Oh yes Merlin! Good Post!
There has been much study on ocean acidification the past few years. It seems that the amount of CO2 the oceans have absorbed has already reduced the average PH of the top 1500 foot layer of the ocean from 8.32( pre industrial revolution) to 8.16 PH now. and declining faster.
I have read some recent studies that suggest the PH of the upper ocean, the reef habitat, will drop below 8.00 in as few as 20-30 years, Given the current rate of increasing CO2 pollution .
And we all know why we struggle to keep our tanks PH above 8.0.
http://www.climateark.org/shared/sea...climatearchive
below 8 and certainly lower most corals that fix calcium from sea water can't extract enough to maintain their carbonate structure, or shells of crabs and shrimp and clams, and most important, the micro planktonic critters with calcium structures, the base of the ocean food chain.
And here is the rub. It's all from the CO2 we produce directly or indirectly. Driving cars, and producing electicity are the two majority sources of increasing CO2 emissions. One gallon of gasoline produces roughly 19.5 pounds of CO2. The CO2 emissions to generate a Kilowatt hour of electric power varries from state to state, depending on the local fuel mix of coal, nat gas, nuclear and hydro. My state, De. is about the national average, at roughly 2 pounds of CO2 per KWHR of electricity.
So, at that average rate, burning one 175 watt MH bulb 12 hours a day, emits about 1500 pounds of CO2 per year. two bulbs..?? Well,, more CO2 than the average car weighs per year.
Global warming is rapidly harming the oceans and reefs that give us the corals and fish we all love through warming and acidification. We have met the enemy, And it is us.
A solution??? Go Greenhouse with natural light, or solar PV power for our tanks.
Oh, and maybe drive an AIR CAR sometime in the future,
http://www.theaircar.com/
powered from our home PV solar roof systems, of course.
I just hate stating problems without posing possible solutions.
What good would that be??
I've never faced my Kobyoshi Maru.....