The Indian River Lagoon is a brackish estuary system that resides on the east coast of Florida. This place is incredibly biodiverse as it is home to thousands of plant and animal species. It’s also significant to Florida’s local economy because of how it supports the state’s fishing and tourism industries (even bringing in 7 billion dollars to the Floridian economy). The Lagoon is especially important because of how it protects inland areas from storms and flooding and its ecosystem service of filtering water (via oysters).

However, this ecosystem is currently threatened. It is facing a significant amount of eutrophication from urban runoff and a nutrient overload. This causes algal blooms to occur where sunlight is prevented from reaching seagrass which is an integral component of the marine food web. This also allowed for invasive seagrass species to replace old beds and take over.

Something that we can do locally, is to pick up pet waste which contains nitrogen which can accelerate the algal blooms. Additionally we can spread awareness and educate the public of the problems that are affecting the lagoon. Once enough attention has been brought to the issue, local legislators can start taking steps to protect the ecosystem. For example, restrictions on fertilizer use, the incorporation of more septic tanks and better wastewater treatment will all prevent rapid algae blooms and heal the lagoon. 

By signing this petition, you are making a powerful statement that the Indian river lagoon must be protected. We can create a cleaner, healthier planet for ourselves and future generations.

Sign the petition and be a part of the solution.!

Thank you for your support,

Aswath Rajesh

Team Peace Warrior

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Please sign and share this petition on Change.org. Every signature counts!

https://thepeacewarrior.org/