[Coral-List] WHAT CAN WE DO??

[Judith Lang]

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.
> ...................