Sea Levels

Are sea levels really rising?

According to the article, it's difficult to measure the true mean sea level of one location and it's even harder to find any changes in the level. Many of the tide gauges are not reliable. This is because many are located in major cities and due to urbanization, subsidence is greater which then is read as the sea level rising. Along the Australian coast, where good quality records are available, the rise recorded was 1.6 cm over the century, which is very insignificant. The only time sea levels rise is when there is atmospheric warming and since 1979, according to satellites, there has not been significant warming.


Daly, John L. "Claims That Sea Levels Are Rising Are Unproven." Opposing Viewpoints: Endangered Oceans. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Alden High School. 10 June 2009

Oceans/Pollution

Is air and water pollution really as bad as it is made out to be?

I think the claims of air and water pollution are over-exaggerated. When new legislation was passed to control the problem of air pollution in the 1970's, the amount of pollutants in the air decreased dramatically. Along with the "problem" of air pollution there is also the issue of pollution in the oceans. Although pollution does occur in the oceans from rivers and runoff from land, some suggest that it might be safer to use the oceans for waste disposal rather than using land. Oceans have the ability to assimilate, dilute, neutralize and disperse wastes. And, according to the article, the quality of the planet's air and water is actually improving, not deteriorating.

What are some of your opinions on this issue?


Ed. Barbour, Scott. "The Threat of Pollution Is Exaggerated." Opposing Viewpoints Digests: The Environment.San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2000. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Alden High School. 9 June 2009. http://find.galegroup.com/