Halon dumps: a data point

From: Don Maslin <donm_at_cts.com>
Date: Thu Sep 14 15:20:43 2000

On Thu, 14 Sep 2000, Eric J. Korpela wrote:

> > In the case of ozone it has
> > been shown that CFCs can catalyze ozone given the right conditions, but any
> > theory of the ozone layer has to include that umptyzillion terawatt ozone
> > generator known to you and I know as the Sun. The same is happening with
> > the Global Warming crud. If you assume that we've got tolerable climate
> > records for the last 500 years and you assume that it took 15 MILLION years
> > after the event that wiped out the dinosaurs for the climate to "settle
> > down."
>
> In otherwords, you argue that outside of substantial concrete evidence
> that we are affecting the environment we should do whatever the hell we want
> regardless of whether there is any reason to believe that it will affect
> the environment. Sounds damn short sighted to me. A better course of
> action is to work to minimize our impacts regardless of what they might be.
> We might not know exactly what the effects of pumping vast amounts of CO2
> into the atmosphere will be, but we know there will be effects. Isn't that
> a good enough reason to exercise caution?

Well, plant more trees, shrubs, and grass and let photosynthesis do its
work. But that means irrigation, and water is seldom where you
want/need it, so... Lotsa problems, few solutions!

                                                 - don
 
> I think you also underestimate the quality of the data regrading the effects
> of stratospheric chlorine compounds on the ozone layer. No one claims
> that it is the only thing affecting ozone concentrations, but very few
> would deny that it is having an effect.
>
> > I used to marvel at the stories of Mayan priests sacrificing human
> > lives so that the seasons would come, now I weep at the stories of
> > politicians who, at the behest of modern scientists, are sacrificing entire
> > generations to try to stop the earth from proceeding through its natural
> > cycles.
>
> I think you're mistaking exactly who it is that is "sacrificing entire
> generations." You also have as little evidence to support your claim
> that recent global temperature changes are part of a natural cycle (perhaps
> less) as those that claim that recent temperature changes are linked to
> rising CO2 levels. You are as guilty of letting your pollitics influence
> your view of reality as they are.
>
> Eric
>
Received on Thu Sep 14 2000 - 15:20:43 BST