The Harmful Effects of Toxic Algae Blooms

“Some cyanobacteria, produce toxins that can harm humans, fish, and other animals. Under certain conditions, algae populations can grow explosively – a spectacle known as an algal bloom, which can cover hundreds of square kilometers.” The toxic algae outbreak led to the deaths of tens of thousands of fish-people. “Experts are saying the die-off may be due to a harmful algae bloom, a toxin that is lethal to fish and other marine life, and as they spread, it decays and depletes the water of oxygen, leading the fish to suffocate.” Besides their detrimental effects on fish-folk, red tides also have a harmful impact on human health. A type of seaweed known as sargassum that has led to the spread of a massive algae bloom. As vast lumps of seaweed wash ashore, many problems occur.

Let’s examine the leading cause of these devastating occurrences. Scientists anticipate numerous detrimental effects of climate change on both freshwater and marine ecosystems. That’s because climate change is known to cause changes in weather patterns that result in warmer water temperatures and hence to increases in algae blooms that invade water bodies and harm marine ecosystems. Higher levels of carbon dioxide in the air and water can lead to the rapid growth of algae, especially the toxic blue-green variety that can float on the water's surface.

let’s hear a reminder from Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan) about what we can do to save our beautiful planet and its inhabitants. “The most important is to, please, choose to be vegan. The vegan diet is not an option anymore. It is a must. It is an obligation if we want to save our only planet. ‘Vegan’ is also not a lower priority or even a secondary priority task. It is the first task – that is if we want to save our children, and we can all do it.”