Welcome to the Virtual Earth Day Celebration!

For the next two weeks we will be celebrating Earth Day with tips and tricks from some of our local partners on how to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly at home. Look out for next weeks information that will be sent out on Earth Day, April 22nd or follow the City of Cocoa Beach Government Facebook page for daily Earth Day countdown posts. 

Coastal Cleanups and Invasive Species

We have all seen our fair share of trash floating in the lagoon, blowing across the street or half buried in the sand at the beach. How about the bright red berries of invasive Brazilian Pepper plants? Without the help of our residents and local partners, the trash and invasive species situation would be a lot worse! Our local partner, Keep Brevard Beautiful, is leading in coastal cleanup efforts and restoring native Florida habitat with their mission to “develop, motivate, educate and activate community partners to reduce litter, recycle, beautify and sustain the environment for the benefit of Brevard County”.
 
The City of Cocoa Beach partners with KBB to keep our beaches clean, and remove litter and invasive species from the North Thousand Islands. Under normal circumstances, volunteers can also contact the KBB office in Cocoa for opportunities to borrow supplies to conduct coastal clean ups on their own!  After the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, look out for additional information and ways to get involved with KBB events such as: Trash Bash, Summer Series, International Coastal Cleanup, and Battle of the Causeway

Water Quality

Water quality in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) is significantly influenced by stormwater runoff. Almost 90% of nonpoint source pollution in the IRL can be contributed to the first inch of stormwater runoff. The Marine Resources Council is working with the City of Cocoa Beach to educate our students, residents and visitors on the impacts of stormwater runoff.
Stormwater runoff can contain excess nutrients, contaminants and fine sediment which results in the accumulation of muck and poor water quality in the lagoon. This can cause decreased seagrass cover and increase the occurrences of harmful algal blooms.
5 tips from MRC to help the lagoon from home:

1. Forget the fertilizer: Did you know that fertilizer contributes three times more nitrogen to the IRL than septic tanks? Do your part in helping the lagoon by following local fertilizer ordinances.
2. Pick up after your pet: Dog waste may be “natural” but it contains harmful bacteria and sometimes parasites that can enter the lagoon through stormwater! 102 tons of dog waste is left in the lagoon watershed EACH DAY. That weighs more than the space shuttle! It is important to pick up dog waste and to dispose of it properly, to prevent it from entering the IRL.
3. Don’t wash your car on pavement: MRC recommends using commercial car washes, as they are required to properly dispose of wastewater and many even recycle their water. However, if you prefer to wash your car at home, please wash your car on the grass or a gravel driveway, never on pavement or in the street! Soapy water and auto fluids that are washed down storm drains enter the lagoon without treatment. This is harmful to seagrass beds, developing fishes and shellfish communities.
4. Leave grass clippings on the lawn: When grass clippings are blown into the street, they enter storm drains, and then flow into the lagoon which can cause algae blooms. Simply blowing grass clippings back onto the yard/garden or using a mulching lawn mower will decrease your impact on the lagoon.
5. Reduce your water use: Try watering the grass less often. If you need to water, make sure that your sprinklers are watering only your grass and plants. Watering the street, sidewalk, or your driveway with reclaimed water is a violation of city code! Use a rain barrel to collect runoff from your house that can be used to water your lawn and gardens.

Mangroves Matter

A mangrove is a type of tree/shrub that is found in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world. Mangroves are truly super plants as they provide an abundance of ecosystem services! Their complex root systems provide shoreline protection and erosion control from wave action, as well as critical habitat for numerous animals. Mangroves maintain water quality by removing excess nutrients from the environment, trapping sediment, and capturing carbon dioxide.
Unfortunately, over 80% of the Indian River Lagoon’s (IRL) mangrove forests have been lost due to development and efforts to control mosquitos. The MRC is dedicated to mangrove restoration in the IRL and maintains over 3,500 mangroves in their two nurseries! Many of these mangroves were collected as propagules from the shoreline by volunteers who gave them to be the MRC to be cared for.
If you are interested in mangrove restoration, you can even start your own mangrove nursery at your home! You can collect red mangrove propagules from the shoreline (never pick from trees!) and simply place the thicker end into a glass of tap water outside or in a windowsill. You can grow the mangrove in water for as long as you would like, or once roots and several leaves have sprouted, you can plant the mangrove in a pot with regular soil, just keep the soil very moist!