“Environment is no one’s property to destroy; it’s everyone’s responsibility to protect.” Mohith Agadi
Clinging to a snag in a saltmarsh in coastal Mobile County, an egret surveys his kingdom. (Look for tiny white dot in the middle of the picture.)
Daily choices have consequences for the environment. For example, runoff from lawns and gardens can carry toxic chemicals that harm wildlife in the above saltmarsh. Herbicides and pesticides should be used judiciously, if at all. Look for environmentally friendly choices and read all labels carefully.
One may say, “I don’t live near a saltmarsh, so what does that have to do with me?”Everyone lives in an area of land called a watershed, meaning that all water that flows across or under that area travels to the lowest body of water. For a large part of Alabama that body of water would be Mobile Bay. So one doesn’t have to live near Mobile Bay to affect it.
Too many of Alabama’s citizens are not aware of something called non-point source pollution. NPS is water and air pollution that comes from many sources (diffuse or dispersed) such as runoff. A more easily identified source of pollution is called single source, such as a pipe from a factory. A picture is worth a thousand words, so take a look at this article to help identify common non-point sources .
An example of a watershed can be found at this link. It’s not an Alabama watershed, but you’ll get the idea. The next time you’re out and about, look for those signs that identify the creek or stream to where the water flows in an area. These signs are little reminders that all water travels to larger and larger bodies of water and eventually into saltmarshes, bays, gulfs, and oceans-even the water in storm drains goes there too. So you see, we all have a responsibility to protect the environment, because we all affect the environment.
