Liz Baylis

An excerpt from an open letter from Sally-Christine Rodgers, Oceana Board Member:

What would you do if you knew that  many species of fish and other marine life in the ocean will be gone within 30  years if levels of C02 continue increasing at their present rate?  We believe you would take action to stop this from happening, because informed  people make informed choices. This letter is about what we can and must do  together now to help solve a very serious but little-known problem, Ocean Acidification.

Ocean Acidification is primarily  caused by the burning of fossil fuels.  When carbon dioxide in the  atmosphere ends up in the ocean it changes the pH, making the sea acidic and  less hospitable to life. Over time, CO2 reduces calcium carbonate,  which prevents creatures from forming shells and building reefs. In fact,  existing shells will start to dissolve. Oysters and mussels will not be able  to build shells.  Crabs and lobsters?  Your great-grandchildren may  wonder what they tasted like.

Carbon dioxide concentrated in the  oceans is making seawater acidic.  Many of the zooplankton, small animals  at the base of the food web, have skeletons that won’t form in these  conditions, and sea-life further up the food chain – fish, mammals and  seabirds that rely on zooplankton for food will also perish. No food – no  life.  One billion people rely on seafood for their primary source of  protein.  Many scientific reports document that worldwide, humans are  already consuming more food than is being produced.  The implications are  obvious.

The issue of Ocean Acidification  is causing irreversible loss to species and habitats, and acidification trends are happening up to ten times  faster than projected.  We want you to know what this means,  how it affects all of us, and what we can do about it.

Today, the atmospheric  concentration of CO2 is about 387 parts per million (ppm) and  increasing at 2 ppm per year.  If left unaddressed, by 2040 it is  projected to be over 450 parts per million, and marine scientists believe the  collapse of many ocean ecosystems will be irreversible. Acidification has  other physiological effects on marine life as well, including changes in  reproduction, growth rates, and even respiration in fish.

Tropical and coldwater corals are  among the oldest and largest living structures on earth; the richest in terms  of biodiversity, they provide spawning areas, nursery habitat and feeding  grounds for a quarter of all species in the sea. Coral reefs are at risk!   As C02 concentrations increase, corals, shellfish and other  species that make shells will not be able to build their skeletons and will  likely become extinct.

The good news is we can fix this  problem. But, as you guessed, it will be difficult.  Ocean Acidification  and global warming are caused by increased CO2 in the  atmosphere.  Solving one will solve the other.  Passage of HR 2454,  the Waxman-Markey “American Clean Energy and Security Act” is a first step in  reducing CO2 emissions, and deserves our support, but the bill  needs to be  strengthened.

“The intergovernmental panel  on climate change concluded that in order to stabilize C02 in the  atmosphere at 350 ppm by 2050, global carbon emissions need to be cut 85%  below 2000 levels.” That’s a very tall order!  And the way our political  system works (or doesn’t) makes it tougher.  It will take all of us to  step up and take responsibility to make this happen.

Here is what you can do: Contact your Representative now:

Click on this link to send an email, which will go  directly to your representative based on your address.  http://www.oceana.org/acid

You may use the letter provided,  but it is more effective to  edit it, and in your own words  urge them to strengthen the  Waxman-Markey “American Clean Energy and Security Act” H.R.  2454.

Ocean Acidification is an issue we  can do something about.  We need a groundswell of informed citizens to  get Congress to have the backbone to stand up to the entrenched interests of  coal, oil, and gas and not compromise on the reduction of CO2.   We also need real leadership to aggressively create jobs using  sustainable technologies. The choice is ours.  We can solve this or not.   What we do know is that the future facing our children, grandchildren  and indeed all of humankind depends on our decision.

I will be doing live commentary at St. Francis YC on Sunday for the US Match Racing Championship Area G Quarterfinals. Hopefully the westerly will come in strong and we can have some exciting racing. Please come by and check it out. (Twelve teams competing including US Olympians, Olympic hopefuls, and World Champions!)