Tips for at-home reduction of eutrophication
Many people view eutrophication as an issue that mainly needs to be dealt with by corporations and municipalities. While this may be true, there are a variety of measures that one can take at home to limit their own contribution to the eutrophication of surrounding waterways:
-
-
- Use a fertilizer that does not contain phosphorus on your lawn.
- Instead of throwing away grass clippings or sweeping them onto the street, leave them on your lawn so that they do not get washed down into sewers.
- Similarly, don’t sweep leaves and other organic matter into the street. Try and leave it on the ground to decay naturally.
- Clean up after your pets so that their waste does not seep into the ground and nearby water sources.
- Reduce sprinkler and hose usage on your lawn to prevent runoff.
-
Tips for contributions as citizens for Eutrophication
-
- It’s always important to stay up-to-date on environmental policy in your state and be an active citizen. Call your local representative, join local political organizations, and inform your fellow citizens about policy related to eutrophication in Michigan.
-
- Here’s a great resource to stay informed:
Shopping practices to reduce Eutrophication
There are also ways to reduce eutrophication when at the grocery store. Here are a few tips:
-
-
- Shop organic foods. The processes used to farm these foods will utilize fewer chemicals that contribute to nutrient pollution.
- Keep an eye out for U of M’s Campus Garden and what they are doing around campus.
- Campus Garden Volunteer Opportunities: https://mbgna.umich.edu/volunteer/
- Shop organic foods. The processes used to farm these foods will utilize fewer chemicals that contribute to nutrient pollution.
-
-
-
- Shopping local is a great way to get food that contributes less to nutrient pollution than larger industrial farm operations.
- The Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market takes place on Saturdays January through April from 8-3.
- https://a2farmersmarket.org/
- Shopping local is a great way to get food that contributes less to nutrient pollution than larger industrial farm operations.
-
-
-
- Purchase foods that come from crops that are less water intensive. These crops’ farming practices will have less eutrophication-associated runoff.
- Beans, tomatoes and melons are examples of plants that don’t require too much water.
- Corn, asparagus, and mangoes are plants that are particularly water intensive. Additionally, animal products like pork, chicken and dairy are generally more water intensive than their plant-based counterparts.
- Purchase foods that come from crops that are less water intensive. These crops’ farming practices will have less eutrophication-associated runoff.
-
Image citations:
- Lawn images: http://diy.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/diy/fullset/2014/2/25/0/fertilizing-the-lawn_h.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.jpeg; https://diy.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/diy/fullset/2014/2/25/0/TS_92471795_Automatic_Lawn_Sprinkler_h.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1420703236579.jpeg
- Legislation image: http://voiceofdetroit.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Michigan-state-legislature.jpg
- Produce image: https://ybertaud9.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/organic-produce.jpg
