After living in the Florida Keys for many years and experiencing the culture and the beauty that comes from the chain of islands off the tip of Florida, it has become my favorite place in the world.
One of the most amazing things about the Keys is the coral reefs. The beautiful fish, the colorful coral and the warm clear water make it an unforgettable place.
However, the coral reefs are steadily losing their beauty. A visitor of Key West made a comment on www.ecofloridamag.com about declining beauty and color of the reefs.
The Web site responded to the user’s comment by explaining the loss of color vibrancy and the white and gray spots in the coral as the results of natural causes and as man made issues such as “poor water quality due to sewage that is dumped from boats and coastal cities, fertilizer runoff from coastal lawns and gas and oil spills, causing algae to grow in the corals, direct damage to coral from divers, fishermen, boaters, storms and over-fishing.”
In fact, the white and gray spots called coral bleaching, are a direct result of greenhouse gas emissions that warm the surface of the ocean.
The Keys depend on the coral reefs for 8,000 jobs and $106 million in income, and the estimated economic value of the reef itself is $7.6 billion.
The coral reefs are very important to the economy of the Florida Keys. Without them, the Keys would lose breeding grounds and nurseries for numerous types of fish as well as tourism money.
Think about it, would you want to visit the Keys or any other tropical vacation spot, pay money to be taken out on a boat, rent snorkeling gear and an underwater camera only to see a dull and uninspiring coral reef system? I would not.
The environment of a city or community is very important to the survival of the community itself. The Keys are a prime example of the reliance on the environment for survival.
The Florida Keys need a healthy coral reef system to keep tourists and jobs for the community. Even here in Clarksville, the environment is important; we need a clean city with plenty of grass, flowers and trees in order to appeal to potential residents.
On a bad day, the stench of the river can overwhelm the entire downtown area, in turn taking away from the many great restaurants and shops Clarksville has to offer.
A more considerate outlook needs to be present in the minds of tourists and locals alike in these areas. I don’t believe many people realize how important living green and taking care of our environment is.
Not only is it good for our earth, but also fundamental to the economy and well-being of our communities.
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