The seas
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We've always assumed that the
seas can look after themselves. We were sure we could dump vast amounts
of sewage and waste in all the oceans of the world; they would always
remain pure and clean. We were sure we could go on catching millions of
tonnes of fish; there would always be plenty more. We were sure we
could drill for oil and extract it, with just an occasional harmless
accident like the Exxon Valdiz or the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The seas would recover. But the seas are not infinitely exploitable;
they cannot absorb endless amounts of human waste; they may be reaching
the point of no return.
# The world's seas are becoming acidic at a
faster rate than at any time in the last 55,000,000 years. This is
because they are absorbing dangerous levels of carbon dioxide as a
direct result of human activity. A report by 100 of Europe's top marine
scientists says that the process will continue to speed up. One expert
said, "The threat to the delicate balance of the marine environment
cannot be overstated. This is a conservation challenge of unprecedented
scale". Three quarters of fish stocks have already disappeared.
Many species could become extinct. And yet we go on eating fish as if
nothing had happened.
# There is mixed news about the seas around the British Isles.
Coastal waters are getting cleaner. Biodiversity in estuary waters is
increasing. Some fish stocks are improving although *too many fish are
still being caught. But sea levels around Britain are slightly higher;
our seas are a little warmer and more acid; this matches the processes
of gradual climate change. Amounts of litter on beaches are double what
they were since 1994. There are 2,000 items of litter per kilometre of
coastline. This information comes from a 2010 report by the Department
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (D.E.F.R.A.).
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In
the middle of the Pacific Ocean, there's a circulating sea
current called the 'North Pacific gyre' which has trapped 100 million
tonnes of plastic rubbish. It will remain there for thousands of years.
Should we be bothered ? The United Nations Environment Programme warns
that plastic debris in the oceans causes the deaths of more than a
million sea birds every year and 100,000 marine mammals. Every square
mile of ocean contains 46,000 pieces of floating plastic. Yet we go on
buying bottles of water, using them once and then throwing them away;
out of sight, out of mind. But they have not disappeared. Where
does it all go ? Either into landfill or into the oceans.
#
Now for an amazing follow-up. This mass of plastic
in the Pacific Ocean could be transformed into a floating island. Some
Dutch conservationists have come up with the idea of creating Recycled
Island made from the waste plastic. It could accommodate 500,000 people
in a self-sufficient environment providing energy from solar and wave
power. Fishing and agriculture would provide their food. This would
bring three enormous benefits : cleaning the ocean, creating new land
and constructing a sustainable habitat. Will it happen ? Time will tell
...
# Pollution and exploitation are the two main threats to the
oceans. If only we human beings were more aware of the consequences of
our actions, we could still undo some of the damage ...
* One brand of cat food offers 'delicious pieces of whole fish'.