Algae blooms that pollute waterways, produce toxins, and cause dead zones are one of the most widespread and challenging environmental problems in the U.S. Nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural land is the leading fuel for the algae blooms, but efforts to reduce the nutrient pollution from farms have largely been unsuccessful.

In this episode, Dr. Donald Boesch, President Emeritus of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, says it’s time to change the approach and create a national strategy for regulating agriculture pollution. Don talks about approaches for reducing the use of fertilizers, paying farmers for performance, stopping production of corn-based ethanol, and improving water quality as part of fighting climate change.

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