TOO MUCH NITROGEN?

Fossil fuels have gotten the big press whenever global warming is spoken of, but they are not the only culprit. Now it is becoming clear that use of nitrogen based fertilizers also produce greenhouses gases that may be leading to climate change. A United Nations report suggests that in 1860 there was virtually no nitrogen produced by human activity. Last year it was estimated that agriculture, and fossil fuel combustion produced about 125 metric tonnes of nitrogen that has been deposited into the atmosphere. In addition to that there were approximately 113 million tonnes that come from natural sources.

All of this nitrogen in our atmosphere is disruptive to fragile ecosystems, contaminates water supplies, it is not good for general human health, and is apparently a contributor to global warning. That is what experts are saying.

A certain amount of nitrogen is not only good for you, it is essential to life. But when there is too much nitrogen bad things happen. Say for instance all this nitrogen goes into the atmosphere, rain brings it back down to earth, and weeds go “Yippee”, helping them to spread more quickly and take over – the native plants go away and so do the animals that use those native plants to survive.

Lake Tahoe was always known for its crystal clear blue waters. The lake is not so clear anymore, and one of the main causes appears to be an accumulation of nitrogen, which encourages the growth of algae. Then there are the more sensitive plants like fungi and lichen that die out with excess nitrogen. This is bad news for the flora and fauna that have developed symbiosis with the lichen and fungi.

I do not think that I will ever be the kind of guy who says the sky is falling. But if we have sufficient data to conclude that a certain substance that we over use is having a significant negative effect on our environment, then I am the kind of guy who says that we need to find a better more sustainable path.