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Dan Newton
Gary Howard
English 2010
12/3/2016

The rock, or Earth, we live on is always changing. The weather we are used to seeing is
changing every year. Scientists as well as people around the world are questioning what is going
on; are these normal changes, or is something else going? Ocean acidification is a growing issue
among these changes to our world. How will these changes affect our world we live in?
Ocean Acidification (OA) is a term used to describe significant changes to the chemistry
of the ocean. It occurs when carbon dioxide gas (or CO2) is absorbed by the ocean and reacts
with seawater to produce acid. (Cencoos.org) The oceans are so big and vast; it is hard imagining
anything humans could do that would affect them so gravely. The oceans cover about 70 percent
of the worlds surface. So, if you consider how much of the world is made up of these giant
bodies, they can make a huge impact on the world as a whole.
Some of the harmful impacts associated with OA are beginning to be felt by shellfish
growers. On the West Coast of North America, shellfish farming of oysters, abalone, clams, and
mussels is an important contributor to both local and state economies. (Cencoos.org) Everyone
who relies on the ocean for food and business will be dramatically affected if these species
cannot survive.
I began to wonder how we could possibly be causing the oceans to become more acidic?
The oceans have been absorbing carbon dioxide for thousands of years, but since the industrial
revolution humans have been emitting more CO2 than ever before. The fossil fuels we consume

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have helped produce an extraordinary amount of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. This is also
what scientists say is a leading cause of global warming. Over time, the oceans have helped this
problem by absorbing excess carbon dioxide. According to NOAA, the oceans have absorbed
nearly half of the fossil fuel emissions we've generated over the past 200 years. (Kennedy)
Another alarming thing scientist predict is once the oceans get their "fill" of carbon dioxide,
scientists think the oceans could become a carbon dioxide source, rather than a sink. This means
the ocean will contribute to the global warming problem by adding more carbon dioxide to the
atmosphere. (Kennedy)
One of the most vulnerable in the worlds oceans are coral reefs. In an Article Decline of
the Great Barrier Reef likely to be worse than feared Roz Pidcock writes, As more CO2
dissolves in the seawater, it becomes harder for corals and other organisms to build the hard
structures that protect them. As long as seawater is saturated with a form of calcium carbonate
known as aragonite, corals can grow their skeletons. But if levels drop too low, the skeletons
begin to dissolve faster than they can be built. (Pidcock)
This is a scary thought to think of the oceans losing coral reefs as they support such a
variety of marine life. As coral reefs disappear the species that live among them will also follow.
As water temperatures increase within the oceans, it brings more storms and hurricanes. The
result of this is more stress on the reefs, and with weakened skeletons they often break.
An article A World Without Coral Reefs Roger Bradbury writes, overfishing, ocean
acidification and pollution are pushing coral reefs into oblivion. Each of those forces alone is
fully capable of causing the global collapse of coral reefs; together, they assure it. Bradbury
claims the lose of the worlds reefs are inevitable, and we should be spending money on how the
millions of people who will lose their livelihoods, instead of trying to save the reefs. Research

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led by Ove Hoegh-Guldberg of the University of Queensland shows that corals will be pushed
outside their temperature-acidity envelope in the next 20 to 30 years, absent effective
international action on emissions. (Bradbury) In closing Bradbury claims This is not a story that
gives me any pleasure to tell. But it needs to be told urgently and widely because it will be a
disaster for the hundreds of millions of people in poor, tropical countries like Indonesia and the
Philippines who depend on coral reefs for food. This was hard for me to read, especially
knowing how much I personally, and the United States, contribute to carbon dioxide into our
atmosphere.
Although global warming is something most everyone is aware of, the damage being
done to our oceans is just as frightening. The impact of life in the sea from ocean acidification
will be felt by all humanity. An article Coral Reef Extinction Could Have Catastrophic Effect,
author Sam Savage says, Fish will become a luxury good, Cassandra deYoung of the U.N.
Food and Agriculture Organization told Skoloff. You already have a billion people who are
facing hunger, and this is just going to aggravate the situation. We will not be able to maintain
food security around the world.
The future of the seas is looking grim, but I cant help but think there must be something
we can do. I cant imagine people a hundred years from now living in a completely foreign world
than we live in today. The United States comes in second, only to China, for the biggest carbon
dioxide emitters. Its sad to think everyone around the world will pay the price for our decisions.
Many scientists predict it may be to late to stop the damage from continuing. Cassandra
Profita writes, If scientists are right, and atmospheric carbon is causing the rise in ocean acidity
theyre seeing now, its going to get worse and worse. And its too late to stop it. A scientist at
Oregon State University, Burke Hales research shows the acidic seawater currently welling up

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and washing ashore hasnt been exposed to the atmosphere in 50 years. Since then, weve put a
lot more carbon dioxide into the air. (Profita)
Well, much of the damage is done, and will continue, but there are ways we can help
slow this process down. There are things we can all do in our daily lives to reduce our imprint of
releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Driving more fuel efficient vehicles, or using mass
transit, walk or ride a bike.
Some scientists have come up with some even more ideas right at the source.
1) Use shade to protect corals from the heat stress that leads to coral bleaching
and death, by using ropes to anchor cloths on the water surface to protect coral
from sunlight.
2) Help nature adapt through protecting culturing and selective breeding.
3) Use low-voltage electrical currents to stimulate coral growth and defend
against the stress of a warming ocean.
4) Manage ocean acidity by adding base materials like carbonates and silicates to
try and neutralize it.
5) Convert CO2 from land-based waste into dissolved bicarbonates that could be
added to the ocean to enhance alkalinity. (Bowermaster)
The future of our oceans will be uncertain, but I believe we must have optimism to
prevent

as much damage as we can. I think we need to realize how important the

decisions we make now will change the future for centuries. We can all take some of the
responsibility for changing the earth, now we must take responsibility to save it.

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Works Cited
Bowermaster, Jon. "5 Radical Ways to Fight Ocean Acidification." Takepart.com. Yahoo!, 28
Aug. 2012. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Bradbury, Roger. "A World Without Coral Reefs - NYTimes." N.p., 13 July 2012. Web. 3
Dec.2016.
"Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System." Welcome | CeNCOOS. N.p., n.d,
Web. 03 Dec. 2016.
Kennedy, Jennifer. "What Is Ocean Acidification?" About.com Education. N.p., 2016. Web. 03
Dec. 2016.
"Pidcock, Roz. Author at Carbon Brief." Carbon Brief. N.p., 23 Feb. 2016. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.
Profit, Cassandra. "Ocean Acid Test: Too Late to Ace It." . News | OPB. N.p., 2 Aug. 2010. Web.
04 Dec. 2016.