Our Seashores How Humans Impact Beaches A beach

Our Seashores How Humans Impact Beaches

A beach is. . . Seven Mile Beach in Australia . . . an accumulation of sand or gravel that is part of the shore. . . constantly changing as the sediments are moved by waves and currents Student Resource Center Geology. Link. Houghton Mifflin, College division. Visited 8 August 2008. http: //college. cengage. com/geology/resources/geologylink /glossary/b. html

Beaches are important because: They provide many recreational opportunities. They act as a buffer between people who live on the coast and high winds and waves produced by storms. They support a variety of plants and animals. US Environmental Protection Agency. Beaches. Updated 1 December 2006. Visited 7 August 2008. http: //www. epa. gov/beaches/basicinfo. html Salt Pond Beach Park, Hanapepe, Kauai

Human Impact 1 - Plastic Pollution Kamilo Beach, Hawaii 2006 All kinds of plastic can be found on beaches. Some plastics are left by people using the beach. Some plastics wash on shore from the ocean. The plastics can harm animals that live on or near the beach. Plastic garbage can also make the beach unusable by people. Owen, James. Oceans Awash With Microscopic Plastic, Scientists Say. National Geographic News. 6 May 2004. Visited 8 August 2008. http: //news. nationalgeographic. com/news/2004/05/0506_040506_oceanp lastic. html

Human Impact 2 -Oil Spills can be caused by: people making mistakes or being careless. equipment breaking down. natural disasters such as hurricanes. deliberate acts by terrorists, countries at war, vandals, or illegal dumpers. What's the Story on Oil Spills? National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Revised on 20 June 2007. Visited 8 August 2008. http: //response. restoration. noaa. gov Photo by Gordon Richardson , July 2000 www. capetownskies. com/1606/early_jul 00. htm

Human Impact 3 -Erosion Heavy beach erosion threatens several condominiums on Singer Island, Florida. Healthy beaches have plenty of sand. When sand supply is blocked, beaches will erode. Constructing jetties, sea walls, or even buildings may block sand movement. Coastal Erosion and Beach Loss in Hawaii. Visited 8 August 2008. http: //www. soest. hawaii. edu/SEAGRANT/CEa. BLi. H. html West-Central Florida Coastal Studies Project. U. S. Geological Survey Center for Coastal & Regional Marine Studies. Updated March 24, 2004. Visited 8 August 2008. http: //coastal. er. usgs. gov/wfla/factsheet/

Other Human Impacts Sometimes the water at a beach is not safe Too many nutrients in the water, because of inadequately treated sewage, farm waste, or fertilizer runoff can cause a red tide. This can be toxic to people and other life forms in the water. Sometimes even if the water looks normal, it can contain toxins, and people should stay out. Natural Resources Defense Council. Updated 24 July 2008. Visited 7 August 2008. http: //www. nrdc. org/water/oceans/qttw. asp Florida Red Tide Bloom of Karenia brevis. (Photo courtesy Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Harmful Algal Bloom Page)

How to Improve Beaches 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Lake Michigan beach Recycle plastics. Clean up after yourself when enjoying a day at the beach. Check your own boat if you are traveling on the water. Make sure it isn’t leaking any oil or gas. Realize that building on or near a beach may change it. Study the local conditions before you build. Volunteer to help clean up a beach. Join a beach improvement group. There a lot from which to choose. Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup. Ocean Conservancy. Visited 8 August 2008. http: //www. oceanconservancy. org/site/Page. Server? pagena me=press_icc&JServ. Session. Idr 011=ubq 81 hkp 21. app 46 b

Keep our beaches clean and healthy!