What makes the red stream red? Or blue? Or orange? Or purple? Or green? Ask the people in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, who live or work next to the Nashua River. The river changed colors everyday, and would surprise locals with its bright and brilliant colors.
In the 1960’s, the Nashua River would turn shocking, vibrant colors. In a National Geographic magazine of 2007 stated, “Locals used to take bets on what color the river would be the next day.” Does this sound cool to you? If so, think again! Pollution is what has caused this river to change colors. Marion Stoddart, a local, was not about to let the river “die”. She gathered many people to all work together, to recreate the river, and make it swimmer-friendly. Through hard work, lots of money, and helping hands, the river was revived and is now a protected watershed, and is swimmer friendly. Although this is a huge accomplishment, there are still thousands of polluted watersheds, rivers, and streams to be cleaned and protected.
Personally, I think it is absolutely ridiculous that the Nashua River even got to that point of pollution. I would think that people would have used their common sense, and just not pollute it! Do you see me throwing junk into rivers? Do you see me dumping harmful chemicals into streams!?!?! I don’t think so! It just seems like you would just KNOW not to do that, WITHOUT having to be told!!! You HAVE to know SOMETHING must be wrong when a river is orange. Not just clear with a hint of orange, but bright, vibrant, unmistakable orange. Although this river shouldn’t have even been polluted at all (especially to the point of pollution it was at), I think it is great that SOMEONE was brave enough to take a stand and put their foot down! I think that Marion Stoddart is a hero for stepping up and making people care about the environment, and the Nashua river! Even if few people realize it, that one woman has made a HUGE impact on that river. Had it not been for her, we would still be “placing color bets.”
In National Geographic, it mentions that Marion Stoddart observed the river, and was “appalled” by its appearance. She said, “The highest form of life in the North Nashua was sludge worms.” If it gets to the point of all life dying in a river, I’m pretty sure it’s time for someone to do something about it, don’t you? Marion Stoddart was the person brave enough to act on her words. She set out to do the “impossible”, but “was not a lonely person out in the wilderness. She did it by making key allies.”
The Nashua River was once polluted to the point of “no return”, it changed colors even! But yet, Marion Stoddart wouldn’t let the river “die”. She set out to do the impossible and saved the river, even when no one believed she could. I think we should all do the same as Marion, and do our part in saving and reviving our environment.
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