine ecosystems. 

From now on, any constructions that are caught discharging waste into the water will be forced to shut down until resolving the issue. After receiving countless complaints in recent weeks, the City of Miami is finally being held accountable for keeping its waters clean. 

Rebecca Morales is a Broadcast Journalism student also pursuing a minor in Psychology. She is passionate about Communications because it holds a powerful voice through writing and expression. After her studies, she wants to begin a career at a local news station.