Many students may not worry about the importance of what the people in Iowa or students in general should know about the environment, but everything they do has an effect.

In pondering this, two professors address important issues we should focus on when wondering what we should be informed about. 

David Laird, professor of agronomy and member of the environmental studies program, believes Iowa is making strides in improving the environment.

“I want to start off by saying there has been a tremendous amount of progress in water quality and air quality,” Laird said. “But we still have a long way to go.” 

The main thing he thinks Iowans should focus on is the amount of water pollution created from the chemical runoff of crops.  

“This access amount of nutrients cause nitrification, which results in a bloom of microorganisms that consume the oxygen in the water,” Laird said. “This results in the water becoming anoxic.”

Anoxic water is really hard for animals like fish to live in because there is not enough oxygen in the water for them to survive. 

“These nutrients travel down the Mississippi [River] from the Midwest and have effects all the way down in the Gulf of Mexico,” Laird said. “This hurts the economy; because of the anoxic water, fishermen are suffering from less fish. This is especially seen in Louisiana.”

Beth Caissie, assistant professor of geological and atmospheric sciences, focuses more on what students can do as consumers.

“It is important that whenever you use something, be conscious where it comes from,” Caissie said.

Instead of focusing on one specific thing, just try and be aware.

“Know where your food has been grown, locally or from far away, and what pollution is that transportation causing,” Caissie said “Just when it comes to packaging should you get plastic water bottles or a reusable water bottle? Use things that create less waste.” 

No matter if students are focusing on one problem or just doing small things that could help out in many ways, the important thing seems to just be informed.