Isabele Cohen
IMG_0776
This photo was taken at the shoreline of the newly built Gov. Mario Cuomo bridge. which crosses the vast ecologically rich Hudson River in Westchester, NY. This picture harbors many ecological processes and exemplifies the SDG #14 of life below water for many reasons. The meaning behind this sustainable development goal is to remind humans that the bodies of water that surround our living spaces are just as important, if not more, than the land we are living on. In order for an ecosystem to flourish and be able to sustain life, there are multiple levels of working together. The SDG connects by seeing that the water color of the river now, compared to years ago is a sign of a much cleaner environment. The river used to be a dumping ground for many waste products due to the immense amount of factories that lined the shores. Years later this cleanup effort has provided a place for wildlife as small as algae all the way up to whales to have a safe place to thrive. Another important ecological factor to note in this picture is what is not present and how it indicates a healthy ecosystem. The fact that there is not an intense amount of algal growth present indicates that the level of nutrients running off into the river is being sustainably managed so the level of dissolved oxygen can remain at an elevated level in order to sustain a flourishing environment for aquatic life.
IMG_0776
This photo was taken at the shoreline of the newly built Gov. Mario Cuomo bridge. which crosses the vast ecologically rich Hudson River in Westchester, NY. This picture harbors many ecological processes and exemplifies the SDG #14 of life below water for many reasons. The meaning behind this sustainable development goal is to remind humans that the bodies of water that surround our living spaces are just as important, if not more, than the land we are living on. In order for an ecosystem to flourish and be able to sustain life, there are multiple levels of working together. The SDG connects by seeing that the water color of the river now, compared to years ago is a sign of a much cleaner environment. The river used to be a dumping ground for many waste products due to the immense amount of factories that lined the shores. Years later this cleanup effort has provided a place for wildlife as small as algae all the way up to whales to have a safe place to thrive. Another important ecological factor to note in this picture is what is not present and how it indicates a healthy ecosystem. The fact that there is not an intense amount of algal growth present indicates that the level of nutrients running off into the river is being sustainably managed so the level of dissolved oxygen can remain at an elevated level in order to sustain a flourishing environment for aquatic life.