A different point of view

I agree with the concerns expressed in the other thread " a big can o worms". I do, however, have a different view of the short term (geologically speaking) future. Our future need not be bleak and dark and without hope. We need not give up. We MUST continue to strive to make things better. I challenge you to begin by reading the Article in the April 2005 issue of Reader?s Digest entitled "The Good Earth". Please read it with an open mind.

Presented below are some facts.

*Smog-causing chemicals from cars and trucks are down 54% since 1970 even though the number of vehicles has more than doubled
*CO is down 53%
*SiO2 emissions are down 49%
*Toxic emissions by industry down by 55% since 1988
*There is more timber land in the US than in 1920
*CO2 emissions are down in the US since 1990

This list of "good" facts could be much longer. I will not debate this issue with you as I have found that emotion rules the environmental agenda. No matter how you feel, however, please keep on striving for a cleaner and better environment. We can make it happen.

[SilverMallard]

Thanks. It is important to take stock of what we are accomplishing as well as to remember why we try. Good counter-balancing post.

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Fishing the Ozarks

[analogbob]

We are doing better than we think! Here in NE Pennsylvania we are catching trout in streams that 40 years ago were barren from mine acid run off. You can catch 18 inch Brown Trout in the Lackawanna River in the middle of suburbs of Scranton! The Little Schuylkill River south of Tamaqua has a flyfishing shop on it's banks! Anyone who predicted that there would be trout fishing in these waters 40 years ago would have been deemed a candidate for a Straitjacket. We have done a remarkable job of cleaning up our waters throughout the country and we should be proud of our accomplishments and use them as examples of what can really be done if we put our collective minds and energies behind cleaning up our environment.

[lee s]

"examples of what can really be done if we put our collective minds and energies behind cleaning up our environment."

It would be nice to be able to change the word "if" to the word "when".
The #'s of stripers on the East coast seems another good thing.
...lee s.

Bluehackle,

A very good point. At least people are starting to think about the consequences of poor environmental stewardship! I work as an environmental consultant, mostly helping the mining industry control environmental impacts. 50 years ago nothing was done, and it caused a big mess. These days, the mining industry is cleaning up their act and serious about minimizing impacts. I don't see humans going back to living in caves but I do see us using our brains to ensure our planet's survival, as evidenced by some of the points you made.

Best,

-John

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The key to wisdom is knowing when you don't know what you're talking about

[bones]

Heresy!! Pure and simple, no one is allowed to see the glass half full. You are guilty of presenting facts that contradict many preconceived ideas and dogma. That can not be allowed. Doom is the tune, so get with it or we will pull your feeding tube.

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harry mason
[url=http://www.troutflies.com:e6765]http://www.troutflies.com[/url:e6765]

Well, I just read the can of worms thing and I decided to add a reply to this post. I have made my living in the chemical manufacturing industry for 25 years. I grew up in a steel mill town in Pennsylvania. I have stated these facts to qualify myself. I can tell you that the quality of the air and water in the USA has increased by at least an order of magnitude (eg. decrease in emmissions) since I graduated in 1980. I can name you many industrial facilities that have been closed and leveled for the benefit of this quest for pristine water and air with the result of the surrounding community lining up to work at the local Wal-Mart or a subsequent increase in the number of real estate agents or self-employed contractors after the plant closes! The steel mill in my old home town now employs 2000 down from 10000 when I was a kid. The recent elections saw the liberal party crying about the loss of manufacturing jobs because of tax breaks. The same liberal party wants to close all our coal fired power plants and build wind mills or some other crazy dream and enforce the Kyoto Protocall. The only hope for the USA is for us to make things again. There must be a compromise between the pristine environment thinkers and the manufacturers. I personnaly believe that the swing has gone to far towards the pristine environment side and that it will only get worse. I suppose all the prisitne environmenalists can just cut each others hair, sell artwork to each other or perhaps sing to each other to make a living.

[lee s]

If you break a stick in half, BOTH ends are usually sharp.
We have several (many?) dams in our area. We DO need the water. However they surely could have been constructed with good, workable plunge-pool fish ladders on them. We may have still lost many of the migratory fish above the dams.....but not ALL of them.
You're right. The middle of the stick seems the logical place to hold on to.
.....lee s.

[SheTies]

Bluehackle, could you please share the source of your CO2 figures? It is my understanding that both Canada and the USA have not decreased their emissions since 1990... maybe I am wrong, but I am curious.

SheTies
I will search for the source (didn't write it down) and post it as soon as I find it.