No More Lobsters, No More Clams...

As some of us know, but most of us don't, the water absorbs gasses from the atmosphere. In fact, tons of gasses are absorbed every day...millions of tons or more per year. And today, with our gross amount of carbon that we blow into the air we are poisoning the oceans as quickly as we are the atmosphere.

With our human-consumptions of fossil fuels we are creating a great deal of CO2, and with the warming of the planet we are seeing an increased release of suspended methane...an even harsher Green House Gas (GHG). These levels have been increasing since the industrial revolution...200+ years of ever increasing carbon levels...and the seas and oceans, even our lakes and rivers are suffering.

In fact 1/3 of airborne CO2 is now absorbed into the oceans, and as a result the Ph factor is coming down...making the oceans more acidic...it is approaching a null point of 7.8...when the general ocean Ph has been above 8 for literally millions of years.

Certain animal species convert chemicals suspended in the ocean waters into calcium shields, of sorts. These animals are called 'calcifiers' and they use their body chemistry to create their calcium based shells and exoskeletal armor. But with the higher acidic environment they are having to work harder to make, and keep their shells. The more CO2 in the water, the harder it becomes, and one day not so far from now...easily within this century...we will reach that 7.8 Ph factor, and the shells will become a thing of the past for many species.

What can we do? Reduce our carbon foot print, reduce ocean temperatures...or at least slow the warming trend, and act internationally to address the problem. As the world's largest contributors to global warming and the release of GHGs, the United States, China and now India all need to commit to reductions and then see these reductions through. There is no other option, not if you want these species to survive.