[Coral-List] WHAT CAN WE DO??
Judith Lang
jlang at riposi.net
Sat Dec 15 16:18:19 EST 2007
Tom Williams raises an important question when he asks: "WHAT CAN WE
DO??," now that the risk from carbon emissions to coral reefs and
those who depend upon them for their livelihoods is receiving some
well-deserved publicity.
Here are a few suggestions for starters:
We CAN set a positive example for our neighbours and colleagues by
our daily choices of how much fossil fuel we consume, both directly
as a fuel and indirectly via our use of hot water, paper, plastic
bags, electronic trinkets, exotic foods, etc., etc.
We CAN minimize our long-distance work-related travel to that which
is really necessary to fulfill our research and educational needs or
commitments.
Those of us with some discretionary income CAN spend some of it on
carbon-offset programs: for example, planting trees in the tropics
where they will grow year round which also helps nourish impoverished
soils, and provides food, fuel or income for poor communities.
Cheers,
Judy Lang
Begin forwarded message:
> From: Tom Williams <ctwiliams at yahoo.com>
> Date: December 14, 2007 1:59:28 PM EST
> To: Coral Listserver <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Subject: [Coral-List] Fwd: Re: New Science Paper Says Carbon
> Emissions [MORE THAN] THREATEN Coral Reefs
> Reply-To: ctwiliams at yahoo.com
>
> From: Tom Williams <ctwiliams at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] New Science Paper Says
> Carbon Emissions [MORE THAN] THREATEN Coral Reefs
>
> REPLY
>
> It appears to be FAR WORST than indicated in the
> Subject Line Check the conclusions --- WHAT CAN WE
> DO??
>
> PARTIAL From Science
> Science 14 December 2007: Vol. 318. no. 5857, pp.
> 1737 – 1742 DOI: 10.1126/science.1152509
>
> REVIEW
> Coral Reefs Under Rapid Climate Change and Ocean
> Acidification
>
> O. Hoegh-Guldberg,1* P. J. Mumby,2 A. J. Hooten,3 R.
> S. Steneck,4 P. Greenfield,5 E. Gomez,6 C. D.
> Harvell,7 P. F. Sale,8 A. J. Edwards,9 K.,
> Caldeira,10, N. Knowlton,11 C. M. Eakin,12 R.
> Iglesias-Prieto,13 N.Muthiga,14 R. H. Bradbury,15 A.
> Dubi,16 M. E. Hatziolos17
>
> ABSTRACT
>
> "Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is
> expected to exceed 500 parts per million and global
> temperatures to rise by at least 2°C by 2050 to
> 2100, values that significantly exceed those of at
> least the past 420,000 years during which most extant
> marine organisms evolved.
>
> Under conditions expected in the 21st century,
> global warming and ocean acidification will compromise
> carbonate accretion, with corals becoming increasingly rare on reef
> systems.
> ...................
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