Hi my name is Kyle Ropski and I am currently a junior attending Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. I am originally from Fort Washington, PA which is right outside of the beautiful and pristine city of Philadelphia. At Muhlenberg I am pursuing a double major in Economics and Sustainability Studies. On campus I am the current president of our voter education and registration club BergVotes, I volunteer with the Cardinal Key Society, and I’m on the sustainability committee. I enjoy to go bouldering (outside and inside), mountain biking, and sleeping for at least 8 hours a night. Years of waking up early to The Crocodile Hunter and spending plenty of time outside helped craft my love for the environment. As I grew up and learned more about the increasing severity of the environmental problems, it made me want to pursue solutions to the best of my ability. Left is a picture of myself and Muhlenberg Alumni Heidi Kunka at the PA Environmental Protection Agency headquarters in Harrisburg, PA.
The problem is Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). They are formed due to excess nutrients in the water system such as Nitrogen and Phosphorus. Their growth is detrimental to aquatic life and ecosystems. The potentially toxic blooms also pose a public health issue.
More on the problem here…
“I wouldn’t eat shellfish during any sort of harmful algal bloom, especially not if I was pregnant.”
Dr. Frances Gulland, Senior Scientist of The Marine Mammal Center
“This is an issue that really hits home to me as my local pond has been ravaged by cyanobacteria”
Jackson Wilken, Muhlenberg College Student
Next: Problem Identification
