Checkpoint Local Environmental Issue

First of all I live in Chesapeake Beach Maryland, and the Chesapeake Bay has been a big part of my life. The Bay is known for the great blue crab that crab lovers all over the world enjoy. The bay is the largest producer of blue crabs in the world. (Advameg 2010) The population of the blue crab has decreased quite a bit over the past few decades. “The 2001 Chesapeake Bay commercial blue crab harvest of approximately 52 million pounds was well below the average of about 75 million pounds that has annually occurred from 1968 to 2001.” (Advameg 2010) I enjoy blue crabs and will love for my children (If I have ever any) to enjoy the same delicious tradition of crabs as I have.

Mute swans are also a problem with the bay as the bay is not their natural habitat. Mute swans are from Europe. These mute swans are killing tundra swans that come around during the winter. I accidentally (I did my part) ran over two mute swans in my car as they were crossing the street. Mute swans are known to kill other birds, and harm children. The state hires organizations to control the population of these animals. Both lethal and non lethal force is used.

“Mute swans, native to Europe and Asia, were transported to North America in the late nineteenth century by European immigrants. Some swans eventually escaped or were deliberately released into the wild. In Maryland, the mute swan population grew from five captive swans that escaped in 1962 to more than four thousand swans as of 2000.” (Advameg 2010)

The largest and most forefront problem concerning the Bay is the toxic contamination. The contamination can be caused by all sorts of different scenarios. Industrial waste along with urban run offs to name a few. These toxic contaminations have negative affects within the food chain.

I do my part of protecting the bay by not littering and lecturing people who do litter. I do not have the time to be standing around with signs in protest nor would I if I had the...