Collection — Dead Zones

long island sound: dead zone

24" x 10" mixed media on glass

Imagine that your home is rapidly becoming depleted of oxygen. You find it difficult to breathe. You rush outside to find fresh air, but to no avail. As you start to become lightheaded, you check your phone for information, only to discover that the nearest oxygen-rich environment is miles away…and your car won’t start.

Dead zones are hypoxic areas within bodies of water that can no longer sustain life. They are commonly triggered by excess Nitrogen and Phosphorus that enter streams and rivers, or from wastewater in highly populated areas. The algae population explodes and this sudden imbalance sets into motion a domino effect that ends in tragedy. The inhabitants, both plant and animal, are often left stranded with insufficient oxygen for survival.

The Gulf of Mexico is home to one of the largest dead zones in the world, measuring about the same size as New Jersey. Dead zones are also a local problem, although on a much smaller scale. In fact, the Long Island Sound also has its very own dead zone.

But don’t despair, there are changes being implemented to improve these aquatic environments and these efforts are already making a positive impact. If you want to help, you can fund research efforts and organizations that are eliciting large scale change, like rebuilding flood plains and updating wastewater treatment plants.

gulf of mexico: dead zone

24" x 10" mixed media on glass