No More Nemo?


By: Akhila Srinivas
A lot of you may think that carbon pollution ONLY warms the climate—wrong. Carbon pollution is a MAJOR player in acidifying our Earth’s oceans right as we speak. So what even is ocean acidification? Is the ocean lowering in pH? Well, as a matter of fact, yes. Our oceans absorb almost 1/4 of the carbon dioxide that is emitted into our atmosphere. Every day, this is around 22 million tons of carbon dioxide from factories, power plants, cars, and other anthropogenic sources. The oceans are in serious trouble. But why does this matter in the long run?
Ocean acidification causes harm to creatures with calcium carbonate in their shells or skeletons, making it difficult for creatures like mollusks, crabs, and corals to survive. An acidic ocean robs seawater of the compounds these creatures need to build their shells and skeletons, impairing their growth. In addition, increased acidity makes it extremely difficult for clownfish (aka Nemo) to sense predators and for sharks to hunt for prey. All of these effects ultimately lead to extreme changes in oceanic food webs, leading to certain population collapses in various aquatic species. Two important ecosystems, coral reefs and polar regions, are targets of ocean acidification. Coral reefs can’t develop in acidity, causing coral bleaching and affecting species of fish that rely on coral for shelter and food. In polar regions, many marine plankton will suffer and pteropods, an important food source for salmon, herring, and cod fish, cannot survive in such conditions. These changes can affect large animals like whales and sea otters who rely on these food sources for survival.
Now comes the answer to everybody’s question: How does this affect us?
Communities who depend on the fishing industry experience many detrimental effects of ocean acidification, as they are losing an important food source as fish species cannot survive in increasing acidic conditions. In Alaska, where over half of seafood is caught, fishers are suffering from rapid acidification that is endangering millions of livelihoods and jobs.

We NEED to reduce carbon pollution immediately! This is a serious issue that can have major transformations in our lives, aquatic ecosystems, and the entire planet. Carbon emissions must be controlled now, or future generations may never see Nemo ever again.
How can we control carbon emissions other than reducing the burning of fossil fuels?
Is ocean acidification even an important issue to be discussing?
What are some ways ocean acidification can impact your life?
https://www.greenandgrowing.org/ocean-acidification-causes-effects-comprehensive-guide/https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161005135216.htm

Comments

Anonymous said…
One way we can control carbon emissions is by making more eco-friendly choices, like carpooling when you can and even recycling can help reduce the carbon emissions in the bigger picture. Every little action counts and can be used to help reduce our carbon footprint. Ocean Acidification should be talked about as it is a big problem. Due to ocean acidification, we are losing one of the worlds biggest economic markets and a big source for human food. If the fish die off due to this, economies will go down due to the shortage of fish.
April 23, 2019 at 8:13 PM
Anonymous said…
Carbon emission just seems to be silently wrecking our ecosystems. The reversal of ocean acidification may take a lot of time— time that we really don’t have. It’s still something that should be progressively worked on. Since burning fossil fuels seems to be leading up to all this carbon emissions a measure humans can take for prevention of damage to aquatic ecosystems would be using renewable energy sources. Everything in a way is a massive chain that impacts everything else. Damage leads to more damage while an attempt to fix something may lead to more damage or a method which slowly helps. If we don’t try and just admit the fact that we've already done too much chances are that the Earth will be damaged beyond repair someday. We can continue to find scientific discoveries and fund researchers that are looking at ocean acidification because it is such a pressing topic that requires attention.
April 24, 2019 at 8:24 AM
Anonymous said…
I think that one of the most efficient ways to reduce carbon emissions is with our transportation. Moving to zero emissions vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells and electricity reduces an individual’s carbon footprint. These modes of transport are gradually becoming cheaper and more affordable, and governmental incentives help as well. Furthermore, little actions such as using public transport, or biking/walking to places that are close to you can all add up. Furthermore, spread the word through mouth and social media, and stimulate others to follow your practices. Ocean acidification is extremely important as well, as it leads to other environmental changes that will eventually come back to bite us. However, with the use of more renewable and sustainable energy sources, and the burning of less fossil fuels, we can reduce our impact on the environment.
April 24, 2019 at 9:18 AM
Anonymous said…
One main source of carbon emissions is deforestation. The rate at which we are cutting down trees is astonishing. In order to combat this change, we need to reduce the rate at which we sprawl outward specifically in the United States. Suburban sprawl is one of the main sources of deforestation in the United States. Ocean acidification is definitely an important issue to be talked about. Sea life is an important part of ecosystems in oceans, and acidification causes loss of biodiversity. As you mentioned, a specific effect of ocean acidification is the loss of seafood for consumption. Fisheries lose business because fish cannot survive in the acidic conditions. Overall, this issue is not talked about too much, but is a very important issue.
April 25, 2019 at 4:42 PM
Anonymous said…
The most obvious answer to reducing carbon emissions is to see where majority of our carbon footprint is the largest. That may be by driving long hours and releasing copious amounts of carbon as opposed to carpooling. Or even by trying use more non renewables such as solar as a portiopjn of your energy usage to reduce the overall carbon emissions. Ocean acidification wasn’t something that shocked me as major problem until you had brought this issue up. It’s really sad to see our oceans, something that was pristine and beautiful to a portion of the world that could lose its entire biodiversity in a few decades.
April 26, 2019 at 11:25 AM
Anonymous said…
In my opinion the best way to control and reduce carbon emissions in our planet is through means of transportation. A new technology that is coming out right now are the hydrogen powered vehicles which can cut emissions by over 30 percent compared to the gasoline-powered counterparts. These cars are becoming cheaper and more well known with the pass of time. However, this solution is obviously not for everyone so some other small things can be done such as carpooling or walking, even biking. Ocean acidification is another huge problem that is not nearly talked about enough. It is something very sad that will be incredibly devastating and impacting in a few couple of years.e😓😓☠️l🙅🏼‍♂️🐠🐬
April 26, 2019 at 11:33 AM
Anonymous said…
The acidification of the ocean is going to have detrimental effects on the entire globe. Animals that cant handle the rise will die, leading to a drop in biodiversity. All of this is proven able as one of my classmates said above vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells and electricity reduces an individual’s carbon footprint. We can all try and support less large corporations that relied on fossil fuels, we can walk, bike, and car pool too reduce the exhaust. Families could invest in the renewable energy we learned about helping the reliance on fossil fuel to lessen.
April 26, 2019 at 1:18 PM
Anonymous said…
I think that we will gradually cut down on our carbon emissions, due to the natural evolution of technology. Electric cars are already relatively popular, and cost affordable. Also, as many people already mentioned, hydrogen powered vehicles are close to hitting the mainstream market which will greatly benefit our environment. While these new cars will be a positive for the environment, most people will still use gasoline powered cars for the foreseeable future. To cut down on the effects of this, people should try to carpool or use public transportation as much as possible. On the topic of ocean acidification, it is definitely an issue that should be discussed and talked about more. Humans rely on the ocean, due to the food and economic benefits it provides us, so the health of it should be taken very seriously.
April 26, 2019 at 4:56 PM
Anonymous said…
I think all of us are currently aware of the detrimental effects of carbon emissions and how transportation using fossil fuels is one of the main causes of that. We have new technology coming through, such as technology using renewable resources. Biofuel is one that is already being mixed into gasoline therefore reducing carbon emissions. Making this mainstream will automatically help the environment and also lower fuel prices making it affordable for more people.
April 28, 2019 at 2:32 PM
Anonymous said…
I think we’ve done a lot to try to reduce carbon emissions, but we really need to promote the longevity of renewable resources so the common consumer. I don’t see commercials about the perks of solar energy or wind energy compared to fossil fuels! Exposure and education is key. Ocean acidification is very important to discuss, because this could affect our drinking water in the near future with contamination.. there needs to be something done, and fast.
April 29, 2019 at 6:10 AM
Anonymous said…
Ocean acidification can impact everyone’s lives, every single day. Even the destruction of one species or animal in the ocean will create a domino effect in the ecosystems, creating an extremely unstable and damaged ecosystem. Once the ecosystems are unbalanced, industries like fishing will decline, impacting our economy and everyone’s daily lives. In addition, the loss of biodiversity will also trigger a domino effect and lead to death of animals in the ocean and on land, which includes humans. Ocean acidification is a huge problem, and we need to reduce or even stop it. To help reduce carbon emissions, we should cut down our use of automotive vehicles, specifically gasoline fueled cars. Owning hybrid or electric cars will really help reduce carbon emission, which will reduce the amount of carbon that the ocean absorbs.
April 29, 2019 at 8:44 AM
Anonymous said…
I didn’t realize that carbon pollution also impacts the oceans. I mean now that I know it, it’s obvious. But still not something that I really thought about. Luckily we have so many alternatives to carbon emissions such as electric cars and renewable energy. If we can bring a lot more attention to this topic I’m sure that we can find a solution.
April 29, 2019 at 10:32 AM
Anonymous said…
Ocean acidification has the impact to devastate many coastal cities. The lively hoods of those that depend on fishing and the ocean would be completely lost. In addition, the beauty and diversity of marine life would slowest go extinct. A way that we can contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions is through carpooling. This would reduce the amount of cars on the streets and thus reduce their emissions. The government should also create stricter policies that restrict deforestation. This would allow the trees to naturally reduce carbon emissions and thus minimize oceanic acidification.
April 29, 2019 at 10:37 AM
Anonymous said…
Carbon emissions never struck me as something that affected oceans. I agree that it’s very important to do our best to reduce carbon emissions, and fast. Like many people said before me, one of the easiest and most beneficial ways to reduce this problem is through transportation. Carpooling has become very popular and it should continue to be utilized in order to reduce our ecological footprint.
April 29, 2019 at 10:47 AM
Anonymous said…
In my opinion, I think that we should be responsible for the result of acidification due to our overuse of fossil fuels which would result in creation of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. As we learned through this post, ocean acidification is something that could negatively impact the overall environment as well as our economy and daily lives. In my opinion, I think we should be responsible in reducing the amount of fossil fuels and try to utilize other renewable resources in order to reduce the rate of CO2 emissions.
April 29, 2019 at 11:31 AM
Anonymous said…
We can control carbon emissions by changing our uses of transportation. This means more carpooling and converting to cars run by hydrogen. Ocean acidification is a very important issue because it has been harming our marine life by increasing CO2 levels and decreasing the pH of sea water. When carbon dioxide dissolves in the ocean, carbonic acid is formed. This leads to higher acidity, mainly near the surface, which has been proven to inhibit shell growth in marine animals and is suspected as a cause of reproductive disorders in some fish. Ocean acidification can impact our lives because if this continues to increase, it would be no longer safe for us to enter the ocean.
April 29, 2019 at 4:51 PM
Anonymous said…
Ocean acidification is an important issue but isn’t known well, unlike global warming. I do believe it should be discussed more because not only does it affect our environment, but it also affects our future and can negatively impact our life greatly. Ocean acidification causes damage to sea creature, such as crabs and fish, as well as corals. Many aquatic species depend on the corals for food and shelter and we humans depend on the fish as a food source and job. Even though it may be an indirect consequence, it still can be harmful.
April 29, 2019 at 6:40 PM
Anonymous said…
Fundamental changes in seawater chemistry are occurring throughout the world's oceans. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, the release of carbon dioxide from humankind's industrial and agricultural activities has increased the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Initially, many scientists focused on the benefits of the ocean removing this greenhouse gas from the atmosphere. However, decades of ocean observations now show that there is also a downside — the CO2 absorbed by the ocean is changing the chemistry of the seawater, a process called ocean acidification. This is a call to action and ocean acidification has to be addressed in tangent with climate change before it is too late!
April 29, 2019 at 10:43 PM
Anonymous said…
It is quite amazing to see how much the ocean impacts our daily lives. With the increase in Carbon emissions on the planet, it is sad to see how both the wild life and the ecosystem has suffered from it. Personally, I believe the best way to solve a situation is when everyone agrees on a solution. In other words, if the general public is aware of how carbon emissions harm the environment, efforts to reduce emissions may rise. Hopefully, if the levels of emissions are reduced, the oceans may see an improvement in many of the environmental effects it has seen.
April 30, 2019 at 11:15 AM
Anonymous said…
I love sushi. And other than just fishing, it is crazy how the ocean influences our lives. In the book that I am reading, the ocean became to a point where it was no longer suitable for fish, and these two guys are all on their own and they fish all the time to try to get food because so many other animals already went totally exctinct. Finally, when it got that bad, they wished that steps had been taken to prevent this from happening. Luckily, we are not in this situation yet and still can do something about it. I think this is definitely a topic to discuss. If money is the problem for people to actually make a change, once it gets really bad, jobs will be lost pertaining to the oceaN.
April 30, 2019 at 11:52 AM
Anonymous said…
Most people are well aware that excess carbon in the atmosphere is “bad”, but most don’t realize how many problems it truly causes. Ocean acidification goes very unnoticed; I had never even heard of it until I took Environmental Science. It can cause many problems because when marine life can’t get enough calcium out of the water to build strong shells, it becomes more vulnerable and this can lead to death. Ocean acidification causes issues, and death, to a wide range of ocean life and this would imbalance the ocean ecosystem. A disruption of this scale would have detrimental effects on nature and on humanity. A large part of reducing emissions of carbon is alternate fuel sources for automobiles. A hygienist fuel cell powered car, for example, would lead to a lot of change for the better.
April 30, 2019 at 4:42 PM
Anonymous said…
Before taking this class, I did not realize the far-reaching effects of carbon pollution. Ocean acidification is one of the worst problems that many people do not know about. Unfortunately, since this issue is not as well known, it is harder to combat it. Despite this, we can all take steps to reduce our individual carbon footprint. For example, we can rely more on carpool or alternative methods of transportation that require less fuel to be burned. In addition, we can purchase more sustainable products that can be reused, rather than using things that can only be used once, requiring more production of products. As others have mentioned, this issue isn't purely environmental. It has devastating economic effects. If marine life dies around the reefs, the fishing industry would take a hit and the economy will be harmed.
April 30, 2019 at 7:24 PM
Anonymous said…
Our large carbon footprint is one of the most detrimental things to our ecosytems globally. Increase of CO2 emissions has harmed our plant and animal life and made it harder to live in this world. Ocean acidification is a really bad issue but not many people are educated about it leading to further destruction and death. To combat this we must reduce our carbon footprint and switch to hybrid powered vehicles and limit bad habits.
April 30, 2019 at 7:44 PM
Anonymous said…
Ocean acidification isn't only caused by CO2; it's also caused by SOxs and NOxs. Tighter ambient air quality control for these compounds would have a greater impact on ocean acidification near coastlines. Furthermore, citizens can sue polluters. If acidified ocean water harms a coastal business, then the business has the right to sue.
Because coastal states produce only a small proportion of CO2, there is little incentive for states to reduce emissions. However, some changes may be both beneficial and profitable. For example, increasing urban density will both decrease vehicle transportation (which decreases emissions) and increasing tax revenues.
April 30, 2019 at 10:37 PM
Anonymous said…
Ocean acidification does not strike me as a detrimental issue off the bat. However, after reviewing its implications more thoroughly I believe that ocean acidification Is truly a global problem. Every country is impacted by the ocean. Whether it be through shipping and Freightforwarding or through fishing, regardless, all countries are dependent on one another in some way through the ocean. Some things we can do to stop ocean acidification is monitoring our waste output and how we recycle. There will always be opportunities for us to reduce our carbon footprint, it’s just a matter if we make the concerted effort to take that step.
May 1, 2019 at 11:06 AM
Anonymous said…
Ocean Acidification never struck me as something that could affect the oceans. It is very sad to think that my children and every grandchildren might not ever be able to see the full beauty of oceans but rather only see it in pictures or hear it in stories. We humans are the reason for this disturbance and the destruction of the ocean. It’s only right if we fix it. It will be difficult and maybe impossible but we need to reduce our carbon footprint. Not only that but everyone needs to reduce their carbon footprint if any progress is to be made in saving the oceans.
May 1, 2019 at 11:29 AM
Anonymous said…
I never thought that carbon emissions could possibly harm oceans. But this is a problem that we must address quickly, so that we can prevent harm to the ocean. And this is even bigger for the ocean, do to bioaccumaltion being prevelant in the ocean, and could very quickly lead to harmful effects in the ocean faster than in the air, where global warming takes longer than ocean harm to take place.
May 1, 2019 at 11:32 AM
Anonymous said…
I didn't realize there was a connection between carbon emissions and ocean well-being. One of the biggest CO2 emission sources are cars. I think that moving to hybrid or electric cars would greatly reduce CO2. Working on the Shark Tank project, I also realized other ways to power cars. Hydrogen powered cars give off no CO2 emissions and would be much cleaner than cars now. However, electric cars are too expensive for the average person to afford, and hydrogen ones aren't on the market. Scientists and car manufacturers should work together to start making these cars more relevant.
May 1, 2019 at 3:08 PM
Anonymous said…
I think that ocean acidification is a very serious issue in the health of our world. We seriously need to work on lowering our carbon emissions, all around the globe. If we do not take action soon, our oceans can be seriously harmed. Not only do carbon emissions affect the health of our oceans, but they also affect the health of our world as a whole.
May 7, 2019 at 10:27 AM
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