Essay: How does location affect the oceans acidity due to greenhouse gases?

Evidence #1: What is causing ocean acidification?
Elaboration: Ocean acidity was never much a problem until the Industrial Revolution in the 1800’s, when it became a more pressing issue and threatened our green planet. Ever since the industrial era the ocean has absorbed “525 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere, about 22 million a day”. It is the “harmful consequence of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that we don’t see or feel because it’s all happening underwater” (Bennett). This excess CO2 is being caused by greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, cement manufacturing, decrease in carbonate ions, chemical reactions causing high concentration of hydrogen ions and the list goes on. “An estimated 30-40% of the carbon dioxide from human activity is released into the atmosphere dissolves into oceans, rivers and lakes” (Millero). Ultimately, we are the main cause of ocean acidity because of all the greenhouse gases we produce. Thanks to people burning so many fuels, there is now more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than anytime in the past 15 million years. If we continue releasing carbon dioxide in the air at this rate the seawater pH could drop another 120 percent by the end of this century.
Evidence #2: What is the chemistry of ocean acidification?
Elaboration: On a more molecular level, the core of ocean acidification is due to simple chemistry. When carbon dioxide dissolves into seawater, the pH level of the water slowly goes down and the water becomes more acidic. “This process binds up carbonate ions and makes them less abundant” (Bennett), these ions are essential for many sea creatures to thrive underwater. As we’ve learned, all acids contain hydrogen ions (H+). When water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) mix together they create carbonic acid. This acid may not act as quickly, “but it works the same way as all acids: it releases hydrogen ions (H+), which bond with other molecules in the area”. In chemistry, the more acidic something is, the lower pH it has. “An acid is a substance that releases H+ ions; and pH is the scale used to measure the concentration of H+ ions.” (Bennett).
Claim: Ocean acidity is, for the most part, due to us human polluting the earth with the burning of fossil fuels. A lot of CO2 is released because of this and I believe the closer to manufacturing factories, large cities and major power plants the oceans are the more acidic they are. Due to higher pH levels in the water near major CO2 suppliers, some of the ocean has become difficult or even hazardous to live in for certain creatures. The high acidity levels have made it exhausting and difficult for crustaceans or even coral to rebuild and grow their shells, the high pH levels are slowly dissolving their shells. I think that is why certain types of coral, crustaceans and other marine life don’t reside near major cities and power plants. Of course there are other reasons but this is a contributing factor. Right now we have ocean acidity under control, but eventually it will become a more pressing issue and put the lives of some marine life in danger. We cannot let it get to this point and even though CO2 is essential in our environment, we need to reduce our production of it. Of course this isn’t news to anyone but our actions are negatively affecting aquatic life and we don’t do anything about it. But that’s another story.