Re: “Volcano-induced die-off paved way for dinosaurs, study suggests,” March 24.
Geoffrey Mohan wrote that a volcanic eruption 201.56 million years ago turned the oceans acidic and caused the extinction of more than 50 per cent of marine life, including squid-like mollusks with spiral shells.
The oceans today are more acidic than they were 100 years ago. Carbon dioxide and water in the atmosphere form carbonic acid, which ends up in the ocean. If the oceans become more acidic, shell-forming sea creatures may no longer be able to make shells and will become extinct. (This was reviewed in another article in Science a few months ago.)
The following activities put a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere: turning limestone into cement, and building and running a sewage treatment plant. The flow and turbulence of water in Juan de Fuca Strait do an adequate job of diluting Victoria’s sewage.
There is no scientific evidence that we need a sewage-treatment plant. There is scientific evidence that building and running a sewage-treatment plant for Victoria would harm the environment.
Iain Hunter was right: We need to tell governments to back off regarding this plan to build a sewage-treatment plant in Victoria.
Robert Shepherd
Victoria
