Background: Rain dissolves fertilizer in the soil. Runoff carries it away. The fertilizer ends up in bodies of water, from ponds to oceans. Nitrogen is a fertilizer in the water. Since there is a lot of nitrogen, it causes algae to grow out of control. Pictured below is a pond covered with algae ( Figure below ). Algae use up carbon dioxide in the water. After the algae die, decomposers break down the dead tissue. The decomposers use up all the oxygen in the water. This creates a dead zone. A dead zone is an area in a body of water where nothing grows because there is too little oxygen. There is a large dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico ( Figure below ). The U.S. states outlined on the map have rivers that drain into the Gulf of Mexico. The rivers drain vast agricultural lands. The water carries fertilizer from these areas into the Gulf.

Situation: Two neighboring towns from Texas produced their food in different ways. Silver town was sustainable and didn't use any fertilizers or pesticides, while Gold town did.

Question: Which town caused more fertilizer runoff?
Answer: Gold

Situation: Two neighboring towns from Texas produced their food in different ways. Silver town was sustainable and didn't use any fertilizers or pesticides, while Gold town did.

Question: Which town caused less fertilizer runoff?
Answer: Silver

Situation: Two neighboring towns from Texas produced their food in different ways. Silver town was sustainable and didn't use any fertilizers or pesticides, while Gold town did.

Question: Which town played its part in causing a large dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico ?
Answer: Gold

Situation: Two neighboring towns from Texas produced their food in different ways. Silver town was sustainable and didn't use any fertilizers or pesticides, while Gold town did.

Question: Which town didn't play a part in causing a large dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico ?
Answer: Silver

Situation: Two neighboring towns from Texas produced their food in different ways. Silver town was sustainable and didn't use any fertilizers or pesticides, while Gold town did.

Question: Which town caused more fertilizer to dissolve in the soil?
Answer: Gold

Situation: Two neighboring towns from Texas produced their food in different ways. Silver town was sustainable and didn't use any fertilizers or pesticides, while Gold town did.

Question: Which town caused less fertilizer to dissolve in the soil?
Answer: Silver

Situation: Two neighboring towns from Texas produced their food in different ways. Silver town was sustainable and didn't use any fertilizers or pesticides, while Gold town did.

Question: Which town caused fewer algae to grow out of control?
Answer: Silver

Situation: Two neighboring towns from Texas produced their food in different ways. Silver town was sustainable and didn't use any fertilizers or pesticides, while Gold town did.

Question: Which town caused more algae to grow out of control?
Answer: Gold

Situation: Two neighboring towns from Texas produced their food in different ways. Silver town was sustainable and didn't use any fertilizers or pesticides, while Gold town did.

Question: Which town caused more decomposers to use up all the oxygen in the water?
Answer: Gold

Situation: Two neighboring towns from Texas produced their food in different ways. Silver town was sustainable and didn't use any fertilizers or pesticides, while Gold town did.

Question: Which town caused fewer decomposers to use up all the oxygen in the water?
Answer: Silver

Situation: Two farms had different plant cultivation methods. Jolly farm adopted the permaculture methods created by Sepp Holzer, while Peach farm continued using fertilizers and pesticides.

Question: Which farm caused more fertilizer to dissolve in rain water?
Answer: Peach

Situation: Two farms had different plant cultivation methods. Jolly farm adopted the permaculture methods created by Sepp Holzer, while Peach farm continued using fertilizers and pesticides.

Question: Which farm caused less fertilizer to dissolve in rain water?
Answer: Jolly

Situation: Two farms had different plant cultivation methods. Jolly farm adopted the permaculture methods created by Sepp Holzer, while Peach farm continued using fertilizers and pesticides.

Question: Which farm caused less fertilizer to end up in ponds?
Answer: Jolly

Situation: Two farms had different plant cultivation methods. Jolly farm adopted the permaculture methods created by Sepp Holzer, while Peach farm continued using fertilizers and pesticides.

Question: Which farm caused more fertilizer to end up in ponds?
Answer: Peach

Situation: Two farms had different plant cultivation methods. Jolly farm adopted the permaculture methods created by Sepp Holzer, while Peach farm continued using fertilizers and pesticides.

Question: Which farm caused less fertilizer to end up in oceans?
Answer: Jolly

Situation: Two farms had different plant cultivation methods. Jolly farm adopted the permaculture methods created by Sepp Holzer, while Peach farm continued using fertilizers and pesticides.

Question: Which farm caused more fertilizer to end up in oceans?
Answer: Peach

Situation: Two farms had different plant cultivation methods. Jolly farm adopted the permaculture methods created by Sepp Holzer, while Peach farm continued using fertilizers and pesticides.

Question: Which farm caused more Nitrogen to end up in oceans?
Answer: Peach

Situation: Two farms had different plant cultivation methods. Jolly farm adopted the permaculture methods created by Sepp Holzer, while Peach farm continued using fertilizers and pesticides.

Question: Which farm caused less Nitrogen to end up in oceans?
Answer: Jolly

Situation: Two farms had different plant cultivation methods. Jolly farm adopted the permaculture methods created by Sepp Holzer, while Peach farm continued using fertilizers and pesticides.

Question: Which farm caused fewer dead zones in the oceans?
Answer: Jolly

Situation: Two farms had different plant cultivation methods. Jolly farm adopted the permaculture methods created by Sepp Holzer, while Peach farm continued using fertilizers and pesticides.

Question: Which farm caused more dead zones in the oceans?
Answer: Peach

Situation: Park farm and Fiddle farm provided Red city with tonnes of produce annually. Fiddle farm used and abundance of fertilizers and pesticides, while Park farm didn't use any of those substances.

Question: Which farm caused more fertilizer to dissolve in the soil because of rain?
Answer: Fiddle

Situation: Park farm and Fiddle farm provided Red city with tonnes of produce annually. Fiddle farm used and abundance of fertilizers and pesticides, while Park farm didn't use any of those substances.

Question: Which farm caused less fertilizer to dissolve in the soil because of rain?
Answer: Park

Situation: Park farm and Fiddle farm provided Red city with tonnes of produce annually. Fiddle farm used and abundance of fertilizers and pesticides, while Park farm didn't use any of those substances.

Question: Which farm caused less fertilizer to end up in ponds?
Answer: Park

Situation: Park farm and Fiddle farm provided Red city with tonnes of produce annually. Fiddle farm used and abundance of fertilizers and pesticides, while Park farm didn't use any of those substances.

Question: Which farm caused more fertilizer to end up in ponds?
Answer: Park

Situation: Park farm and Fiddle farm provided Red city with tonnes of produce annually. Fiddle farm used and abundance of fertilizers and pesticides, while Park farm didn't use any of those substances.

Question: Which farm caused more fertilizer to end up in oceans?
Answer: Fiddle

Situation: Park farm and Fiddle farm provided Red city with tonnes of produce annually. Fiddle farm used and abundance of fertilizers and pesticides, while Park farm didn't use any of those substances.

Question: Which farm caused less fertilizer to end up in oceans?
Answer: Park

Situation: Park farm and Fiddle farm provided Red city with tonnes of produce annually. Fiddle farm used and abundance of fertilizers and pesticides, while Park farm didn't use any of those substances.

Question: Which farm caused less algae to grow out of control?
Answer: Park

Situation: Park farm and Fiddle farm provided Red city with tonnes of produce annually. Fiddle farm used and abundance of fertilizers and pesticides, while Park farm didn't use any of those substances.

Question: Which farm caused more algae to grow out of control?
Answer: Fiddle

Situation: Park farm and Fiddle farm provided Red city with tonnes of produce annually. Fiddle farm used and abundance of fertilizers and pesticides, while Park farm didn't use any of those substances.

Question: Which farm caused more nitrogen to end up in the water?
Answer: Fiddle

Situation: Park farm and Fiddle farm provided Red city with tonnes of produce annually. Fiddle farm used and abundance of fertilizers and pesticides, while Park farm didn't use any of those substances.

Question: Which farm caused less nitrogen to end up in the water?
Answer: Park

Situation: Two farmer's associations used different agricultural methods when growing crops. Bold farm used lots of fertilizers over the years, while Shallow farm used organic methods combined with methods from permaculture.

Question: Which farm put more fertilizer into bodies of water?
Answer: Bold

Situation: Two farmer's associations used different agricultural methods when growing crops. Bold farm used lots of fertilizers over the years, while Shallow farm used organic methods combined with methods from permaculture.

Question: Which farm put less fertilizer into bodies of water?
Answer: Shallow

Situation: Two farmer's associations used different agricultural methods when growing crops. Bold farm used lots of fertilizers over the years, while Shallow farm used organic methods combined with methods from permaculture.

Question: Which farm put less nitrogen into bodies of water?
Answer: Shallow

Situation: Two farmer's associations used different agricultural methods when growing crops. Bold farm used lots of fertilizers over the years, while Shallow farm used organic methods combined with methods from permaculture.

Question: Which farm put more nitrogen into bodies of water?
Answer: Bold

Situation: Two farmer's associations used different agricultural methods when growing crops. Bold farm used lots of fertilizers over the years, while Shallow farm used organic methods combined with methods from permaculture.

Question: Which farm causes more algae to grow out of control?
Answer: Bold

Situation: Two farmer's associations used different agricultural methods when growing crops. Bold farm used lots of fertilizers over the years, while Shallow farm used organic methods combined with methods from permaculture.

Question: Which farm causes fewer algae to grow out of control?
Answer: Shallow

Situation: Two farmer's associations used different agricultural methods when growing crops. Bold farm used lots of fertilizers over the years, while Shallow farm used organic methods combined with methods from permaculture.

Question: Which farm contributes less to the creation of dead zones?
Answer: Shallow

Situation: Two farmer's associations used different agricultural methods when growing crops. Bold farm used lots of fertilizers over the years, while Shallow farm used organic methods combined with methods from permaculture.

Question: Which farm contributes more to the creation of dead zones?
Answer: Bold

Situation: Two farmer's associations used different agricultural methods when growing crops. Bold farm used lots of fertilizers over the years, while Shallow farm used organic methods combined with methods from permaculture.

Question: Which farm contributes more to the consumption of oxygen in the water?
Answer: Bold

Situation: Two farmer's associations used different agricultural methods when growing crops. Bold farm used lots of fertilizers over the years, while Shallow farm used organic methods combined with methods from permaculture.

Question: Which farm contributes less to the consumption of oxygen in the water?
Answer: Shallow

Situation: Iceland and Ireland both used agriculture as a the main component of their economies. Ireland used lots of fertilizer and had big environmental problems as a result. Iceland does a lot of greenhouse agriculture using geothermal energy, so it is more protective towards the environment.

Question: Which country had less fertilizer in the runoff?
Answer: Iceland

Situation: Iceland and Ireland both used agriculture as a the main component of their economies. Ireland used lots of fertilizer and had big environmental problems as a result. Iceland does a lot of greenhouse agriculture using geothermal energy, so it is more protective towards the environment.

Question: Which country had more fertilizer in the runoff?
Answer: Ireland

Situation: Iceland and Ireland both used agriculture as a the main component of their economies. Ireland used lots of fertilizer and had big environmental problems as a result. Iceland does a lot of greenhouse agriculture using geothermal energy, so it is more protective towards the environment.

Question: Which country had more fertilizer in their bodies of water?
Answer: Ireland

Situation: Iceland and Ireland both used agriculture as a the main component of their economies. Ireland used lots of fertilizer and had big environmental problems as a result. Iceland does a lot of greenhouse agriculture using geothermal energy, so it is more protective towards the environment.

Question: Which country had less fertilizer in their bodies of water?
Answer: Iceland

Situation: Iceland and Ireland both used agriculture as a the main component of their economies. Ireland used lots of fertilizer and had big environmental problems as a result. Iceland does a lot of greenhouse agriculture using geothermal energy, so it is more protective towards the environment.

Question: Which country caused more algae to grow out of control?
Answer: Ireland

Situation: Iceland and Ireland both used agriculture as a the main component of their economies. Ireland used lots of fertilizer and had big environmental problems as a result. Iceland does a lot of greenhouse agriculture using geothermal energy, so it is more protective towards the environment.

Question: Which country caused fewer algae to grow out of control?
Answer: Iceland

Situation: Iceland and Ireland both used agriculture as a the main component of their economies. Ireland used lots of fertilizer and had big environmental problems as a result. Iceland does a lot of greenhouse agriculture using geothermal energy, so it is more protective towards the environment.

Question: Which country caused fewer decomposers to break down dead algae?
Answer: Iceland

Situation: Iceland and Ireland both used agriculture as a the main component of their economies. Ireland used lots of fertilizer and had big environmental problems as a result. Iceland does a lot of greenhouse agriculture using geothermal energy, so it is more protective towards the environment.

Question: Which country caused more decomposers to break down dead algae?
Answer: Ireland

Situation: Iceland and Ireland both used agriculture as a the main component of their economies. Ireland used lots of fertilizer and had big environmental problems as a result. Iceland does a lot of greenhouse agriculture using geothermal energy, so it is more protective towards the environment.

Question: Which country had more nitrogen in their waters?
Answer: Ireland

Situation: Iceland and Ireland both used agriculture as a the main component of their economies. Ireland used lots of fertilizer and had big environmental problems as a result. Iceland does a lot of greenhouse agriculture using geothermal energy, so it is more protective towards the environment.

Question: Which country had less nitrogen in their waters?
Answer: Iceland

Situation: Two farms were supplying produce to a large city. Green farm used organic methods and no fertilizers, while Bean farm used fertilizer to improve production.

Question: Which farm contributes less to the consumption of oxygen in the water?
Answer: Green

Situation: Two farms were supplying produce to a large city. Green farm used organic methods and no fertilizers, while Bean farm used fertilizer to improve production.

Question: Which farm contributes more to the consumption of oxygen in the water?
Answer: Bean

Situation: Two farms were supplying produce to a large city. Green farm used organic methods and no fertilizers, while Bean farm used fertilizer to improve production.

Question: Which farm had more fertilizer dissolve into runoff?
Answer: Bean

Situation: Two farms were supplying produce to a large city. Green farm used organic methods and no fertilizers, while Bean farm used fertilizer to improve production.

Question: Which farm had less fertilizer dissolve into runoff?
Answer: Green

Situation: Two farms were supplying produce to a large city. Green farm used organic methods and no fertilizers, while Bean farm used fertilizer to improve production.

Question: Which farm was the cause of fertilizer ending up in bodies of water?
Answer: Bean

Situation: Two farms were supplying produce to a large city. Green farm used organic methods and no fertilizers, while Bean farm used fertilizer to improve production.

Question: Which farm was not the cause of fertilizer ending up in bodies of water?
Answer: Green

Situation: Two farms were supplying produce to a large city. Green farm used organic methods and no fertilizers, while Bean farm used fertilizer to improve production.

Question: Which farm was not the cause of nitrogen ending up in bodies of water?
Answer: Green

Situation: Two farms were supplying produce to a large city. Green farm used organic methods and no fertilizers, while Bean farm used fertilizer to improve production.

Question: Which farm was the cause of nitrogen ending up in bodies of water?
Answer: Bean

Situation: Two farms were supplying produce to a large city. Green farm used organic methods and no fertilizers, while Bean farm used fertilizer to improve production.

Question: Which farm contributed more to the growth of algae in water?
Answer: Bean

Situation: Two farms were supplying produce to a large city. Green farm used organic methods and no fertilizers, while Bean farm used fertilizer to improve production.

Question: Which farm contributed less to the growth of algae in water?
Answer: Green