Hopeful am I as the sun rises over another ocean. My hope is that people and governments do whatever they can to reduce carbon pollution. It sounds so drab but there it is.
If you care about shimmering fish or vibrant corals or Arctic terns or pilot whales, or simply big blue’s breathtaking beauty and bounty, you care about climate change.
Thus my wholly unsexy New Year’s wish: Significant decreases in carbon pollution globally and huge increases in clean electricity and vehicles.
Absolutely do I want to see more marine protected areas, only sustainable fisheries management, effective solutions to stop marine debris at the source, and an end to wetlands destruction and polluted runoff.
BUT all of these marine conservation dream victories are useless if carbon pollution from burning fossil fuels continues because that would mean ocean acidification and warming would still be destroying the ocean.
The deadly duo – ocean acidification and warming – are the direct result of stuffing the atmosphere with greenhouse gases, especially carbon. Oh, and they are huge. They supersede all other ocean issues. It’s almost too much to bear but inserting heads into sand is not an option.
Doing whatever we can, in ways large and small, to stop carbon pollution is a great New Year resolution. If not for the beauty and bounty of nature or for all the other life with whom we share the planet, if not for God or karma then do it for future generations, do it for yourself, do it because it’s the right thing to do.
Image: David Doubilet
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