Monday, September 26, 2005
Pollution...
People live longer anf healthier that ever in history, and yet:
From the BBC we learn
Ah, those difficult environmental choices again.
With all the hurricanes, the global warming discussion just gets frothy. A Brit official says the hurricanes are "the smoking gun." Because, of course, there were never any large storms before global warming. And just in case we aren't scared enough, a new study says its a no-win scenario. Will someone, anyone, tell me why this woman's opinion matters one whit on the subject. Finally, the NYTimes wonders what is really going on and hides the anything resembling a reasonable conclusion in the last paragraph
Air pollution may be a bigger health threat than previously believed, a 20-year study of residents of Los Angeles indicates. Researchers report that the contribution of particulate matter to chronic health problems may be as much as two to three times greater than current estimates.Something is not quite adding up in that picture.
From the BBC we learn
The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution report said more research was needed into a possible link between pesticides and ill health.OK, I guess I have to spell it out. No pesticides, crops damaged, can't feed large populations, people starve. There is an ill health link. No pesticides, more mosquitoes -- mosquito born illness increases drastically. There is an ill health link. Die very old and well fed or die young, underfed, with yellow fever. I know which I would choose.
Ah, those difficult environmental choices again.
UP TO 10,000 elephants are facing slaughter as South Africa prepares to end its ten-year ban on culling the beasts.What I wantto know is who is the good guy environmentalist in this story -- those saving the trees or the elephants?
The Government is expecting a global outcry from animal welfare groups, so there will be an 18-month ?consultation period? before the cull ? which would involve rounding up and shooting entire family groups ? begins.
But officials said that action was vital to reduce the elephant population in the Kruger national park to protect trees ? some of them 4,000 years old ? vegetation and water supplies on which other, rarer, species depend. An adult elephant consumes about 170kg (375lb) of vegetation a day.
With all the hurricanes, the global warming discussion just gets frothy. A Brit official says the hurricanes are "the smoking gun." Because, of course, there were never any large storms before global warming. And just in case we aren't scared enough, a new study says its a no-win scenario. Will someone, anyone, tell me why this woman's opinion matters one whit on the subject. Finally, the NYTimes wonders what is really going on and hides the anything resembling a reasonable conclusion in the last paragraph
Kerry Emanuel, the author of one of the recent studies showing rising intensity, echoed many colleagues in saying that the impact of global warming was unlikely ever to be manifested in a black and white way that could serve as a call to arms for those seeking curbs on emissions.I see, we'll never really be able to prove it, but we'll still try and scare you to death about it. Makes sense to me -- NOT!
