Shark-Infested Waters

By the time you’re in a situation that involves “shark-infested waters,” the water is actually people-infested. It’s the shark’s home, and you’re intruding.

You'd be mad, too, if a shark showed up unannounced in your kitchen.

So often we like to think that we are in control over nature, but we must learn to coexist and even collaborate with it, rather than trying to bend it to our will. It's not a choice — it's the only way forward.

There's hope, though. A Warsaw pumping station is working with clams to monitor drinking water pollution. When the water becomes unfit, they clam up and trigger an alert, thanks to a sensor attached to them.

And in Cape Cod, towns are exploring using shellfish as an inexpensive way to remove excess nitrogen from the water.

Ideally, we wouldn't pollute our water in the first place. But by nurturing the Earth's own tools for restoring nature's equilibrium, we can ensure a brighter future not just for our own species, but for many others as well.

Hat tip to my friend @_KDarby_ for sharing the Warsaw clam story with me.