http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/us-effort-on-ocean-acidification-needs-focus-on-human-impacts/
Summary
In the article “U.S. Effort on Ocean Acidification Needs Focus on Human Impacts” by Brian Blenkowski, explains how the Federal Government plans on focusing on the economy and the effects on people by ocean acidification. Acidification is one the world’s larger problems associated with greenhouse gas emission. Ocean acidification is created through carbon dioxide dissolving into oceans, turning into acid. The acid will destroy calcium carbonates which in the end destroy shells of most primary producers in the ocean. With no primary producers, the fish will die and will hurt one of human’s main resources of food. In 2011, U.S. commercial fishers caught 10 billion pounds of seafood valued at $5.3 billion. About one third of the carbon dioxide is by burning of fossil fuels, which eventually leads into the ocean. Over 250 years, ocean acidity has increased 30 percent. Ocean acidity is on the rise for one of the nation’s greatest threats for us and the environment.
Summary
In the article “U.S. Effort on Ocean Acidification Needs Focus on Human Impacts” by Brian Blenkowski, explains how the Federal Government plans on focusing on the economy and the effects on people by ocean acidification. Acidification is one the world’s larger problems associated with greenhouse gas emission. Ocean acidification is created through carbon dioxide dissolving into oceans, turning into acid. The acid will destroy calcium carbonates which in the end destroy shells of most primary producers in the ocean. With no primary producers, the fish will die and will hurt one of human’s main resources of food. In 2011, U.S. commercial fishers caught 10 billion pounds of seafood valued at $5.3 billion. About one third of the carbon dioxide is by burning of fossil fuels, which eventually leads into the ocean. Over 250 years, ocean acidity has increased 30 percent. Ocean acidity is on the rise for one of the nation’s greatest threats for us and the environment.
Reflection This article shows the obvious problems with burning of fossil fuels. With no efficient clean energy source, we are forced to burn fossil fuels until so. With non-stop burning, we are producing way more carbon dioxide than the earth has seen in over 200 years. Economically, I also believe that this is raising a problem. With less fish in the sea due to carbon dioxide turning into acids in the water, the economy of fisherman will drop extremely hard. Not only are fish healthy for our economy, they are also one of our main sources of food. It is important to raise awareness of this topic and to become aware of the dangers of burning fossil fuels.