Ocean acidity rising at alarming rate. - 4 May 2010  

Ocean acidity rising at alarming rate.
According to a report by the US-based National Research Council, the chemistry of the sea is changing faster than it has in hundreds of thousands of years. The rising acidification, which is caused by the absorption of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, removes heat-producing CO2 from the atmosphere.

However, the resultant increase in acidity is adversely affecting such intricate ocean processes as photosynthesis, nutrient access, growth, reproduction and even the survival of marine life such as coral reefs and shellfish.

Noting that the current rate of change is more than any known in the past 800,000 years, the report recommends further assessment of potential damage as well as a plan to curb these harmful effects.

We are grateful National Research Council and all scientists who are calling attention to the silent crisis of the ocean caused by global warming. May we each and all do our part by adopting compassionate and sustainable lifestyles that are in harmony with the continuation of life on our planet.

Speaking at a March 2009 videoconference in California, USA, Supreme Master Ching Hai emphasized, as she frequently has, the critical need to safeguard the delicate balance of our seas.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: There’s another condition called acidification where the lack of certain fish has contributed to higher ocean acidity which, in turn, reduces the capacity of the ocean to absorb CO2. The ocean is a very complex ecosystem where every living thing has a unique function. So, removing even
a small fish for humans to eat creates an imbalance in the sea. In fact, we are already seeing an effect of this imbalance on marine mammals.

As the ocean becomes warmer and warmer and more acidic, more toxins are present in the water.

Anything God puts on Earth is for a purpose. We should not kill anything. We should not eat anything except plant-based diet.

Extra News
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Following a multiple-year review process, the US Interior Department approves a first-ever federally funded offshore wind energy farm, called Cape Wind, which is expected to generate up to 75% of the electricity needs for the East Coast region it will serve.

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