Thames River

As we were touring London, with Luk being the perfect little tour guide, we frequently came across the Thames River. As we were walking across the Millennium Bridge, I was intrigued to find an anchored barge of sorts that had a sign floating behind it stating: "I eat rubbish! this device restores vitality to the Thames collecting 40 tonnes of rubbish every year." Nine of these informational and waste collecting barges have been place along the Thames River by an environmentalist group in an effort to decrease pollution.

After Roman conquest, London became a center for guilds, livery companies, and merchants. The Thames river provided a means of transport for boats carrying cargo and people. As a result, the water became very polluted and by 1610 the water was no longer fit for drinking. The New River company was established to supply clean water to the general population but with the open drains flowing into the river this proved to be difficult and disease ensued. The stench coming off of the water was so terrible that in 1858 the House of Commons had to be abandoned. By the middle of the 19th century, the rise in sewage carried into the Thames river by the Fleet river caused all of the fish to die and consequently all of the birds that fed off the fish to die or transfer to other less polluted areas.

Eventually three criteria for improvement were established: the water must always be able to sustain fish at every tide level, the river must support fauna on the bottom of the river, and all toxic and non-biodegradable waste must be taken out of the water. As a result, aquatic life was able to develop and now attracts more than 10,000 birds, the occasional seal may be spotted swimming about in the water, and it is now one of the cleanest rivers in the world. The Thames River obviously plays a crucial part to daily life in London, not only for the animals and plants but also for the people. Studies reveal that the city has sunk more than fifteen feet since it was conquered by the Romans. Even a slight change in the Earth's climate would have a devastating effect on London since the river is such a crucial part of the city's development and the city could sink even further. If the climate does become warmer London could be completely submerged by 2100.