[ RadSafe ] Global Warming

Mon Dec 7 09:58:08 CST 2009

I have to say that I am in agreement with Jerry. 
Unfortunately (or fortunately) I am in the position of being a total skeptic on the question of man's impact on the climate. But I do think that we (industrial mankind) dump large quantities of nasty stuff into the environment. And anything that can be done to control this (within reason) is a good thing. 

Sandy mentioned the efforts to control vehicle emissions that has had a positive effect in many parts of the country where geography caused these to be trapped.... another more startling example (possibly not remembered by many on this list) was the banning of domestic fires burning low-grade coal in the UK in the '50s (followed, I think, by many other countries in Europe, following some dreadful smog's caused by temperature inversions. Prior to that ban (and the subsequent cleaning up of public buildings) the center of London and many other major cities, had all their magnificent buildings apparently built of black stone. Only after cleaning did many realize that they were of white limestone..... 

Of course, they still suffer the effects of vehicle emissions..... I was living in Brazil when they converted the majority of vehicles to alcohol - you cannot imagine the change in the atmosphere of downtown Rio, from the heavy odor of badly adjusted gas engines spewing black smoke to a light blue exhaust that smelled just like a spirit lamp....

Coal fired power stations are horrendous polluters, not just in the burning of coal, but the mining of it. There is no arguing that industrialized agriculture is another major contributor to pollution of our waterways. And, living in Houston, I can smell the emissions from the petrochemical plants on the ship channel (whether these are harmful in the quantities regularly emitted, I am not going to speculate. But I sure would not want to be living in close proximity...... due to the unfortunate number of big bangs and "shelter in place" incidents....)

So, no question that industrialization has a negative effect on the environment, but mainly, in my mind on the health (of the environment and population), rather than the overall global temperature. 

And as coal fired power stations sit at the top of the list, in my mind, anything that can be done to push for nuclear power should be a high priority. Sad that VERY few politicians don't have the balls to get out there and push for this......

Doug 

___________________________________
Doug Aitken
QHSE Advisor
D&M Operations Support
jdaitken at sugar-land.oilfield.slb.com
Mail: c/o Therese Wigzell,
Schlumberger,
Drilling & Measurements HQ,
300 Schlumberger Drive, MD15,
Sugar Land, Texas 77478

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On Behalf Of gelsg at aol.com
Sent: Sunday, December 06, 2009 6:44 PM
To: doug.huffman at wildblue.net; radsafe at radlab.nl
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Global Warming

Allow me to make an observation.  I lurk here but seldom post.  A distressing number of recent posts by people I've come to have some regard for as scientists have been decidedly unscientific.  I note with a glimmer of hope the absence of a large number of regular contributors.  I am not a climate scientist by any means but I have been trained in the scientific method.  Referencing George Will's opinions or Al Gore's or 28% of the people you know or a group who would stoop to steal emails and selecively release parts of them does not convince me of anything.  Perhaps you could address things we can all see with our eyes, such as the disappearance of the polar ice.  By accusing other people of "playing politics" you are tarring yourselves with the same brush.

My warning is this:  you can say things here that lots of people will remember.  You are not going to convince scientists with the kinds of arguments I've been seeing recently.  And people will remember what you say.

Jerry Gels
Cincinnati, OH

-----Original Message-----
From: Doug Huffman <doug.huffman at wildblue.net>
To: radsafe at radlab.nl
Sent: Sun, Dec 6, 2009 3:45 pm
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Global Warming

Just so. So many are purporting to speak for the majority of their 'scientist' friends. The scientists must speak for themselves. 

Science is not an immutable body of knowledge. Nor does it rest edifice -like on an unfalsifiable foundation. Science is a way of thought that leads to truth. Unfalsifiable is not science. 

>All of my scientist friends with whom I meet and imbibe every day after >work are PhDs and 90% of them wouldn’t put a pen to that petition. 
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