hamburger wrote:Quote:I was reading just yesterday I think the opinion of somebody that said it is likely, at the current rate of melt of arctic ice that within 15 years a permanent northwest passage will be open to shipping. The danger of this, so said the writer, is that ships will use the passage. And, because there will also likely be iceburgs in the water, it is likely that the ships will hit the burgs and sink. And that will cause oil spills and other pollution of the arctic ocean. And that will be devastating to the wildlife and ecology of the region.
I suppose the message of this is that we need to stop global warming no matter what is causing it so that ships don't sink in the arctic ocean.
oil spills are not just "devastating to the wildlife and ecology of the region " . oilspills seem to have the nasty habit of sticking around for a long time and polluting just about everything in its way . the oil will likely also find its way into the drinking water - not parcularly good - but what do i know .
but i do know that until about thirty years ago ocean freighters coming up the st. lawrence river and lake ontario regularly flushed their contaminated ballast tanks once they got here .
even now - thirty years later - many of the beaches are contamined with congealed oil sludge and the oil has found its way into the water table .
coast guard vessels and airplanes now control the waterways and slap offenders with heavy fines .
perhaps that's all wrong ; it's costly for the shipping companies to catch the oil sludge and prevent it from being discharged , perhaps we should invite them to continue to dump the stuff right here .
hbg
I wasn't talking about intentional pollution of the water and shorelines, which I think you probably know if you even read what I posted. Nor do I nor have I ever condoned pollution of the water, land, or air. Accidents happen and those responsible should have to clean up their messes. Deliberate pollution should merit quick and severe consequences as well as fines and responsibility to clean up the mess.
But having said that, the thing is Hamburger, human beings are life forms too. They have been around on the this planet now for a very long time, and they presumably have evolved along with all other species. Now we can either accept that humans have either evolved into a superior intelligence and ability to reason or it is God given--your choice--and that it is normal and natural that we use this for our own preservation, pleasure, and to meet whatever goals we set for ourselves, or, we can think that human beings have no right to conduct their lives in any fashion other than that of other creatures on Earth.
I personally think human beings continue to overcome challenges that seemed impossible to prior generations, that they have accomplished as much good for other creatures as they have been detrimental, and humans can be expected to do this for all generations to come. Generally good has eventually triumphed over evil and of all creatures we do have concern for our environment and our effect on it.
I have every confidence that by the time the oil supplies of the Earth have been depleted, we will have long harnessed better and even more environmentally friendly energy sources. Meanwhile, I do not think that any case has been made to show that it is necessary that we diminish our way of life or progress toward a brighter and better world. The Earth probably is in a warming cycle from whatever reason, but historically warmer has been far more beneficial to living creatures on Earth than has been colder.
However, if you genuinely think that humans should be restricted in their lifestyles in favor of all other species, you Canadians are a lot closer to the arctic circle than we are. Why don't you show us the way by turning out all the lights, parking all your vehicles, and reducing your green house emission, other than those emitted by your own breath and vegetation, to zero and see what effect that might have on those ice shelves. If we see an immediate verifiable correlating change in the rate of ice melt, I would consider that important.
