Although I consider myself to be an environmental scientist, I very much am still a teenage girl who is chronically online.
One trend that has taken social media advertisements by storm is Bloom Greens. Bloom Nutrition creates and sells health supplements. Their most famous product, Bloom Greens is a blended green powder made up of various vegetables, fruits, and “superfoods.”
The “trendiness” and “aesthetic” of these greens have taken off; Bloom Nutrition has over one million followers between TikTok and Instagram and various sponsorships with other influencers.
While I may have my skepticism on how effective this product is given it was made by an internet influencer I have never heard of, I think there is a bigger issue at hand here. “Bloom Greens” seems like an out-of-touch name for a water supplement brand. To me, and perhaps it’s the whole environmental scientist thing, the association of the word “bloom” with green murky water just makes me think of algal blooms.
I mean just look at the comparison!
What worries me the most is the idea that people are more familiar with “Bloom Greens” than they are with the harmful effects of algal blooms.
Algal blooms thrive with warmer temperatures and feed on excess nitrogen and phosphorus which comes from animal waste and fertilizer run-off. America is one of the top consumers of meat in the world. Such high demand and high-density farming practices cause an increase in nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in water, directly increasing the frequency of algal blooms. At this rate, all of our water actually may all start to look like Bloom Greens!
The danger of algal blooms extends to humans, marine life, and wildlife. Toxin-producing bacteria formed from algae contaminate bodies of freshwater which cuts off an essential resource to many.
In 2014, Lake Erie experienced such an extreme algal bloom that 500,000 people were unable to use their normal water supply from this singular event. Likewise, due to the high proportions of algae, oxygen levels are reduced in water, killing fish in large quantities. Land animals can also become ill from drinking water with algal blooms.
Forecasted to increase in intensity and frequency, this issue needs to be more heavily addressed for the sake of public health and the preservation of the environment.
I believe the trendiness of Bloom Greens represents how little Americans know and care about environmental crises. There is undeniable scientific proof that human activity has altered the natural world, but some Americans choose to ignore the evidence. In a recent poll of Americans, 26% of respondents believe warming is due to “natural patterns,” and 14% do not believe the Earth is warming at all. Yet, these deniers and ignorers of anthropogenic climate change are still allowed to have businesses and have a platform.
But, hey, I’m glad people are getting their $40 powdered grass. Even though the world is dying, at least we can make sure we’re eating enough vegetables.
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