Battling Water Pollution at Beaches

Battling Water Pollution at Beaches

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Introduction:

Beaches are actually sanctuaries where leisure and recreation can take place on a beach but now, they are rapidly becoming a field of battle against pollution with the waste created by human activities. It is estimated that sewage overflows. Ground drains are among the sources that contribute to the water pollution of the beaches, causing risks to public health and the environment. The EPA had to step up after this and the Beach program that they started was to minimize harm that waterborne illnesses can cause and ensure ecosystems are protected.

Activity 1: Water quality tracking

The EPA's website offers a "Beach" homepage from where I selected the link for either "Find Your Beach" or "Your Beach's Information List" to identify the nearest beach. However, as I learned, the state where the beach is located is sharing this information. They also observed pronounced fluctuations in the sampling frequency, as more beaches were monitored regularly, yet some lacked consistent oversight.

Was an advisory issued?

Yes, advisories were indeed released, as a result of the polluted water that could affect water users with various health risks.

Was your beach closed?

Sometimes the beaches were shut down especially for the security of the public from exposed water.

Activity 2: Getting to the roots of Beach pollution.

Before reading the information at this site, were you aware of the problem (if there was one) at the beach you chose to examine?

After scrutinizing the FAQs on Beach Water and examining the Beachgoer’s Guide, I have learnt that the sources of beach pollution and its consequences on the health are major factors in beach pollution. Before searching for this information, I was partially cognizant about the pollution circumstances plaguing the beach where I examined. Yet, the chapters somehow helped me gain the depth of knowledge about the factors and consequences of pollution.

Do you think all pollution issues at beaches get reported? Why or why not?

No, only limited problems at beach related to pollution are reported. Many elements, including lack of good monitoring infrastructure, regulatory loopholes and lack of public understanding, are the causes of underreporting them. To it can also happen that politics and business suppress the disclosure of environmental full disclosure.

What are at least creative ways that social media could be used more effectively to monitor pollution at beaches?

Social media platforms provide the necessary mechanism and channel for the engagement of communities and the increase in awareness about beach pollution.

Crowdsourced Data Collection: Launch specific hashtags or online platforms where the public who are near the beach can report pollution sightings in real-time. Such a collaborative approach allows for active engagement of the community and facilitates quick action against pollution events.

Geotagged Photo Campaigns: Endeavor to stimulate beach visitors to record and disseminate geotagged photos of the beach pollution symptoms such as trash, algal blooms, or other pollution symptoms. Geo-tagging of the posts allows authorities to narrow down the problematic areas and aestheticize the clean-up process.

Virtual Reality (VR) Tours: Recreate VR simulations illustrating that the pollution on beaches and marine ecosystems is impactful. This type of virtual tours can be shared on social media as a means of leadership and education among a global audience.

Influencer Partnerships: Work together with social media influencers and celebrities in propagating a call for beach pollution awareness and remedies. With the help of their following and platforms, influencers of different kinds can attract many audiences and initiate lifestyle or behavioral change.

In conclusion, water pollution is a severe threat to the livehood of beaches and the health of beachgoers. Through social media and community involvement, we can heighten pollution scrutiny, enlighten the public, and mobilize everyone to keep our precious coastal areas pristine. Together, let us endeavor to achieve the cleaner, safer beaches that give us the opportunity to enjoy the present as well as the future generations.

References

EPA (2024) https://www.epa.gov/beaches/find-information-about-particular-us-beach