Kierra N. Frisby & Adaeze Q. Amaefule

Kierra Frisby

Milford Mill Academy

3800 Washington Avenue,

Baltimore MD, 21244

Email: Ksby106@hotmail.com

Phone: 410-887-0660

June 5, 2011

The Chesapeake Bay Trust

60 West Street, Suite 405

Annapolis MD, 21401

Dear Chesapeake Bay Trust,

My name is Kierra N. Frisby and I am currently a fourteen year old freshman at Milford Mill Academy. Milford Mill is not just a public school; it is also a magnet school. I am currently enrolled in the Health Science Technology program at Milford Mill, which is scheduled to start for freshman in their sophomore year. My reason for writing this letter is to discuss new ideas on ways to successfully preserve the bay.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust believes that a heightened ethic of individual and community stewardship is essential to restoring and protecting the Chesapeake Bay. Stewardship is a person who manages another’s property or financial affairs. The Trust’s goal is to increase stewardship through grant programs, special initiatives, and partnerships that support environmental education, on-the-ground restoration, and community engagement activities. As said on the Chesapeake Bay trust website. The main goal of the Chesapeake Bay is to use the annual donations given to them to support environmental education and habitat restoration projects.

The Chesapeake Bay is of great importance. The Bay provides so many organisms with the necessary natural resources they need to survive. The Bay provides natural resources such as fresh water and natural habitats. All of the smaller bodies of water in the area somehow all lead back to the bay.

There are so many sources of pollution that negatively affect the Bay. Humans are a huge source of pollution. We as humans don’t take the initiative to really think about things before we do it. We also don’t think of the effect our actions will have in the long run. We have littered for years and now we are paying for it by having to work extra hard to preserve the bay. The cans we throw in the harbor, potato chip bags we throw in the sewer and toxic chemicals we pour down the drain all find its way back to the Bay. The exhaust from the engine of a car pollutes the air and the Bay. Now we spend our money on projects that preserve the bay.

Erosion is another factor affecting the Chesapeake Bay. We destroy plenty forests and open land to build housing, businesses, schools, etc. The trees we cut down clean our air and make it possible for us to breathe healthy air and provide natural habitats to small organisms. We have now come to realize that deforestation affects the Bay too. The destruction on land leads to erosion and reduces the habitat area for numerous fish and wildlife. Although erosion is a natural process; it is triggered by building, boats speeding near the shoreline, and other human disturbances to the land. If we have plants growing near the shoreline it can catch the soil before it reaches the bay. We can also slow down building and human disturbances in order to slow down and possibly prevent the continuances of erosion.

Water is a necessary natural resource and without water we will not survive. This is why it is important to preserve the fresh water in the Bay. Many people are unaware of the importance of water in our lives. We use water for drinking, bathing, and preparing and growing food. We also depend on water for sports such as swimming, skiing, ice skating, etc. Organisms such as fish depend on water for habitats, and survival. Power plants and runoff are hug factors of water pollution. We use water for so many important things and we must do our best to preserve it.

There is so much we can do to preserve the bay. We need to start by strengthening the laws on littering, and donating money to the Chesapeake Bay Trust. This money will be used to develop projects that will preserve the bay. My reason for reaching out to the Chesapeake Bay Trust is to develop some groups to clean up the bay and enforce the laws of polluting the bay. This will ensure the safety of the Chesapeake Bay.

     Adaeze Amaefule

     3800 Washington Avenue.

     Baltimore, MD 21244

      5/30/11

Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Philip Merrill Environmental Center
6 Herndon Avenue
Annapolis, MD 21403

Hello my name is Adaeze Amaefule and I am fourteen years of age. I am currently attending Milford Mill Academy for the health science program. I am writing this letter for my American government class and to also receive service learning hours. I am writing this letter to inform people more about the importance of the Chesapeake Bay and sources of pollution. It is Also to give others information on the effects of erosion and the appropriate use of water.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is an organization that has a mission to contribute in saving the Chesapeake Bay.; once they complete that they want to continue to keep it in a good state. In the end result they want a clean clear bay. A bay free of toxic waste impacts. The foundation works hard to fight for laws and regulations that protect and restore the bay. They are basically a representation for the Chesapeake Bay they speak on behalf of the Bay and act a watchdog for it.

The pollution that leads to the Chesapeake Bay is caused by us and the water abuse from out homes. People may not realize it but the everyday things they do at home is what it causing the harmful effects upon the Chesapeake Bay. Everyday things such as leaving the water running when brushing your teeth, taking long showers and leaving the sprinkler on all day. Putting chemicals down the sink will not allow the bacteria to clean the water and it ends up in the bay. You can help by washing dishes in a full sink, take short showers and turn off the faucet while your brushing your teeth.

We use water for many parts of our everyday life such as making food, drinking, cleaning, dishing„ washing clothes and many others. We just need water to survive and live life and its makes up 97% of our bodies. The most important thing is we should preserve and carefully use our water now so that in the future we will have a

 good supply.

Erosion is also a factor that causes problems for the Chesapeake Bay.  Erosion is caused by human activities that cause disturbances to land. Things like building and boats speeding near shoreline. Erosion is when exposed soil is being washed away by rain. Chemicals or soil are then in the water ways it takes away the nutrients from the water. Sediment then forms and smothers the animals and plants. It blocks the sunlight from reaching the plants and stops its growth. The process of erosion can be slowed down through many ways. We can plant empty areas with grass or flowers which will hold soil and rain water to prevent erosion.

The problem today with the Chesapeake is our wants being too much. Currently there is about 13 million living in the watershed houses. The watershed is the land that drains is draining into the Chesapeake Bay.  Their will soon be an increase destruction of land which leads to erosion and reduction of habitat for species. The amount of people leaving on the watershed will drastically increase. An increase will cause a greater demand for land, water and energy.  If the inhabitants increase energy needs will increase this contributes to the acid rain. This will also cause a large amount of material adding to litter and waster disposal.

I would like to know other than volunteering how can I help the foundation? Many more students want to know about the bay, do you guys have like trips students can take to the bay? I know there are many things I can stop doing or using too much of in my daily life, what can I do in my daily life to contribute? I learned many new facts about preserving the bay and why it was so important to.

• Hospitals dump waste chemicals in the bay. Actions like this are toxic to the bay’s fresh water supply. It’s funny how the people that need the water the more than a healthy person would be the ones to pollute the bay!
• People throw trash down sewers, lakes, rivers, oceans, and eventually it runs into the bay.
• The building of power plants and vehicle exhaust cause the Bay to become polluted as well.