# Great Barrier Reef Dying



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/7...at-barrier-reef-are-now-dead-scientists-find/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/coral-reef-stop-global-warming-1.4027497

I'm surprised there's no discussion on this.


----------



## Windowlicka (Mar 5, 2008)

Or this:

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...hip-wrecks-one-of-indonesias-best-coral-reefs


----------



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Windowlicka said:


> Or this:
> 
> https://www.theguardian.com/environ...hip-wrecks-one-of-indonesias-best-coral-reefs


Well, this kind of accident, while terrible, is not an existential threat to coral reefs. Physically destroyed reefs can grow back pretty quickly.

Climate change, on the other hand, changes the ocean's water chemistry so that many species of corals can no longer survive.

I don't doubt that corals, as a taxonomic class, will continue to survive for millions of years, as they have survived millions of years before. However, I think we are now seeing a mass extinction event where a large fraction, perhaps even most, of coral species will die out.

I wonder if in the near future, many species of corals will only exist in our tanks?


----------



## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

The ocean needs a water change 

But seriously, why aren't more people (governments doing something about it)
Like a UN thing


----------



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

TBemba said:


> The ocean needs a water change
> 
> But seriously, why aren't more people (governments doing something about it)
> Like a UN thing


I think it's because this is so daunting a prospect that many people refuse to even countenance it, nevermind doing something.


----------



## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

TBemba said:


> The ocean needs a water change
> 
> But seriously, why aren't more people (governments doing something about it)
> Like a UN thing


Because no one can accept the changes in their life that affect the climate change.

E.g. Can you give up your car? Or going to work with out using any public transportation?

If you cannot, then it will be the same for many others, climate change is inevitable!


----------



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

bigfishy said:


> Because no one can accept the changes in their life that affect the climate change.
> 
> E.g. Can you give up your car? Or going to work with out using any public transportation?
> 
> If you cannot, then it will be the same for many others, climate change is inevitable!


Just like space exploration, the challenges of mitigating climate change can only be met by national initiatives. Individuals indeed have little capability of changing the course of the change.

For example, it's not that I'm not willing to give up my car, it's that I can't. There are no good alternatives to the car where I live. When I used to live in Montreal, I never felt the need to own a car at all. Of course, it helped that I lived near a subway station and anywhere I needed to go was within walking distance of the subway (or "metro", as they called it).

As for public transportation, I would say that's a solution, not a problem, so why wouldn't you want to use it?


----------



## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

It's all them damn women with their yoga pants!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ts-cozy-clothes-key-source-sea-pollution.html


----------



## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

solarz said:


> Just like space exploration, the challenges of mitigating climate change can only be met by national initiatives. Individuals indeed have little capability of changing the course of the change.
> 
> For example, it's not that I'm not willing to give up my car, it's that I can't. There are no good alternatives to the car where I live. When I used to live in Montreal, I never felt the need to own a car at all. Of course, it helped that I lived near a subway station and anywhere I needed to go was within walking distance of the subway (or "metro", as they called it).
> 
> As for public transportation, I would say that's a solution, not a problem, so why wouldn't you want to use it?


Then move to a place close to work! 

Public Transportation = uses GAS = CO2

If everyone uses bicycle = lesser CO2

As for me, I do not believe human can reverse the effect on climate change, so I will just keep my car and wear comfy clothes!  And also live in Canada too!


----------



## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

TBemba said:


> It's all them damn women with their yoga pants!
> 
> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ts-cozy-clothes-key-source-sea-pollution.html


Get naked! no more comfy clothes! 

and move close to the equator! Canada is too cold to inhabit anyway!


----------



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

bigfishy said:


> Then move to a place close to work!
> 
> Public Transportation = uses GAS = CO2
> 
> ...


Indeed, many people believe as you do, that climate change is irreversible by human action, or that the necessary measures are too drastic to be countenanced. This, I believe, is a big part of the reasons why we are floundering in our response to climate change.

Personally, I feel that there are ways to mitigate climate change without resorting to drastic or unrealistic measures.

First, it's important to note that the factors contributing toward climate change follow an exponential growth curve. That is to say, the earlier we begin our efforts, the easier we can affect the course of the outcome. Much like the treatment of a disease.

Second, I firmly believe that science will eventually find a cost-effective replacement for fossil fuel. We just need to delay the exponential growth of climate change factors until then.

Thus, public transit is an effective way of both reducing GHG emissions, and maintaining people's standards of living. Thirty people taking public transit to work is far more beneficial for the environment than 3 people completely giving up their cars.


----------

