Oxygen loss

This should be a more critical problem than global warming, but no one is talking about it.

The loss of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere is higher than the increase in carbon dioxide. It's one thing to have more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere we breathe, but when the amount of oxygen goes down, we're going to be in big trouble.

Just how bad is this problem? We are losing three molecules of oxygen for each molecule of carbon dioxide we're adding to the atmosphere. Since the Industrial Revolution began in the 1880's we've removed 0.09% of the oxygen in our atmosphere.

Now, to be accurate about this situation, the effects of industrial activity have caused more critical problems than the loss of oxygen. We have a long way to go before we can't breathe. The much more critical aspects of climate change are the rise of the seas and global warming.

However, the depletion of oxygen will continue until we stop burning fossil fuels.

Wait a minute! Isn't the buildup of carbon dioxide allowing plants to thrive and therefore putting more oxygen into the atmosphere? True, this is happening. For one atom of carbon stored in a plant, one molecule of oxygen is added back. But, the rate of carbon emissions is increasing faster than the plants can handle it. The bad news is that when these plants die and decompose, they release that carbon back into the atmosphere as methane and carbon dioxide. All this proves is that nature is in a delicate balance and if this balance is disturbed, it will cause havoc.

Scientists have no idea if any oxygen depletion events occurred back in geological times. By measuring the isotope levels in calcium carbonate, scientists have determined that oxygen fluctuations have occurred, but the data is sketchy at best. But, even if it did occur, it doesn't help us.

We should consider ourselves fortunate that oxygen was produced in Earth's atmosphere by prehistoric algae. Oxygen is not a common molecule out there in space. What we see is mostly hydrogen. Planet atmospheres have mostly nitrogen. Oxygen is a rarity, just like us. Let's face it, we are special in this crazy universe.

Thanks for reading.