The article that I choose to discuss is an article about a report from NOAA The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. In the article it says that in the coming decades the coastlines of the United States will be reduced due to sea level rise. They came up with six scenarios of sea level rise that ranged from low severity to high severity so that the federal government can plan accordingly. Scientists predict that the sea level will rise by about 1 foot on the low end but could rise up to 8 feet. If the sea were to rise 8 feet, it would have huge consequences as about six million Americans would lose their homes. Scientists believe that the growing sea level rise is due to the melting of the arctic ice due to global warming. In the last five years scientists have increased their predictions on how much the sea level will rise by the end of the century.
My opinion on this is that I find it hard to believe that the sea level will rise by that much by the end of the century. I feel we should find a way to use the sea water in places in the country that are in need of water. I feel that we need to find a way to filter the salt out of the water and treat it so that it can be used for everyday life. Since the ocean makes up so much of the earth, we need to find a way to use the water. There are many parts of the country that are surrounded by water but there seems to be no way to make good use of it. A good example of this is California which has the Pacific Ocean bordering it on the west and they have an incredible problem with getting enough freshwater and are often times are experiencing a drought. If we find a way to make the salt water usable in everyday life by refining it to make it usable, I feel we can counteract sea level rise.
