Rigby has experienced all that comes with growing up on the Gulf Coast of Florida, including red tide. After seeing some of its terrible affects, he decided to take matters into his own hands, and in 1992, he began research to find a cure.

Nine years later, Rigby found it.

When an increased amount of algae grows in bodies of water, it is called red tide. This algae creates a toxin, affecting the central nervous system of fish and also respiratory systems in people. While red tide is found all over the world, the Gulf of Mexico produces a distinct kind of red tide, which is characterized by the algae Karenia brevis.

“In good times, the effects are devastating. If we had a bloom, it could wipe out tourism. I figured it can’t be all that complicated,” Rigby said.

Rigby described the invention process as “easy.”

For nine years, he would bring buckets of water into his garage to tweak his new formulas until he found one that was “100 percent stable and only kills the algae.”

But finding funding proved to be much more difficult.

Once Rigby got a patent, he approached several colleges and organizations, including Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft. Myers, Fla., and Mote Marine Laboratory, in Sarasota, Fla., to get his formula recognized and utilized.

Unwilling to allow the organization to take full credit for the formula, Rigby looked elsewhere, approaching legislators. He finally found solace with the Venice mayor, Dean Calamaras, who approved local research at the high school where Rigby graduated, Venice High.

Appointed by the school, veteran marine science teacher, Charlie Powell, became public chairman of the formula’s research, working with the students, Rigby and the public.

“The students felt really good about it. It was a lot of work,” Powell said.

Their research began with two culture flasks of Karenia brevis provided by the Fish and Wildlife Research Insitute in St. Petersburg, Fla. The students were able to see the effect of this bleach-based formula and documented their findings throughout. Students then began to test the formula with water containing fish and shrimp.

“Working with Venice High School students was perfect. There were big hunks that loved two things: rubber and girls, dressed up in lab coats and safety glasses,” Rigby said.

Powell recalls the day when three different television stations came to cover the research being conducted in his classroom.

Since then, however, many have lost interest.

Controversy and skepticism continues to surround the formula and research.

Rigby has contacted Dr. Bill Hogarth, dean of the University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science, concerning his newest invention: Solar Water Conversion Technology as well as the red tide formula.

USF Marine Science professor, Dr. Bob Weisburg, is currently evaluating Rigby’s invention. Rigby hopes to get research of both rolling as soon as possible.

He has been waiting for more than a year for a response.

“The little guy gets screwed,” Rigby said. “What’s holding this up?”

All who have been involved are concerned that this formula may go to waste. Nevertheless, Rigby will not give up hope.

With this in mind, I don’t know if California is a place I want to visit, let alone call home, any time soon…or is it?

I once saw a sign that jokingly displayed the border between California and Arizona with a sign that read, “Now entering the great Golden State, California,” and it depicted two people, a man and a woman, wearing buttoned-down, flower printed t-shirts, baseball caps stuck to their sweaty heads and on their faces were giant green gas masks.

Although this instance was derived in jest, for the residents of many cities and towns in California, industrial air processes have a great and negative effect on overall life. In fact, 90 percent of Californians breathe unhealthy levels of one or more air pollutants during some part of the year.

Many cities in California are also known for high levels of fine particulate matter (solid particles and droplets of liquid found in the air, some of which include aerosols, smoke, fumes, dust, ash and pollen), which contribute to widespread and major health risks. A study conducted in Fresno, Los Angeles, Orange County, Sacramento, San Diego and Santa Clara demonstrated increased risk of cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, ischemic heart disease and diabetes and as a direct result of exposure to these particles.

By itself, ozone is deadly and poisonous to humans. Californians are exposed to this gas every day at one point or another, and at some of the highest levels recorded in the U.S. Exposure to ozone contributes to an annual 637 cases of premature mortality, 4,200 respiratory hospital admissions, 660 pediatric emergency room visits for asthma, 4.7 million days of school loss and 3.1 million minor restricted activity days, according to HHS.gov. Ozone has become such a problem for California that the state has adopted a law that requires a lowered ozone standard of 0.070ppm.

Menacing in just the length of its name is the term methylterbutylether, commonly abbreviated as MTBE. This barely pronounceable term is actually a harsh chemical compound sometimes found in drinking water and is extremely harmful if consumed in high enough amounts. When tested over a six-year period, MTBE was found in 1.3 percent of all drinking water samples, 2.5 percent of all drinking water sources and 3.7 percent of all drinking water systems in California.

MTBE has been associated with petroleum and is now banned in California and U.S. fuels.

So yes, California might live up to some of the pollution-related stereotypes clouding its name, but the Golden State isn’t just sitting back about it.

We’re all familiar with global warming. It’s been in and out of the news non-stop in recent years. It’s true that in California between the years 1960 and 2001, global warming pollution bounced up 85 percent due to a greater combustion of oil and natural gas, with heating and electrical supply needs responsible for 61 and 38 percent of that increase. Many California businesses, however, such as Adobe Systems Inc. in San Jose, are helping the cause by making a serious effort to cut their global warming pollution.

In 1990, California passed a pioneering mandate on zero emissions vehicles (ZEV). The order was “designed to improve the air quality whereby the state can be in compliance with federal air quality standards by 2007 and to protect the public health from the adverse effects of air pollutants from automobiles.”

I actually just recently visited California and found it quite interesting that residents there must have their vehicles checked every year to make sure they still pass emissions standards set by the state. Signs are posted on just about every auto and mechanic shop front, “Have you had your emissions checked lately?”

So this all might make you feel better about California, but also consider this: alone, California’s emissions from fossil fuel combustion are greater than all other U.S. states with the exception of Texas. And in the transportation sector, California has only a slightly lower fuel use for cars and trucks than the entire nation.

With the environment on just about everyone’s mind these days, it’s good to know that California is standing up against pollution to promote the idea of a brighter, greener and overall better tomorrow, but is what it’s doing really enough?

The Daily Herald online has outlined 10 of the easiest, most effective and cost-friendly ways to get greener – and cleaner – in you home.

1) Dump the dry cleaning. Dry cleaning requires harsh chemicals, and those chemicals don’t stay at the dry cleaners when you bring those clothes home. Try steaming your clothes while you’re in the shower and buying more washable fabrics.

2) Think green and concentrated. For products that you use on the surfaces in your home, look for organic, toxin-free and those without the bold disclaiming “dangerous” tag. The toxins in household products, at least many of them, contain such caustic chemicals that can cause severe skin reactions and asthma.

3) Trade water bottles for water filters. Americans go through 3.3 million plastic water bottles a year, and recycle only one in five. Try buying a water filter system and using a metal water bottle. If you want to save even more money with water, drink from the tap.

4) Put paper towels in the past. Instead of using hundreds of these addictive sheets per month, use sponges and old t-shirts to clean up those messes. You’ll save some trees and some space in the local landfill.

5) Make a trip to your local library. Save paper by going to the local library to check out books instead of spending money on filling your bookshelves with books you might not even read from the bookstore.

6) Bring your own coffee. Think of all those coffee chain lovers out there who visit coffee shops at least once a day. That’s a lot of those plastic and Styrofoam cups. Buy a travel mug and make it at home to save.

7) Change those bulbs. Use energy-saving lights in your home. They use at least two-thirds less energy than regular bulbs, so they’ll definitely save you money in the long run.

Leave those pesky papers online. Instead of getting a paper bill in the mail each month for every bill you receive, go green, go paperless, and ask your billing company for online-only bills.

9) Pump up those tires. Proper tire inflation can save you up to 3 percent on your gas mileage.

10) Power rooms with power strips. By plugging in all electronic devices in a room into a power strip, you save on energy. You save even more when you unplug the strip when you’re not using the devices.

All in all, these tips could save you around $1,000 a year. So you can go green, get clean and save money? Wow, what a concept.