In addition to the famous impacts of atmospheric carbon on global warming, there is an equally worrisome effect of carbon dioxide on the oceans: ocean acidification (or OA for short). Here at I2SEA we have a series of resources about OA, including Our Acidifying Ocean, which is an introductory activity and virtual lab (note: now mobile compatible!).
A student suggested that we start a conversation topic about OA, and here it is! Have you heard about Ocean Acidification? If so, are you worried about it? How do you think we can best raise awareness about it among your fellow students and the general public? Have you seen particularly good links or films about OA that you would like to share? What are you doing to address the problem?
Ocean Acidification >
How Ocean Acidification is Bad for the Environment
The issue of ocean acidification is not portrayed as a big problem nearly as much as it should be. If you have not heard, the Great Barrier Reef (In Australia) is in great danger of being wiped out of its animals because of ocean acidification. The Great Barrier Reef is the biggest living structure on the planet still standing, and it covers over 344,400 km squared! If the Great Barrier Reef dies because of ocean acidification, many of the 1,500 species of living organisms will die along with. I think this issue is hard to ignore because if all these animals die it will have a massive effect on the food chain for other oceanic creatures and for our own species. It could end many restaurants that depend on seafood, and we need to fix this for the better of our world!
Good job of explaining ocean acidification and what it does to the environment. This is definitely something that needs to be taken care of. In most of the Earth's environmental problems, we are causes of the problems and we can fix what we do to keep the Earth clean and healthy.