Ocean Acidification Essay

The ocean is the foundation for all life. From phytoplankton to humans, it supplies us with basic but necessary resources. Yet, we don’t take care of it as much as we should. With the arising issues brought on by global warming and ocean acidification, marine life is struggling to survive. Ocean acidification is defined in one article as, “a significant and harmful consequence of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere...At least one-quarter of the carbon dioxide released by burning coal, oil and gas doesn't stay in the air, but instead dissolves into the ocean” (Waters, 2016). When the gas is absorbed, it drops the pH of the ocean, which makes more acidic. Currently, the ocean absorbs around 22 million tons per day (Waters, 2016). As one can

For example, the acidity of the ocean is deteriorating the shells made of calcium carbonate. Corals, which are made up of that substance, are dying because the pH is too low for them. This affects the rest of the food chain because the fish that live in coral will no longer have a place to live and get eaten by other fish or die off. Then the predators of those fish won’t have a stable food supply, and it continually goes up the list until it finally affects us. One word for this would be bioaccumulation, which is the build up of chemicals from a food system. As explained in the diagram

However, there are various solutions to these problems. One general area of helping the earth would be what you can do on a personal level. There are several ways you can reduce your carbon footprint. Instead, recycle everything you can and be proactive about the products you’re using. When shopping, look for eco-friendly items and try carpooling or biking to the store/other places to save money, gas and help reduce air pollution. As well, be mindful about the fish you’re eating by looking at information booklets on which species are safest to eat and try to eat