Nonprofit working to protect environment amid Coronavirus pandemic

Protecting paradise may seem like a distant thought during the coronavirus pandemic.

That's why one nonprofit is working to keep issues like water quality top of mind.

DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.THAT’S WHY ONE NONPROFIT ISWORKING TO KEEP ISSUES LIKEWATER QUALITY TOP OF MIND.AS JESSICA ALPERN REPORTS INTHIS MORNING’S EDITION OF "WE’REOPEN"... THERE’S A WAY YOU CANHELP, WHILE STAYING SAFER ATHOME.SOT:David Wolff, President of OceanHabitats"At some point this is going toend." BUTT TO 4:30 "Theenvironment’s still going to behere when we all come back out,it’s still going to have theproblems that it had and it’sstill going to need the help."A SIMPLE MESSAGE FROM DAVIDWOLFF, PRESIDENT OF OCEANHABITATS.THE ENVIRONMENT WILL STILL BEHERE AFTER THE CORONAVIRUSPANDEMIC IS OVER.THAT’S WHY THE NONPROFIT ISSTILL WORKING TO INSTALLARTIFICIAL MINI REEFS IN OURAREA... AND BEYOND...TO IMPROVEWATER QUALITY."We’ve started to partner withlocal area businesses arounddifferent states." BUTT TO 1:06"Like seawall dock companies.Kind of setting updistributorships with companiesstill doing business becausethey’re essential."THIS ACCOMPLISHES A FEW THINGS."While it’s definitely theenvironment’s not at theforefront of everyone’s mindlike it normally is... whepeople hear you can also do thito help the environment whilewe’re fixing your blank peoplesay yeah let’s go ahead."AND IT SUPPORTS SOCIALDISTANCING, BY LIMITING THENUMBER OF PEOPLE AT YOUR HOME.IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANY OTHER WORKBEING DONE ON YOUR PROPERTY...THE NONPROFIT CAN STILL COME OUTON ITS OWN, AND YOU WON’T EVENNEED TO COME OUTSIDE."Nobody has to be there, weselect the best location for themini reefs to make sure theyoperate properly and we’re thereand gone."AS THE PANDEMIC CONTINUES...THEY’RE ALSO MAKING SURERESEARCH DOESN’T TAKE A BACKSEAT.THIS FRIDAY -- THEY’LL TEAM UPWITH MOTE MARINE LABORATORY."Dr. Lovko and Dr. Panara arestudying red tide.

They’re goingto be using our units to studythe different filter feedersthat live on a mini reeffiltering brevis out of thatwater.""Kind of like the knowledge ofexactly how much do each ofthese filter feeders filter outred tide, nobody knows, there’sno published work on that, allof these things need to beanswered with current research."WOLFF SAYS THE RESEARCH WILPROVIDE ANSWERS TO THOSEQUESTIONS, AND MORE.JESSICA ALPERN, F4IYC.OCEAN HABITATS WILL BE ON FORTMYERS BEACH NEXT WEEK.SO IF YOU’D LIKE TO LEARN HOWYOU CAN HELP PROTE