It's easy to see why Coby Beck, science blogger from A Few Things Ill Considered would allow me to republish this climate change denial argument over again even though it was written in 2006.  Unfortunately, it's not a very heartwarming reason.  The Climate Change denialist standpoint is still a very big and common issue that marine biologists and climate scientists alike still must deal with. The fact is, these skeptic don't understand that this climate change crisis is hurting our world, our marine life, and our bodies of water.

While e-mailing Coby Beck about republishing this piece, he told me that the denialist talking point found below is still a very common one and the fault of the argument remains the same. There is a fundamental flaw in its reasoning.  Despite this concept though, have we changed our ways? Have we improved our knowledge of the climate change crisis? Are we doing something to keep these climate change skeptics from remaining skeptical? 

Lift up one arm, and bend your elbow. Reach with your fingers to a point on your back, between your shoulder-blades. Scratch. Not only will that work wonders for any annoying tingle that you might have been feeling, but you have just demonstrated your superior flexibility to an elbow crab.

Coral reefs are dying.  It's a sad, but true fact.

Fortunately, one group out there believes in the majesty and mystery of coral reefs and in their ability to teach, sustain, inspire and give life.  They've gone to great lengths to turn the dive community into one of conservation and commitment to the protection of corals. Thus, the Coral Reef Alliance has grown from a small, grassroots alliance into the only international non profit organization that works exclusively to protect our planet's coral reefs.  

"We have lost over 20% of all coral reefs in the past 40 years and, if we don’t reduce human impact on them, we may lose the our remaining reefs within our lifetime," says Executive Director Brian Huse in an interview, ""We hold the hope for reversing this crisis and believe in the power of community to make change, to find common ground, and to heal."

As an academic ecologist researching or teaching about ecosystems, a common dilemma is the issue of how to define the boundaries of a system. Where, for example, does the Chesapeake Bay end and the Atlantic begin? What is the edge of the Hubbard Brook ecosystem? Et cetera. But there is one major exception to this rule: planet earth. We can define the edges of that superecosystem reasonably well. For all practical purposes we are limited, as a global society, to the resources we have here, with the single major exception of incoming solar radiation.

Humans have now grown in abundance and influence to the point where we are the force of nature. Which begs the ultimate practical question about ecosystems: How is humanity interacting with the planetary ecosystem, and is this suite of interactions sustainable?

Obviously, this generation is not the first to ask these questions. In 1972, a team lead by Donella Meadows from MIT published a book called “The Limits to Growth” (LTG), which presented results of a computer modeling study commissioned by a think-tank, The Club of Rome, concerned about the mounting impacts of unsustainable human activities on the earth system. They examined the interactions of five subsystems of the global economic system: population, food production, industrial production, pollution, and consumption of non-renewable natural resources. The model began in 1900 and continued to 2100. The model was able to reproduce broadly the historical data to the year 1970.

An estimated two-thirds of all coral reefs in the world are at risk today. Hard to believe, until you consider that an estimated 25% of the world's reefs have already disappeared.

It gets worse.  More than 80% of the reefs in Southeast Asia are at risk and more than 90% of the reefs in the Florida Keys have lost their living coral cover since 1975.

But there's hope for coral reef conservationists everywhere and it comes in the form of Orla Doherty, Abigail Alling and the rest of the Planetary Coral Reef Foundation (PCRF) which strive to save and protect the world's coral reef ecosystem.

And while yes, unfortunately for various aquarists they do admit housing reefs in tanks is not a good idea, they also offer various other important facts and tips on what you can to help keep them among our marine life environment.

We had the chance to interview Orla Doherty & Abigail Alling and here's what both of them had to say:

According to their mission statement, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society uses innovative direct-action tactics to investigate, document and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas. They've been called radical, they've been called extreme.

Their response.  Whatever actions are necessary to stop illegal activity.  

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society was established in 1977 as an international non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organization. Their mission? To end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world's oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species.
 
By safeguarding the biodiversity of our delicately-balanced ocean ecosystems, Sea Shepherd works to ensure their survival for future generations.

We had the chance to hear from SSCS spokesperson Amy Baird on what makes the organization tick.

Who knew it was an Australian water landmark that inspired Jennifer Lash to create Living Oceans Society, the single largest marine conservation organization in Canada? Yes, it's true, after working as a prawn trawler, the destruction Jennifer witnessed during an Australian marine science experience completely changed her life, inspiring her to work on the British Columbian ocean communities where she grew up.  

Now, as the largest marine conservation organization in Canada celebrates its 10th year, its founder and Executive Director Jennifer Lash can look back with fondness at all the great memories and all the inspirational strides the group has made for the ocean communities in that area, including the recent Finding Coral Expedition, which was a mission to document sea corals since the government was moving so slow in recognizing the corals in the area were at risk.  The Reef Tank has already talked to James Gates  written up a post on that project.  

Now we get to see what the Living Oceans Society is all about through the eyes of its leader.