Fertilizer applied to soil generates nitrous oxide N 2 0 , which has times the warming effect of carbon dioxide.
Animal waste releases nitrogen and methane and pollutes our water and air, especially when it is concentrated. Finding healthy, protein-packed veggie sources of nutrition — like beans and lentils — saves water, land, energy, and reduces greenhouse gases. This also limits animal suffering, is typically healthier and it reduces your environmental footprint.
Do your research. Also try Meatless Mondays. Use less energy at home. Make sure your home is well insulated, especially in the roof and around windows. Turn off the lights, unplug power sources not in use, and use shorter cycles on your dishwasher and washing machine.
Switch to green power such as Bullfrog Power , a Canadian company which provides power to the grid using more sustainable sources of natural gas and green energy like wind power. Compost your waste; grow some of your own food and recycle. Conserve water. It takes lots of energy to pump, treat and heat water so saving water reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Watch what you pour down the drain and use eco-friendly products that break down. Remember often what goes down the drain ends up in rivers and lakes, which all filter into our oceans. Reduce your plastic addiction. Refuse straws when you eat out. Assessing social and economic impacts and developing conservation strategies for marine organisms and ecosystems EPA has developed a computer model that predicts coral health.
Resource managers, conservationists, and biologists are using the coral health model to predict how climate change and ocean acidification impact coral reefs. Ocean and coastal acidification OCA threatens marine ecosystems and the coastal communities that rely on them. Actions and best practices to adapt to and mitigate impacts of OCA, such as buffering sediments, restoring seagrasses and conserving refugia is an area of active research.
Five speakers discussed strategies to mitigate impacts of OCA on coral reefs and shellfish resources including : Dr. Kimberly K. Yates , Senior Research Oceanographer, U. Geological Survey, St. Ocean and coastal acidification threatens marine ecosystems and the coastal communities that rely on them. The U. States play a critical role in guarding their coastlines against local causes of acidification. Read story. Acid Seas March 09, New York. Full News Release. Thanks for signing up. Fossil fuels are burned to produce energy, and to make vehicles run.
One of the easiest ways for people to have a positive impact on an individual level is to use less energy. Many people already think of energy as electricity, so convince people that conserving electricity will save them money and will also reduce the amount of energy their power plant needs to produce.
But fossil fuels are also burned in factories to make products that we use every day. The saying "reduce, re-use, recycle" also applies to the ocean acidification crisis. Using less products will lead to a decreased demand to create new product out of new materials. Every person should be able to think of a way they can consume less in their daily lives. Transportation is a huge concern, and is one that is difficult for people to make adjustments to.
Driving less and using public transportation may not be a realistic option for everyone, but people can make sure their automobiles run efficiently by keeping the tires properly inflated, getting their cars serviced regularly, and by choosing fuel efficient vehicles. There are many resources listed below which offer some tips, and also offer ways to engage people in learning about their daily energy choices. Protecting wildlife has many benefits, but most people don't know that it's an important factor in how the Earth responds to climate change.
Natural places are very resilient to change, but now there are far fewer natural places in most areas. It is important to preserve existing habitats and to identify more areas that need protection. Visiting natural parks is a great way to experience nature, but also provides funding for protecting those areas.
Monitoring pollution and nutrient run-off helps protect coral reefs, so they can be healthy enough to withstand global warming and ocean acidification. Purchasing products that are grown in coexistence with forests and rainforests decreases the need for deforestation for agriculture. Even eating sustainable seafood can make a difference, because healthy fish populations are essential to the overall success of the coral reefs and the ocean. Since ocean acidification is yet another side effect of excess CO2, there are many things that people are already doing that help make a difference.
In short, most things that are considered "green" options, or are environmentally friendly, will also help fight the effects of ocean acidification. Human actions have accelerated ocean acidification, but human actions can also slow down the process! There are many things we can do on an individual, communtity or global level that will help reduce the effects of ocean acidification. There are two main goals here: 1 Use and create energy more efficiently so there is less CO2 being put into the atmosphere.
It is narrated by Sigourney Weaver and it focuses primarily on how humans have impacted the chemistry of the world's oceans with increased energy usage and dependence. The last part of the film discusses some options for solving the CO2 crisis. It does an excellent job of summarizing ocean acidification, posing questions, clarifying rumors and illustrating the effects on different types of marine organisms.
It also demosntrates the effects on the marine food chain, as well as socio-economic impacts. There are some solutions mentioned here too, so people can learn some things they can do to help slow the rate of ocean acidification. The Nature Conservancy's free carbon footprint calculator allows users to calculate the amount in tons of CO2 they emit into the atmosphere each year.
Users can calculate for themselves, or for their household. There are different categories home energy, diet, recycling, transportation so you can see how different aspects of your lifestyle compare to other Americans. The website offers a solution: to donate to The Nature Conservancy via a carbon offset.
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