SOP Goes Carbon Neutral!

Posted on | January 31, 2010 | No Comments

SOP was asked to participate in an initiative started in Germany called “My blog is carbon neutral”. We are very excited to join the program for two reasons: we are helping the environment; and this give us a perfect opportunity to alert our readers to a potentially disastrous problem called ocean acidification.

Part of a broader program called “Make it Green!”, the initiative raises awareness about carbon emissions resulting from use of the internet. SOP will display the “My blog is carbon neutral” button in the sidebar to the right to help this group achieve its mission. In return a company called kaufDA plants a tree in Plumas National Forest in northern California. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Each day this blog is running, we are all using energy to engage with it. This results in carbon being released into the atmosphere (unless you run your computer with wind energy!). Hence, the need to take action (i.e. plant a tree) to neutralize our carbon footprint.

What is the link between carbon in our atmosphere and the seafood on our plates? Our oceans are estimated to absorb over 40 percent of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by human activities. As more carbon dioxide is released through activities like burning fossil fuels, more is absorbed by the oceans lowering its pH (i.e. making it more acidic).

Why is ocean acidification a problem? Shellfish shells and coral reefs are grown through a process called calcification. As the oceans become more acidic, these calcified structures are more at risk of being dissolved in the water instead being grown. If an oyster does not have a complete sturdy shell, guess what happens…..it dies.

The effects of ocean acidification are now starting to be observed and understood. It is a potentially huge and amorphous issue like climate change that cannot be solved by any one action. However, if we all take steps to lower our carbon footprint, we will lower the chances that our favorite shellfish disappear from the ocean.

Ocean acidification has started to gain national attention in Congress and the media. Check out this 2-minute clip from ABC National News that does a nice job at framing the issue:

Category: General, Media & Events
Tags: carbon neutral > coral reef > ocean acidification > shellfish

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Sustainable Ocean Project (SOP) brings you inspiring stories and easy to understand information about a growing sustainable and local seafood movement that we all should be a part of.