Inga Potter's Story
Inga Potter grew up spending summers at her grandparents' house in Nantucket, Massachusetts, as did her father and uncles and aunts and cousins. She loved snorkeling through eelgrass beds filled with young minnows, flounder and crab, as well as hanging out on surfing beaches, and enjoying endless summer picnics.
Today she brings her own family to the island, but Inga worries that her two young children might not be able to enjoy the beach in the same way. In Nantucket, entire streets have dropped into the sea, and some of Inga's favorite beaches are eroding away. A friend’s house on an eroded beachfront was washed away during a storm. As global warming makes sea levels higher and storms more intense, Nantucket's beaches stand to take a further pounding. Meanwhile, nutrient pollution from septic systems is killing off the eelgrass beds that nurture young fish. Excess nutrients in the water could also play a role in the red tides that shut down shellfish fisheries.
Preserving Life at the Beach
"I hope I'll pass on to my children a strong love and appreciation for the beach and the ocean," Inga says. That love stems from a tradition of shared experiences -- bird-watching on the shore, snorkeling in the shallows and eating fresh clams in a beachfront restaurant. Taking steps now to curb global warming can prevent a catastrophic rise in sea levels and help preserve the shorelines we know. Controlling and treating water pollution that stems from built-up, paved-over waterfronts can help ensure that beach waters around the nation stay clean and full of life -- and open for swimming.
Resources for Beachgoers:
State of our Seas: Beach Closings Hit All Time High
Water Quality Map: Better Know a Beach
Game: Who's That Critter?
Wallet Card: 5 Steps to Staying Healthy
and Safe This Summer
More on Global Warming and Controlling Water Pollution
