Lake Erie Bill of Rights
求一口無憂的淡水
2021.07.11
1 min Read
2019年,一個令人印象深刻的公投題目——你是否認同伊利湖(Lake Erie)應該要和人一樣擁有存在、成長和自然形成的法律權利?

你能想像有一天,你被市府警告「請勿喝飲用水」嗎?7年前,生活在美國俄亥俄州托雷多市的市民在防備不及的狀況下突然被限制了飲水的權利。2014年,市民日常所仰賴的伊利湖突然爆發優養化危機,湖內藻類大量繁殖,水裡微囊藻毒(microcystin)濃度過高,城市的淡水成了毒水,使當時超過40萬人連續2-3天沒有飲用水可喝,連醫院都因缺水無法幫器械消毒而取消了一大票的病人手術。為什麼好好的伊利湖突然受優養化的危害?根據調查發現,因上游施肥的農田與其他污染物質隨著大雨沖刷流入了湖水,再加上全球暖化造成夏季溫度炎熱,產生了藻華現象。不過這項公投在2020年5月初正式被法庭駁回,背後的原因牽涉很多,其一就是農民的生計問題,雖然法案最終未通過,但俄亥俄州州長已開啟了另外一項「H2Ohio」計畫,旨在建造過濾磷的濕地,幫助居民改善生活用水,同時也保護農業經濟。

「我們也是非常關心伊利湖的!」農民們也這樣說著。相信一起努力,力量會更大。
In 2019, an impressive referendum - 'do you agree that the Lake Erie should have the same legal rights as people to exist, grow, and naturally form?'

Can you imagine one day when you were warned by the city government to "do not drink water"? Seven years ago, citizens living in Toledo, Ohio, were suddenly restricted from drinking water. In 2014, a crisis of eutrophication of Lake Erie, which citizens rely on daily, suddenly broke out. Algae bloomed in the lake, the concentration of microcystin in the water was too high. The city’s fresh water became poisonous water. There was no water to drink for 2-3 days, and even the hospitals were unable to disinfect the equipmentr and had to cancelled bunch of operations due to lack of water and. Why was Lake Erie suddenly harmed by eutrophication? According to the survey, the nutrition from fertilized farmland and other pollutants flowed into the lake with heavy rain. And the high temperature caused by global warming made algal bloomed. However, this referendum was officially rejected by the court in early May 2020. There were many reasons behind it. One was the livelihood of farmers. Although the bill was not passed in the end, the governor of Ohio has launched another "H2Ohio" project. The aim was to build wetlands that filtered phosphorus to help residents improve domestic water use, while also protecting the agricultural economy.

"We also care about Lake Erie!" The farmers said so, believing that by working together, we could have better power.