Who should own the ocean's minerals in class debate, proposal, and reflection

Limestone, gypsum, salt, diamonds, gold

Gold is hard to mine, it’s malleable, it’s hard to find, it doesn’t tarnish or rust.

Diamonds are expensive to mine because we need a special material because they are the hardest mineral on earth.

Salt is very common, it’s found in the world’s oceans.

Limestone is very useful because we use it for building houses,

Gypsum is common but useful for gypsum board, cement, cast, paint and statues.

Helene: I think that what should happen, is that each country that mines in another country should give a percentage of the money they won to this other country so that this other country can little by little win enough money to begin their own business and keep up their economy

Hanna: I think the ocean should not be mined because how are we going to return the oceans to their natural state therefore people should stick to the coast line. Oil is hazardous to the environment and it lingers in the water for decades so it is a large problem. You see dead mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians in nearby ponds

Alex: I think that NO ONE owns the word oceans minerals apart from the fish and other things that live inside

We had a conflict first Helene was saying (I think that what should happen, is that each country that  mines in another country should give a percentage of the money they won to this other country so that this other country can little by little win enough money to begin their own business and keep up their economy)

But Hanna was saying (the ocean should not be mined other than if it must on the continental shelves where we are already mining so we don’t go as deep into a large area

I personally thought that Helene’s idea was the best of all. It would make my dad proud if I helped do that

So we have a proposal is that we use are water and minerals more efficiently and that we help poor countries to develop by making donations or giving them jobs do that we don’t have to use the ocean at all and that we don’t hurt the ecosystem.

Reflection

 My group decided as you saw to try not to mine from the ocean at all and this works if we become more efficient and help other countries by donating and volunteering. I think this is the decision that most children might come up with because a lot of adults are blinded by greed, anger, and/or confusion. We as the next generation must change or we will be no better off than this generation squabbling over the smallest insult thinking only for themselves.