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Oceans: Our Natural Carbon Sinks

 

June 8 is World Oceans Day. This is the day that the United Nations has set aside every year to convey the importance of our oceans. It is important that we observe these days with utmost precision and care, and not just think that these are just days that the organization chooses to use, so they can  keep up with the ceremony of things or just keep busy. No! They are there,  as a reminder of our duty and responsibility towards our environment,  and the earth in general. 

It is vital that we follow and do our own little bit to proffer solutions to our dying planet. And if everyone contributes their own quota to the sustainability of the environment, then we would have gone a long way in ameliorating the problems we have created by our own actions and leave at least a better place for posterity.

Oceans are natural carbon sinks that grab carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to use in photosynthesis by plants under the sea. These are plankton, corals, algae and other photosynthetic bacteria which all contribute to this extraction of carbon. The oceans are a major carbon storage system for carbon dioxide. They are considered to be the main natural carbon sinks absorbing approximately 50 percent of the carbon emitted into the atmosphere. Also, fish are not left out in this carbon cycle. They also feast on sea edibles that store carbon. 

And so, what is a carbon sink? A carbon sink is any reservoir which could be natural or otherwise which accumulates and stores some carbon containing chemical compound for an indefinite period of time thereby lowering the concentration of carbon dioxide or carbon emissions from the atmosphere.  However, globally, the two most important carbon sinks are vegetation and oceans.

Our oceans are under serious threats from pollution. In recent past, there have been oil spills from oil exploration and oil drilling activities on the high seas. Others are chemical and industrial wastes pollution. Thermal or heat pollution is also another one which has disrupted greatly the temperatures of surface waters and has caused the migration of aquatic animals to regions of cooler temperatures. Most recently, plastic pollution has become a menace in our oceans.

This weekend, I got a wind of a report  about the terrible extent to which plastic pollution has gone. It was stated that ‘The Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ where  we have the greatest plastic accumulation in the world is located between Hawaii and California. The area is three times the size of France and two times the size of Texas! That’s how very far we’ve gone with plastic pollution in our oceans!

These are not just speculations but actual surveys and reports carried out and written by the The Ocean Clean Up Program. It is estimated that 1.8 trillion plastics pieces float in the GPGP( The Great Pacific Garbage Patch), that’s about 80,000   Tonnes! 

The dangers of this kind of pollution can be seen on marine life and subsequently human life. Research has shown that when these plastics are broken down into micro plastics  by  ocean currents and salinity, marine animals like fish,  eat these chemical non-biodegradables as they mistake them for food. The accumulated effects of these plastic consumptions are passed onto human beings when they in turn consume these fish. 

From the analysis above, we are headed for very difficult times as regards our ocean ecosystems. We must find ways to cut down our plastic purchases and consumption. The process of recycling should be imbibed strictly especially in coastal areas and regions which have beaches, and are mainly used for tourism and tourist centers. The governments of countries which have resorts and beaches,  high on the tourism list, should ensure they have adequate disposal facilities to maintain high quality sanitation and recycling measures on these beaches to prevent more of these  plastics  pollution in the oceans. 


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