Gobytron, please research what's more destructive, harvesting coral from the coral reefs, or harvesting coral reefs for the use in concrete production.
Honestly though any hobby has it's impact on the environment. Hikers wear gear made of synthetic materials that have toxic byproducts during construction. Standup Paddleboarders have foam and fiberglass boards. People who drive electric cars still roll on rubber tires and utilize chemically hazardous battery packs. Not to mention if they don't charge their batteries purely off of sustainable power sources they are hypocrites. The construction of solar panels is still pretty bad for the environment.
Am I saying we shouldn't be doing everything we can to lessen our footprint, not at all. But there is no perfect solution. I believe we are making an impact, but nothing compared to other industries. Think about this. How much energy does Wal-Mart use for their store lighting alone? Reefers are quick to adopt new technology. How many reefers switched to LED's to save on energy alone? What impact could Wal-Mart make if it switched to solar-tubes and LED's? Let alone the amount of bulbs they replace and add to the landfills a year.
Acidification of the oceans will change the game for sure. Like I always say, humanity may wreck the earth to the point we cannot exist on it anymore and we leave or go extinct. But the Earth will adapt, animals will evolve, and the blue marble will keep on spinning without us.
I love discussions like this
