What can you do to clean up lake Erie?

Question

What ideas do you have that could be used to make Lake Erie a safe, healthy place for people to enjoy? The beaches are not beaches. Most people are terrified to swim in the giant mess. Many people fish on the lake, but most of the lakes fishermen are terrified to eat what they catch. I can only figure that this is because people either don't know what is in the water and do not choose to find out, or that they do know what is in the water and choose not to find out.

Answer 1

Since Artist lived in western NY her whole life, she should know that the Niagara River runs out of Lake Erie, into Lake Ontario. Guess that rules out contamination from the river being the problem in Lake Erie.

Answer 2

Well, in order to stop polluting Lake Erie, we have to stop pollution of the Niagara River, which means tighter restrictions on the power plant and other businesses using the river or dumping waste into it. Tighter emissions regulations and better enforcement of laws already in existence on businesses and private citizens improperly disposing of things in and around the lake has to occur for anything to change. This is extra tough because the lake falls into the jurisdiction of not only several states, but two different countries. Probably a push to get rid of invasive species like zebra mussels would also help the situation, although surprisingly these mollusks are thought to be partially responsible for the slight improvements seen in the condition of the lake in past years. Basically the only thing that can help Lake Erie is a concerted and dedicated effort by every agency and government that can effect businesses' and people's conduct toward the lake, and by giving the lake time to heal and reestablish its ecological balance, maybe helping it by restocking species that are low in the food chain from uncontaminated farming areas so that the contaminants already in the wildlife stop continuing to build up. It's a huge task and as of yet, nobody has stepped up to the plate to tackle it.