AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND STORMS AROUND THE REST OF THE WEEK, KRISTI?
>> SOUNDS GOOD, THANKS BETTY.
FERTILIZERS, THEY’RE USED TO
KEEP OUR LAWNS GREEN, OF
COURSE, AND PROMOTE HEALTHY
GARDEN GROWTH.
BUT THOSE VERY SAME
FERTILIZERS ARE DEADLY TO OUR
BAYS AND WATERWAYS, FEEDING
ALGAE AND KILLING THE SEA
GRASS.
>> BEGINNING SUNDAY, MAY 15TH,
THE START OF THE RAINY SEASON
UP UNTIL NOVEMBER 1ST WILL NOW
BE ILLEGAL TO FERTILIZE
ANYWHERE IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.
FERTILIZER AWARENESS AND THE
FIGHT TO SAVE BISCAYNE BAY IS
TONIGHT’S DON’T TRASH OUR
TREASURE.
>> THIS WAS THE LAST
APPLICATION OF TRADITIONAL
FERTILIZER THAT THIS BEAUTIFUL
PINE CREST LAWN AND LANDSCAPE
WILL RECEIVE UNTIL NOVEMBER.
COME MAY 15TH, USE OF NITROGEN
AND PHOSPHOROUS FERTILIZER
WILL BE ILLEGAL IN MIAMI-DADE
COUNTY UNTIL THE RAINY SEASON
ENDS COME HALLOWEEN.
>> WHEN IT RAINS, IT RUSHES
RIGHT OUT THE SOIL DIRECTLY
INTO THE BAY AND ENDS UP
FERTILIZING THE ALGAE, WHICH
EATS ALL THE OXYGEN WHICH
KILLS OUR FISH.
>> WE SAW IT HAPPEN IN THE
SUMMER OF 2020 WHEN MORE THAN
27 THOUSAND MARINE SPECIES
DIED IN ONE WEEK FROM A
DRAMATIC DROP IN OXYGEN CAUSED
BY THE HOT OVER POLLUTED WATER
IN SECTIONS OF THE NORTH BAY.
>> THE FISH KILL WAS A
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY FOR THE BAY,
BUT IT DID RESULT IN PEOPLE
BECOMING MORE AWARE OF THE
DANGERS FACING BISCAYNE BAY.
>> MIAMI WATER KEEPERS RACHEL
SILVERSTEIN HAS LONG BEEN
ADVOCATING TO SAVE THE BAY
FROM SEWAGE BREAKS AND SEPTIC
LEAKS, DIRTY STORM WATER AND
YES, FERTILIZER RUN OFF COMING
FROM OUR YARDS, ESPECIALLY
WHEN THE RAIN WASHES IT ALL
AWAY BEFORE OUR PLANTS AND
GRASS CAN EVEN USE IT.
>> IT’S WASTING TIME AND MONEY
FOR YOU AND IT’S CAUSING
POLLUTION PROBLEMS FOR
BISCAYNE BAY.
>> IN APRIL OF LAST YEAR,
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PASSED THE
STRONGEST FERTILIZER ORDNANCE
IN THE STATE SPONSORED BY
COMMISSIONER EILEEN HIGGINS.
>> NO ONE THINKS THEY’RE
KILLING THE BAY WHEN THEY’RE
TRYING TO FERTILIZE THEIR
LAWN, BUT THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT
HAPPENS WHEN WE FERTILIZE
DURING THE RAINY SEASONS.
>> IT WILL BE ENFORCED COME
SUNDAY AND MANY LANDSCAPERS
AND LAWN MOWING COMPANIES
SPENT THE LAST YEAR PREPARING
FOR THIS.
>> IT DEFINITELY CREATES A
UNIQUE CHALLENGE.
ALTHOUGH WE’VE BEEN AWARE OF
THE ORDNANCE, SO WE’VE
ADJUSTED OUR METHODOLOGY.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE
FERTILIZER THAT WE’VE
DEVELOPED WITH OUR SUPPLIER
THAT HAS NO NITROGEN OR
PHOSPHOROUS AND ALSO HAS MICRO
NUTRIENTS THAT WILL HELP WITH
THE GREENING OF THE GRASS
WITHOUT THE DAMAGE TO THE BAY.
>> WE DON’T EVEN USE ANY
FERTILIZERS ANYMORE.
>> HIS COMPANY USING BIO
ORGANICS TO NOT ONLY KEEP
LANDSCAPES LOOKING GREEN, BUT
TO ALSO KILL PESTS.
>> THIS PROPERTY THAT WE’RE ON
RIGHT NOW, WE’RE NOT USING ANY
FERTILIZERS.
WE FIGURED OUT A FORMULA USING
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AND
ESSENTIAL OIL BASED
INSECTICIDES TO GIVE THE
ESTHETIC RESULTS THAT
RESIDENTS WANT WITHOUT ANY
HARMFUL CHEMICALS.
>> RIGHT NOW FARMS, LIVESTOCK
RAISING PASTURES AND GOLF
COURSES ARE EXEMPT FROM
COMPLYING, BUT THEY’RE ALL
STAKE HOLDERS IN THIS MOST
IMPORTANT MISSION TO PROTECT
OUR BACKYARD.
>> GOLF COURSES ARE KEY TO
THIS FERTILIZER ORDNANCE.
SO THEY CAN ALSO PLAY A ROLE
AS A FRIEND LILY TO BISCAYNE BA
GOLF COURSE.
>> THEY’RE EXEMPT?
>> YES, BUT THEY CAN GO THAT
EXTRA MILE AND MAKE AN EFFORT.
>> FOR THOSE OF US WHO LIVE
HERE IN SOUTH FLORIDA, MAKING
AN EFFORT IS ON ALL OF US.
>> I SPEND A LOT OF TIME
FISHING BISCAYNE BAY AND I
WOULD HATE TO SEE ANY NEGATIVE
IMPACTS AS A RESULT OF
IMPROPER FERTILIZATION.
>> THIS IS ON ALL OF US.
AND REMEMBER, IT IS ALWAYS
ILLEGAL TO FERTILIZE ANYWHERE
NEAR THE BAY, CANALS OR
WATERWAYS OR NEAR STORM
DRAINS.
COMMERCIAL OPERATORS FOUND
VIOLATING THE ORDNANCE WILL BE
FINED $500.
FOR MORE INFO, SCAN THE QR
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