Precipitates began as an investigation into the apparent over population of bull kelp in the near-shore waters of British Columbia. Was there a causal relationship between global warming, rising sea temperatures, the loss of coastal environments and the prima facie abundance of bull kelp in the northern Pacific waters? On the contrary, bull kelp forest populations, with their preference for cold water conditions, will be adversely affected by the rising sea temperatures associated with global warming. The species, however, thrive in carbon dioxide rich environments, and the presence of higher levels of carbon dioxide could very well offset some of the negative impacts of increased water temperatures. These contradictory connections between cause and effect speak to the complex relationships between action and consequence, specific ecosystems and the environment as a whole.