Comments on: Help Us Shape a Vision for a Healthy Planet

By: Marcy Davis

Marcy Davis — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:28:45 +0000

One of the MANY reasons why the ocean matters…http://pharmacy.ufl.edu/2013/02/28/marine-compound-discovery-shows-promise-of-improved-drug-treatment-for-copd-patients/

By: David Willett

David Willett — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 22:55:06 +0000

Thanks Robin. We sometimes like to say that the ocean is the planet’s air conditioner because of the important role it plays in regulating the planet’s temperature. And it is true that cooler sea water probably could hold more carbon–but while that might take some carbon out of the air, it would put it into the ocean where it would actually make the water more acidic. If we want to have a healthy ocean, ultimately we will need to find ways to reduce the amount of carbon we are putting into the atmosphere in the first place.

By: David Willett

David Willett — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 22:48:52 +0000

Thanks for your question. Yes. We do partner with many environmental organizations that work on climate, land and air issues in addition to oceans. We also have our own ocean acidification program that is beginning the task of educating the public about the impacts of ocean acidification and, in particular, how it is already having effects on local coastal economies today, not years from now. http://www.oceanconservancy.org/our-work/ocean-acidification/

By: GraceAdams830

GraceAdams830 — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 18:22:13 +0000

@TimUpham @Phyl12 It is not growing rice in and of itself that is a problem, so much as using flood irrigation of rice fields to control weeds. Using flood irrigation once to get the baby rice plants off to a good wet start makes sense, but most of the growing season, it should be possible to hoe weeds instead of drowning them.

By: TimUpham

TimUpham — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 17:47:50 +0000

@Phyl12 Rice production is one of the major causes of methane, and methane is the leading gas causing climatic change. So all those rice paddies in Asia and Texas are just as lethal as the cattle being herded.

By: Phyl12

Phyl12 — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 17:17:15 +0000

Promote vegetarianism….no meat or fish eating.

By: TimUpham

TimUpham — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 16:51:25 +0000

@martyrt2 A great deal of the trash that washes up on our shores, comes from foreign fishing fleets simply dumping their trash overboard, when out at sea. I have participated in beach clean-ups, and found so much little pieces of styrofoam everywhere all over the beach. So if we have multi-lateral legislation in regards to fishing nets, then we need to have it in regards to what type of packaging is allowed about fishing boats, and how they dispose their trash. Foreign fishing fleets do a great deal of environmental damage to our high seas. In the marine reserve that Australia recently declared off the coast of northwest Australia, they are going to have difficulty patrolling this area from foreign trawlers.