Letter to the Editor: He sees no seashells at the seashore
Those of us who grew up in Southern California and lived here for many years can fondly recall trips to the beach when we were children, where we collected pretty seashells and sand dollars, while seeing starfish and other marine life in pools at low tide.
I have noticed over the past few years that shells, sand dollars and starfish seem to be vanishing from our shores, from Ventura to Orange County. I only find some black mussel shells. Mostly all that today’s children can bring home from the beach are rocks they find buried in the sand.
The most amazing thing to me is that nobody has seemed to notice what looks to me to be a mass extinction right before our eyes, not even the marine biologists I have contacted to ask about this.
I have no idea what has caused evidence of marine life on our beaches to disappear, however I strongly suspect climate change has much to do with it. We are rapidly approaching the point of no return, where if we continue to not address this threat it will be too late.
Doug Weiskopf
Burbank