Sustainability Problem:
- Nitrogen runoff from agricultural use, as well as other pollutants, is flooding major rivers and large bodies of water.
- Pollution creates hypoxic conditions, which fosters algae blooms and further destroys the aquaculture.
- This deadly combination impacts drinking water, recreational use of the shoreline, kills marine life and creates human health hazards.
- South Florida has been in the news for toxic algae blooms that are causing health and environmental damage to coastal areas.
FAQs on Manmade Floating Islands:
- Manmade floating islands are built using a recycled polymer mesh to support aquatic-friendly plant life. The roots are submerged in water to help filter pollution, cleanse toxins, and absorb the excess nitrogen before it can create algae blooms.
- Local plants are selected to ensure viability and self-sustenance.
- Floating islands are anchored in bodies of water, large rivers, and offshore to clean waterways and recreate wetland areas.
- Mimicking mangrove forests, which are quickly disappearing due to habitat loss, rising water, and warming oceans, the islands create several solutions:
- Micro-environments that support plant life used to clean the air and water through natural processes;
- Above the waterline: a habitat for migrating birds, turtles, reptiles, and other species;
- Below the waterline: a marine habitat supporting fish and related marine species.
Stakeholders:
- Coastal and lakeside communities
- Manufacturers of manmade islands
- Agriculture
- Marine life and aquaculture
- Mammals who breathe air
Deployment:
- The implementation of manmade floating islands is a global multi-million dollar industry. However, wider-scale use is required to have a more pronounced effect.
- Cost and custom-build time are determined by size and complexity.
- Islands can take only a few weeks to months to mature, and are self-sustaining.
- Continued adoption of manmade islands to reduce water pollution, improve air quality, and create new habitats for birds and marine life.
Resources:
- Artificial Floating Islands: Creating Artificial Ecosystems for Habitat Restoration
- Biello, “Fertilizer in Runoff Overwhelms Streams and Rivers—Creating Vast Dead Zones”, Scientific American, March 14, 2008
- Midwest Floating Island
- “Reeking, Oozing Algae Closes South Florida Beaches”, U.S. Geological Survey
- Neuhaus, “Reeking, Oozing Algae Closes South Florida Beaches,” The New York Times, July 1, 2016