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Ocean's Oxygen Starts Running Low (2016)

scientificamerican.com

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Re: Ocean's Oxygen Starts Running Low (2016)

#21

Post by stingraycharles »

StavrosK wrote: post #4
stingraycharles wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's partially related to something akin to the prisoner's dilemma: it's a world-wide problem, and "we" might not want to take the financial hit for being the first in leading the cause. I spent quite some time in South-East Asia the past few years, and when you see the sheer amount of boats that just dump all their trash in the ocean, and the sheer lack of awareness of the issue, it makes you hopeless. I com…

"Tragedy of the commons", it's called.

Thanks, I never fully understood what people meant with that phrase. :)

Re: Ocean's Oxygen Starts Running Low (2016)

#22

Post by throwaway9990 »

dpwm wrote: post #16
throwaway9990 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Posting from a throwaway because politics. Wouldn't there also be more different fish now especially in places that used to be covered by ice? Sure, some species might die off but you might get more new species as well. Some new fish perhaps that is good at living in lower oxygen concentration. Also, the fish that lived in the tropics can move to subtropics and so on. I see it as more of a change that's not really ba…

The adaptations you're talking about happen over centuries. The changes you're talking about are happening over decades. These changes will not be limited to just the oceans. And the main takeaway point from that George Carlin clip that I can find is that the planet will be fine because people won't be. I can only assume you didn't bother to watch it before posting it for others to watch.

Adaptations can happen within a decade. Look into radiotrophic fungi near Chernobyl.

Re: Ocean's Oxygen Starts Running Low (2016)

#23

Post by StavrosK »

stingraycharles wrote: post #21
StavrosK wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Tragedy of the commons", it's called.

Thanks, I never fully understood what people meant with that phrase. :)

No problem, it's when something can be improved when everyone does the right thing together, but nobody has any incentive to do the right thing alone. Exactly like dumping trash everywhere, if you do the right thing alone, you're just inconveniencing yourself by spending money to dispose of trash properly while everyone else dumps it wherever.

Re: Ocean's Oxygen Starts Running Low (2016)

#24

Post by brohoolio »

swampthinker wrote: post #2

I hate this feeling of hopelessness regarding global warming. It feels like even if you were a billionaire/massive corp, at some point you would say "wow we should stop, or else there won't even be a world to spend this money in".

We fixed the ozone layer and stopped acid rain. We can fix this. It just takes commitment.

Re: Ocean's Oxygen Starts Running Low (2016)

#25

Post by jacquesm »

throwaway9990 wrote: post #22
dpwm wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The adaptations you're talking about happen over centuries. The changes you're talking about are happening over decades. These changes will not be limited to just the oceans. And the main takeaway point from that George Carlin clip that I can find is that the planet will be fine because people won't be. I can only assume you didn't bother to watch it before posting it for others to watch.

Adaptations can happen within a decade. Look into radiotrophic fungi near Chernobyl.

Fungi are not a very good example of such adaptability when you are mainly talking about vertebrates.

Re: Ocean's Oxygen Starts Running Low (2016)

#26

Post by the8472 »

bamboozled wrote: post #17
yodsanklai wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I share your feeling, but I also note this contradiction: > I spent quite some time in South-East Asia > I come home, diligently recycling my trash Not saying you shouldn't recycle your trash, but your flights are much more impactful for the environment than your trash.

Is flying really that bad compared to ocean pollution? I feel like flying is overall a pretty efficient means of transport, everything is geared towards efficiency. Plastic in the oceans, now that’s a mess.

Consider a world where every human traveled by plane like you do and where also every human used recycling as you do. Would you prefer living in that world?

Re: Ocean's Oxygen Starts Running Low (2016)

#27

Post by jacquesm »

brohoolio wrote: post #24
swampthinker wrote: post #2

I hate this feeling of hopelessness regarding global warming. It feels like even if you were a billionaire/massive corp, at some point you would say "wow we should stop, or else there won't even be a world to spend this money in".

We fixed the ozone layer and stopped acid rain. We can fix this. It just takes commitment.

And that commitment is exactly the problem.

Re: Ocean's Oxygen Starts Running Low (2016)

#28

Post by chiefalchemist »

throwaway9990 wrote: post #13
jacquesm wrote: post #5

The oceans are by far the most important eco system on the planet, they have tremendous capacity for healing and regeneration but once that gets pushed too far there may be no way back. And without the oceans alive the world will be hungry. There are many bad things the Trump administration might be remembered for domestically but internationally the most visible decision was the withdrawal from the climate change ac…

Posting from a throwaway because politics. Wouldn't there also be more different fish now especially in places that used to be covered by ice? Sure, some species might die off but you might get more new species as well. Some new fish perhaps that is good at living in lower oxygen concentration. Also, the fish that lived in the tropics can move to subtropics and so on. I see it as more of a change that's not really ba…

George Carlin is an expert on ecology? You're betting our future on the standup bit of a comedian?

You're funnier than Carlin. Congratulations.

Re: Ocean's Oxygen Starts Running Low (2016)

#29

Post by topmonk »

brohoolio wrote: post #24
swampthinker wrote: post #2

I hate this feeling of hopelessness regarding global warming. It feels like even if you were a billionaire/massive corp, at some point you would say "wow we should stop, or else there won't even be a world to spend this money in".

We fixed the ozone layer and stopped acid rain. We can fix this. It just takes commitment.

We didn't have to give up cars for the ozone layer, though. In fact, no one had to give up anything, because they invented new types of aerosol propellents.

We are never going to fix this.

Re: Ocean's Oxygen Starts Running Low (2016)

#30

Post by dpwm »

throwaway9990 wrote: post #22
dpwm wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The adaptations you're talking about happen over centuries. The changes you're talking about are happening over decades. These changes will not be limited to just the oceans. And the main takeaway point from that George Carlin clip that I can find is that the planet will be fine because people won't be. I can only assume you didn't bother to watch it before posting it for others to watch.

Adaptations can happen within a decade. Look into radiotrophic fungi near Chernobyl.

The adaptations you are talking about were in fungi, in the presence of radiation which didn't kill them.

This is in comparison to fish, in which adaptations take a longer time, where the decrease in oxygen is a direct threat to life.

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