When wildlife tests positive for chemicals

I was going through some toxicity reports from last summer, and it hit me: we’re turning our local ducks into walking science experiments… I mean, how much longer until we start seeing mallards showing up in lab coats, ready to present their findings on human pollution? If only they could file a complaint about our waste, right?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍​‍‌‍‍‍​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌​‌​‍​‌⁠‌⁠‌​⁠⁠‌​⁠‌‌​‍‌‌​‌‌‌‍⁠​‌‍‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌​‌⁠‌‌‍‍‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠​‍‌‍‍‍‌⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

And it’s wild to think about, right? I remember once seeing a duck that looked like it had a better wardrobe than me! But seriously, I think we should definitely be more mindful about our waste practices — if only ducks could advocate for themselves.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍​‍‌‍‍‍​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​⁠‍​​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​‍‌‍⁠‌‌‍​‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍​‌⁠​‌‌​⁠⁠‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍​‍‌​‌⁠‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​⁠‌‌‍‍​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

Totally with you on that — it’s bizarre to think our ducks are getting their own toxicity reports! I saw a study that found certain waterways have mercury levels that could affect wildlife. Maybe we should start a petition for a ‘Duck Advisory Committee’ to address our pollution issues before they start filing complaints themselves?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍​‍‌‍‍‍​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​⁠‍​​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌​‌​​‌​⁠‌⁠​⁠​⁠‌‌‍​‌⁠‍‌‌‌​​‌​⁠​‌‍‍‍‌​⁠‌‌⁠‍​‌⁠​⁠‌‌‍‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌