VERO BEACH — Clear water from a creek in Ghana contrasts sharply with the murky flow of a river contaminated with chemicals and minerals from an illegal mining operation, a sight Lordia Blay says is common in her home country.
“People don't think about where this water is leading to. The only thing they think is what this water can carry away from our homes and not the effects of downstream,” she said.
Blay, who is from Ghana, is pursuing her master's degree at the University of Florida. As part of her studies, she spent the summer interning with the Indian River County Stormwater Division in Vero Beach.
One of the first things that struck Blay about the county's approach to stormwater was what happened after water was treated at Egret Marsh, a stormwater treatment area in Vero Beach.
“First we see the stormwater, get treated, and then about a hundred species of birds that had home or were feasting on these five acres of land. So that was a huge difference for me,” she said.
During her internship, Blay spent considerable time on the water and saw conditions that were unfamiliar to her from her experiences in Ghana.
Trash is often dumped into canals in Ghana, clogging the waterways with debris. Blay said people may not understand the effects that can have downstream.
“It was my first time seeing a crystal water and seeing a fish when I came to the U.S. And it was so fascinating to see this every time I go out in the field. When we make the environment very clean, we would see nature close to us and we see far from us,” she said.
The experience changed how Blay thinks about water quality beyond the condition of a river or stream. She said the experience has motivated her to push for changes in Ghana.
“That has changed my perspective with even clean water or quality of water. It doesn't have to be the stream. Even people that do not depend on the stream should believe in the water or have trust in the water that is coming from their taps,” she said. “That is not the case right now. Even those in the city fear the tap water that runs through their home. Because yes, the mining is happening far from the city, but then the effect is running through water through everywhere.”
Blay also spent part of her internship working with children as a camp counselor at the Pelican Island Audubon House.
She said the children's enthusiasm for nature gave her a different perspective on the role environmental education can play in shaping how people view their surroundings.
“People back home, if they could hear the words of these kids, maybe it could change their mind. Maybe it could change their ways of filling their dreams with trash. Maybe it could change their mind about how nature is not to be used, but we have to live in it as humans. We are part of the ecosystem and we need to be very careful about our activities,” she said.
Blay said her time in Vero Beach also gave her an appreciation for the area's culture and celebrations.
“Compared to back home, it's more of festive seasons that you get to meet people, come together. Sometimes we use funeral activities to come together, but those are sad moments and they don't bring the joy from people. So I really love the two weeks and I love to be back to experience it more,” she said.
Blay said she hopes to return to Vero Beach soon. Her interest in sustainability began in 2022 after she visited a rural community in Ghana.