EUTROPHICATION (NUTRIENT POLLUTION) SOLUTIONS REVIEW

BEST POLICIES&

REAL FIXES

THE WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE

• WRI’S MISSION:• IS TO MOVE HUMAN SOCIETY TO LIVE IN WAYS THAT PROTECT EARTH’S

ENVIRONMENT AND ITS CAPACITY TO PROVIDE FOR THE NEEDS OF CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.

• MEASURE SUCCESS THROUGH REAL CHANGE ON THE GROUND. OUR APPROACH INVOLVES THREE ESSENTIAL STEPS: COUNT IT, CHANGE IT, AND SCALE IT (GLOBALLY).

7 RECOMMENDATIONS ARE LISTED FOR POLICY MAKERS TO PREVENT OR FIX

NUTRIENT POLLUTION1. STUDY AND CONTINUOUSLY MONITOR EFFECTS OF NUTRIENT POLLUTION

TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEMS

• 2. RAISE AWARENESS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND POLICYMAKERS ABOUT THE ISSUE

7 RECOMMENDATIONS ARE LISTED FOR POLICY MAKERS TO PREVENT OR FIX

NUTRIENT POLLUTION

• 3. INPUT REGULATIONS THAT REQUIRE BETTER WATER QUALITY STANDARDS, A MAXIMUM ALLOWANCE OF POLLUTION, OR REQUIRED UPDATED TECHNOLOGY FOR DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES THAT CAUSE NUTRIENT POLLUTION

7 RECOMMENDATIONS ARE LISTED FOR POLICY MAKERS TO PREVENT OR FIX

NUTRIENT POLLUTION

• 4. ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, BUSINESSES, AND INDUSTRIES TO AVOID BAD BEHAVIOR OR PRACTICES THROUGH ECONOMIC/FINANCIAL INCENTIVES LIKE:• POSITIVE STRATEGIES WHERE GOOD BEHAVIOR RESULTS IN GAINING A FINANCIAL

REWARD LIKE REDUCED TAXES OR A GRANT• NEGATIVE STRATEGIES WHERE BAD BEHAVIOR IS PUNISHED THROUGH

FINANCIAL/ECONOMIC MEANS LIKE A FINE OR EXTRA TAXES

7 RECOMMENDATIONS ARE LISTED FOR POLICY MAKERS TO PREVENT OR FIX

NUTRIENT POLLUTION

• 5. PRESERVE AND RESTORE NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS THAT NATURALLY CAPTURE AND RECYCLE NUTRIENTS

7 RECOMMENDATIONS ARE LISTED FOR POLICY MAKERS TO PREVENT OR FIX

NUTRIENT POLLUTION

• COORDINATE ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS OR INSTITUTIONS INVOLVED, SO THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER AND EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE – ESPECIALLY WHEN MANY GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS WITH SEPARATE AUTHORITIES ARE INVOLVED

7 RECOMMENDATIONS ARE LISTED FOR POLICY MAKERS TO PREVENT OR FIX

NUTRIENT POLLUTION

• TAKE ADVANTAGE OF POLICIES THAT WOULD FIX MULTIPLE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AT ONCE THROUGH THE SAME SOLUTION TO MAXIMIZE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS.

7 RECOMMENDATIONS ARE LISTED FOR POLICY MAKERS TO PREVENT OR FIX

NUTRIENT POLLUTION

STRATEGIES TO ACCOMPLISH SOME OF THE WRI’S RECOMMENDATIONS THROUGH

• NEW POLICY AND LAW• TECHNOLOGICAL OR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IMPROVEMENTS• MONEY TO ASSIST WITH CHANGING PREVIOUS BEHAVIOR OR METHODS• ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT BASED ON ECOSYSTEM SCIENCE

STRATEGIES TO FIX OR PREVENT NUTRIENT POLLUTION FROM AGRICULTURE

• BUFFER STRIPS• VEGETATION BUFFERS ARE STRIPS OF LAND WITH PERMANENT VEGETATION DESIGNED

TO INTERCEPT STORM-WATER RUNOFF AND MINIMIZE SOIL EROSION. BUFFERS CAN REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF SEDIMENT AND POLLUTANTS CARRIED BY RUNOFF TO NEARBY LAKES, WETLANDS, OR STREAMS.

• WINTER COVER CROPS CROPS PLANTED IN THE FALL CAN CAPTURE NITROGEN LEFT OVER FROM THE SUMMER CROP BEFORE IT CAN BE WASHED INTO THE SURROUNDING WATERSHED BY FALL AND WINTER RAINS OR SPRING SNOWMELT. THE NEXT CROP CAN USE THE CAPTURED NITROGEN WHEN THE COVER CROP IS KILLED PRIOR TO SPRING PLANTING. SOME GRAIN CROPS SUCH AS WINTER WHEAT CAN ALSO BE PLANTED IN THE FALL.

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STRATEGIES TO FIX OR PREVENT NUTRIENT POLLUTION FROM AGRICULTURE

• PRECISION FARMING NEW GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) TECHNOLOGIES ALLOW FARMERS TO VARY THE RATE OF FERTILIZER APPLICATION ACROSS A GIVEN FIELD PRECISELY, TAILORING THE AMOUNT APPLIED TO A PARTICULAR PORTION OF A FIELD TO THE AMOUNT NEEDED BY THE PLANTS GROWING THERE.

STRATEGIES TO FIX OR PREVENT NUTRIENT POLLUTION FROM AGRICULTURE

• CONSERVATION TILLAGE IS ANY METHOD OF SOIL CULTIVATION THAT LEAVES THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S CROP RESIDUE (SUCH AS CORN STALKS OR WHEAT STUBBLE) ON FIELDS BEFORE AND AFTER PLANTING THE NEXT CROP, TO REDUCE SOIL EROSION AND RUNOFF.

STRATEGIES TO FIX OR PREVENT NUTRIENT POLLUTION FROM AGRICULTURE

• NEXT GENERATION BIOFUELS BIOFUELS DEVELOPED WITH SWITCHGRASS AND OTHER PERENNIAL CROPS STORE NITROGEN IN THEIR ROOTS OVER WINTER AND THUS REQUIRE LESS NITROGEN FERTILIZER, AND THEY CAN ALSO CAPTURE SOIL NITROGEN OVER A GREATER PART OF THE YEAR THAN CAN ANNUAL CROPS.

STRATEGIES TO FIX OR PREVENT NUTRIENT POLLUTION FROM AGRICULTURE

• NITROPLAST RE-ENGINEERING THE PROCESSES IN BACTERIA THAT USE SOLAR ENERGY TO DRIVE NITROGEN FIXATION, WILL THEN ALLOW THE PROCESS TO BE DONE INSIDE PLANTS THEMSELVES AND THUS REDUCE THE NEED FOR ARTIFICIAL FERTILIZERS BY ENABLING CROPS TO FIX THEIR OWN NITROGEN.

STRATEGIES TO FIX OR PREVENT NUTRIENT POLLUTION FROM AGRICULTURE

• ORGANIC FERTILIZERS ORGANIC FERTILIZERS MUST BE BROKEN DOWN BY MICROBES IN THE SOIL BEFORE A PLANT CAN ABSORB THE NUTRIENTS IT CONTAINS RESULTING IN A SLOW AND MANAGEABLE RELEASE OF NUTRIENTS. ORGANIC FERTILIZERS ARE COMPOSED OF NATURAL INGREDIENTS, AND ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE LONG TERM BENEFITS TO THE ENVIRONMENT.  ORGANIC FERTILIZERS ARE APT TO IMPROVE SOIL STRUCTURE AND ECOSYSTEMS DO NOT RUN THE RISK OF CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION DUE TO THEIR USE.

STRATEGIES TO FIX OR PREVENT NUTRIENT POLLUTION FROM AGRICULTURE