Imagine diving into the crystal-clear waters offshore of Miami, only to find yourself surrounded by a scene of devastation. A moonscape. The water, once teeming with life, is clouded with sediment, and vibrant coral reefs are now buried beneath a layer of sand. This is the grim reality made manifest by the PortMiami dredging project that occurred from 2013 to 2015. The project resulted in catastrophic damage to adjacent coral reefs, triggering legal action by Miami Waterkeeper and co-plaintiffs. Despite the dredging company’s initial attempts to downplay the environmental impact, subsequent scientific research uncovered extensive coral mortality, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has now released a report that supports our finding that millions of corals were likely killed and at least 278 acres of the Florida Reef Tract were severely impacted.
Positive news
Back in 2018, more than 50,000 metric tons of sewage-smelling sargassum seaweed overran the coast of Mexico, reportedly stemming from high levels of nitrogen in the sea — the result of agricultural runoff and deforestation. Instead of focusing only on a shoreline in crisis, local gardener Omar de Jesús Vazquez Sánchez saw the opportunity for an innovative solution, grinding fine, dried sargassum into resilient construction bricks, or “sargablocks”. Since 2014, over 40 homes have been built with these bricks! 🧱 | Source: Insider Business
