[Dialogue] NYTimes.com: Industry Ignored Its Scientists on Climate

George Holcombe geowanda at earthlink.net
Wed Apr 29 10:38:39 EDT 2009


On global warming, I would highly recommend Jean Watts' husband's  
book, Global Warming and the Future of the Earth (Synthesis Lectures  
on Energy and the Environment: Technology, Science, and Society) by  
Robert G. Watts.  He helped forge the term "global warming" and  
continues to be one of the leading scientists in the world on the  
subject.  It's pretty technical, and very thorough.  I know Don would  
appreciate this very comprehensive dealing with the subject.

 From my own experience (not a scientific examination) I do know that  
it is impossible for me to go get a catch of sizeable, edible fish out  
of the Trinity River in less than a couple of hours, which I did many  
times when I was a boy on my grandpa's farm that backed onto the  
Trinity.  The river was not stocked, and the fish were not the little  
"pee-wee" size things that fishermen brag about catching today, and  
they tasted very good.  I would not eat fish caught in approximately  
the same spot today.  From the fishermen I know today, commercial and  
sports, their reports are really bad on what's out there (fresh and  
salt water).  I also know that the insects in our garden are  
changing.  The experts tell me they are coming from the South, the  
first time they believe they have gotten this far north, and the rains  
that pour down on Austin are no longer recharging our aquifers  
sufficiently to meet demand, and they are not doing well, we're in  
what the weather people term an "excetional dought."  Folks around  
here, scientific and otherwise seem to think this is about global  
warming and that we humans have played a role in it.  This is  
prompting the city of Austin and many of its population to "Go Green,"  
and we're committed to it.

On DDT, I had malaria 3 times when I was a boy living in south  
Louisiana.  Many people in south Louisiana had it in those days.   
Years later trucks would come through our neighborhoods at night and  
spray DDT and other things, and voilå we didn't have those kind of  
mosquitos anymore, and rarely do people come up with malaria there  
now.  At that time, I do not remember that DDT caused any health  
problems, but later it began to be picked up in the water and in  
humans.  One of our friends who is a missionary in Zambia today has  
set up extensive micro-industries and health clinics, now impregnates  
nets and the wood used in building houses with DDT which has  
measurably lowered the rate of malaria in his area, whether that will  
have future health effects, is yet to be seen, but on the malaria  
front it seems to be working.  So maybe, prudent use has a role in all  
this, and possibly the capitalist notion of reality with the sole  
reason for being is profit-making may have some limitations we've not  
been willing to think through to the bottom.

George Holcombe
14900 Yellowleaf Tr.
Austin, TX 78728
Home: 512/252-2756
Mobile 512/294-5952
geowanda at earthlink.net


On Apr 29, 2009, at 8:31 AM, FacilitationFla at aol.com wrote:

> Frankly, Don,
>
> I trust the more than 3,000 scientists across the world who have  
> studied and tracked the global warming phenomen for the last 25 years.
>
> Cynthia
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Don Elliott <dpelliott at aol.com>
> To: dialogue at wedgeblade.net
> Sent: Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:57 am
> Subject: Re: [Dialogue] NYTimes.com: Industry Ignored Its Scientists  
> on Climate
>
>
> Is it not true that water vapor is, by a factor of ten or so, the  
> most abundant heat trapping gas in the atmosphere?
> How do we reduce evaporation, when the planet is warming up?  Clouds  
> also reflect heat, so maybe the planet is
> self regulating and our puny efforts to reduce CO2 are likely to  
> have little, or no, effect on the climate.
>
> Beware the unintended consequences of buying into a popular, as yet,  
> unproven theory.  Tens of million of malaria
> deaths can be attributed to the virtual elimination of DDT from the  
> planet based on the overblown concerns of DDT's
> ill ecologic effects popularized by Rachel Carson.  See this article.
>
> http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/articles/Fall02/DDT.html
>
>
> Don Elliott
> 9400 E Iliff Ave #361
> Denver, CO 80231
> 303 695 4688 (H), 303 378 9175 (C)
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: opossum2 at att.net
> To: Colleague Dialogue <dialogue at wedgeblade.net>
> Sent: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 2:25 pm
> Subject: Re: [Dialogue] NYTimes.com: Industry Ignored Its Scientists  
> on Climate
>
>
>
>
>
> Harry,
>
>
>
>
> Absolutely true!  Over the past several years I have been amazed to  
> see letters published and signed by long lists of energy industry  
> professionals "refuting" global warming/climate change.  I knew many  
> of these people and20know them to be very bright and well-educated.   
> Unfortunately, their primary interest was the self-interest of  
> trying to secure their employment and curry favor with their  
> employers. Personally, I think that saving the planet and what is  
> left of our civilization qualifies as enlightened self-interest too.
>
>
>
> Last year I attended a metting of an advisory board I sit on, which  
> is an advocacy group for the Geology Dept. at the university I  
> graduated from.  The President of the Board was handing out DVDs  
> purporting to be educational, but which were nothing but diatribes  
> against anything supporting mitigation of global warming/climate  
> change.  The article you forwarded makes it sound as if this sort of  
> effort is over, but it is very much active and alive!
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
>
>
> Steve Rhea
>
> Senior Applications Geoscientist
>
> Houston, Tx.
>
> -------------- Original message from h-wainwright at charter.net:  
> --------------
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> This page was sent to you by:  h-wainwright at charter.net
>
> SCIENCE / ENVIRONMENT   | April 24, 2009
> Industry Ignored Its=2
> 0Scientists on Climate
> By ANDREW C. REVKIN
> A fossil fuels industry group campaigned against an idea its own  
> scientists called irrefutable: a link between heat-trapping gases  
> and climate change.
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> 1. And the Pursuit of Happiness: May It Please the Court
> 2. Well: What Are Friends For? A Longer Life
> 3. Industry Ignored Its Scientists on Climate
> 4. Op-Ed Contributor: My Tortured Decision
> 5. 36 Hours in Barcelona
>
> »  Go to Complete List
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