Upon researching more about contaminates in Lake Champlain, I see facts reassuring what I heard in my interviews. Algae and phosphorus are Lake Champlain’s worst enemies. It all starts with phosphorus, and phosphorus is made from “…manure and fertilizer from fields, sewage spills and overflows from wastewater treatment facilities and stream bank sediments.” When phosphorus is combined with warm temperatures, algae blooms are the result, and they are very harmful to the environment. Another inconvenience is that phosphorus is way above the targeted amount. That is also making it difficult to clean the lake.

Vermont is the leading source of the pollution in Lake Champlain. Statistics say that Vermont contributes 69% of the pollution to the lake. Another polluter is in play, nitrogen. Although not as common now as phosphorus, it can and does make harmful algae blooms. In fact, nitrogen is the thing that makes algae blooms harmful in the first place. In the reports sent out about this topic, nitrogen wasn’t as popular as phosphorus was, but it still to blame for this. Ironically, some of the acts to clean up the lake require nitrogen.

In some parts, particularly in the St. Alban’s part of the lake, have been clean. Crystal clear, and transparent. People are amazed and thought their lake was finally clean. But all good things must come to an end. The slime on the surface started creeping in after swimming season ended. However, people are still hopeful that this pattern could be the key to cleansing our beloved lake.

As we already know, Lake Champlain is the leading source of drinking water for 200,000 people in more than 15 towns and cities across Vermont (according to the Environmental Protection Agency). But, Tom Dion, the chief operator of the Burlington Wastewater Treatment Plant, says that there are no signs that the algae blooms have affected the drinking water in any way. Phosphorus and nitrogen are filtered through this plant, so none of it ends up in our tap water.

I’ve already named a couple of groups that have set their heart on cleaning our lake. The Environmental Protection Agency, and the Burlington Wastewater Treatment Plant. There are many more, of course. Gov. Peter Shumlin passed a “water quality bill”. He also said at the bill signing, that he is going to safeguard what “makes Vermont so special.” Besides maple syrup. Also, a program based on and dedicated to cleaning the lake,  Lake Champlain Basin Program. This program is responsible for monitoring the lake and making the report (that I mentioned earlier) that shows how the clean up is going, and how much phosphorus and algae blooms are in the water. Also, the last group I found was the Lake Champlain Committee, which has the same purpose as all the other named organizations. From my sources, it sounds like they are all for cleaning up our lake, but it doesn’t exactly say it in fine print. I inferred their perspectives, but from what I read, that’s what it sounded like.

I believe that things that unite people are common beliefs, common perspectives, connections that they have, and like Simon Sinek said, leaders. There are also so many more reasons why people unite, such as common goals, or the same inspiration.

Division among people is caused when everything opposite of what I just said happens, and more. Uncommon beliefs, uncommon perspectives, or they are unable to connect to each other. I think these things happen, whether uniting or dividing, are bound to happen eventually. Sometimes, people will fight through it, and sometimes people will break and argue. Then people will divide even more.

So I think that is one of the main reasons why we are making teams dedicated to one issue that everyone can find common ground on. So we can unify, instead of break apart.

One of my most pressing questions is this. What is the best way we can cut every level of pollution in Lake Champlain efficiently with the resources we have? I have ideas, but I’m trying to get to the most efficient way possible.

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Olson, Sarah. “Report Shows No Progress on Lake Champlain Cleanup | VTDigger.” VTDigger. N.p., 05 July 2015. Web. 04 Oct. 2016.

Walsh, Molly. “Fewer Algae Blooms in Hard-Hit Bays Could Point the Way to Cleanup.” Sevendaysvt.com. N.p., 24 Aug. 2016. Web. 4 Oct. 2016.

Featured image is courtesy of Lake Champlain International.