It´s a frightening premise and it´s happening right now.
Last night I went to watch a documentary at the Labia in Cape Town, called A Sea Change. It is a beautifully shot documentary that follows the journey of retired history teacher Sven Huseby on his quest to discover what is happening to the world´s oceans. The threats of climate change are on everyone´s lips, but have you heard about the other shocking effects of steadily rising carbon dioxide levels? Ocean acidification is something that is threatening the oceans and life as we know it, yet alarmingly, this is an issue that few of us have even heard about! A Sea Change is the first documentary about ocean acidification.
In the documentary Sven becomes obsessed with the rising acidity of the oceans and what this ´sea change´ bodes for humanity. His quest takes him to Alaska, California, Washington and Norway as he uncovers a worldwide crisis that most people are unaware of. At one point in the film while he is north of Norway, you actually hear the glaciers breaking up – frightening!
Sven speaks with oceanographers, marine biologists, climatologists and artists and discovers that global warming is only half the story of the environmental catastrophe that awaits us. Excess carbon dioxide is dissolving in our oceans, changing sea water chemistry. The more acidic water makes it difficult for tiny creatures at the bottom of the food chain to form their shells. The effects could work there way up to the fish one billion people depend upon for their source of protein.
A Sea Change is a disturbing and essential companion piece to Al Gore´s An Inconvenient Truth and brings home the indisputable fact that our lifestyle is changing the earth, despite our rhetoric and wishful thinking. Did you know that 1 – 2% of Norway´s GDP could solve the problem of global warming? Half of the U.S.´s war budget could convert their entire country to solar power… Why is nothing being said and done about this? In South Africa we are just as guilty. The South African government is about to embark on building two more coal power stations. Why are we not focusing on renewable energies? Doing so would help with our shocking unemployment figures as well as helping out the planet.
It´s time for civic action people. It´s time for you to do your bit and have your say in the fight against climate change. Email, pick up the phone, go old school and write a letter, do what you need to do and let government know that this is now unacceptable. We need to change our current consumption and lifestyle patterns. Ask for more cycle tracks, environmental education in schools, research into renewable energies… the list is endless. Sub-Saharan Africa receives more sunlight than anywhere else in the world, why do we not use solar power? Wind energy is the most powerful energy source out there – 6000 wind turbines in the North Sea could power the whole of Norway indefinitely. Think about how the South Easter howls through Cape Town, we are wasting these valuable natural resources.
You can´t fight Mother Nature on this one. A change is coming and in some places is already here. As it stands the change we´ve caused to our oceans pH levels is irreversible even if we stop emitting carbon dioxide today. By 2030 to 2050 we will be seeing the full effects of these changes. Lets not make it worse than we have to, together lets protect our children´s heritage. Stand up and let your voice be heard in the fight against climate change and ocean acidification.
If you haven´t seen the documentary yet and you reside in the Cape Town area, get yourself down to the Labia on Orange tonight at 6:15pm. Tickets are only R20.
Nicola
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