"States Petitioned on Ocean Acidification"

[GreenPartyVoter]

<snip>

The ocean's absorption of CO2 is quietly and lethally altering its fundamental chemistry, Sakashita said.

"We must act now to prevent global warming's evil twin, ocean acidification, from destroying our ocean ecosystems," she said.

A similar petition was submitted in California in February.

A comprehensive national policy to curb greenhouse gas emissions would be preferable, Sakashita said.

"Since we don't have that right now, using the Clean Water Act is the strongest law we have that addresses water quality," she said.

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http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20070816/D8R2C9481.html

[n2doc]

1. Ok, and How the heck are states supposed to do that?

Acidification and CO2 inputs are directly linked. No need to make this a separate issue, the only way to stop acidification is to REDUCE atmospheric CO2 levels. Just reducing the level of growth will not do it.

The reaction, by the way, is:


CO2+ H2O = H2CO3 = H+ and HCO3-

The H+ (proton) is what causes acidification. In pure water atmospheric gas will reduce the pH to the 4-5 range, but ocean water is 8.2. So more CO2 drives ocean pH downwards into a more acidic range.

Why is this important? Because many organisms use carbonate ion, or CO3(double charge), to make CaCO3 , or calcium carbonate. The proton from the above reaction will combine with carbonate to form bicarbonate, HCO3 (single charge), which requires organisms to use energy to convert back to a useable form, and makes the shells and skeletons that they do make more easily dissolve.

[razzleberry]

2. comprehensive state policies are needed for CO2 issues .n/t.