Florida is known for it's gorgeous beaches and water in general. But, things haven't been very gorgeous for Florida's water since 2015. Algae blooms have taken over the shores every most bodies of water in southwest Florida. Minimal action is being taken, and there is a lot to blame for this outbreak of algae. One thing is for certain though, we are not doing all that we can for our water.

Lake Okeechobee is known for its swamps, weird critters and explorable nature. But now, it is known for being the start of the toxic algae blooms, caused by pollution. Which has brought extreme havoc on the ecosystem and habitats. Algae is normal in the ecosystem, isn't it? You might think that, but that is terribly wrong and it is harming everything it touches including, but not limited to, manatees, fish, birds and just about any other marine animal in these infested waters. It is decreasing the amount of oxygen in the water, causing life to be very difficult for those critters to survive. There are even zones considered to be "massive dead zones."

How did this happen? How did it spread to the west and east coast of Florida? The issue was caused by people. The historic flow of the rivers involved, Lake Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers was north to south. It now flows east to west, because Florida government changed the flow of the rivers. Governor Rick Scott supervised the change of the flow, but he did not predict the winter rains that flooded southwest Florida and caused the algae blooms to expand.

Who is to blame? Most fingers point to the sugar industry, Big Sugar, as the culprit of the crime. But they're being protected by the government. The government receives donations from the sugar industries, who control the water infrastructures, which allows them to be immune to the consequences. They are being rewarded while our environment is being torn apart by something that could have easily been prevented.

Barely anything is being done in the clean-up of the algae and sending aid to the ecosystems affected. There are a few organizations who continuously fight for the environment and have created a petition to raise awareness for our water. They are working around the clock to bring awareness to everyone and get more people involved. The government cannot ignore the voices of many.

Something needs to be done to protect our waters. It is harming animals, plants and humans. I have seen it with my own eyes, the effects of the algae blooms. Dead fished washed up on the river I call my home, and little is being done to change it. Do not ignore the problem that is very real and true. Educate yourself on the algae blooms that have already ruined enough of our waters and learn how you can help.

Learn more about the algae blooms and what you could do for our marine life here: http://gladesdeclaration.org

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it's not."