Suppressed Climate Change Report

[scooterbug44]

My house still sits in a forest - and that decision saves a ton of $ on utility bills and lawn care.

The question was "drastic environmental change plus pollution and a positive outcome".

I am not saying that we can never change anything, just asking for an actual POSITIVE example of man-made changes that caused pollution and had a long-term positive outcome because I couldn't think of one offhand.

 

[30ashopper]

My house still sits in a forest - and that decision saves a ton of $ on utility bills and lawn care.

The question was "drastic environmental change plus pollution and a positive outcome".

I am not saying that we can never change anything, just asking for an actual POSITIVE example of man-made changes that caused pollution and had a long-term positive outcome because I couldn't think of one offhand.

I'd say commercial farming has to be one of the best examples. Granted it's net negative for the ecosystem where it occurs, but a net positive for man kind. I guess then you have to decide, which is more important?

 

[beachmouse]

Question - could someone please give me an example of when we have drastically changed the environment and pollution level of an area and it had a POSITIVE outcome for the humans and animals in that area. (Please note, someone making a bunch of money does not qualify as a positive outcome).

Oddly enough, power plant water outflow. The Turkey Point Nuclear power plant near Miami is given credit for accidentally saving the American crocodile. The warm water discharged from the plant into surrounding canals has created prime corcodile habitat and has helped the species recently be reclassified from endangered to threatened.

Turkey Plant a Refuge for Crocodiles: FPL's TURKEY POINT NUCLEAR PLANT HAS BECOME AN UNLIKELY HAVEN FOR CROCS

In central Florida, warm water power plant discharge is also credited with preventing hypothermia in manatees during cold snaps.

Migrating Manatees

Manatees also gather at warm water effluents of power plants like the Tampa Electric Company in Apollo Beach or Florida Power & Light Company in Ft. Myers or Riviera Beach. Power plants have probably extended the manatee's winter range. At one time, researchers believe, manatees only ranged south of Sebastian Inlet and Charlotte Harbor in the winter. As coastal development pressures in southeast and southwest Florida have pushed manatees further north, power plant effluents have played a critical role in manatee protection.

Unfortunately, warm water sources for manatees are at risk of disappearing as aging power plants go offline and spring flows are affected by Florida?s growing human population and its water needs. Such loss of warm water habitat could result in catastrophic manatee die offs during cold winters. The maintenance of warm water refuges will be an important factor in the manatee's future survival potential. We need to make sure that spring flows are maintained and devise warm water alternatives before power plants go offline.

 

[30ashopper]

This is a fun subject to discuss. Anyone in the mood for some genetically engineered rice? Does your electricity come from nuclear or hydroelectric power? What affects will rising sea levels have on ocean life and what about the new ecosystems that are forming on the Alaskan Tundra? Oh and don't forget about the manatee, we got them hooked on our effluents, now they are going to need to be rehabilitated.

 

[Matt J]

Some might consider birth to be a positive outcome of pollution. One of this worlds biggest problems right now is over population. Essentially we're lice on mother Earth's head.

 

[steyou]

Some might consider birth to be a positive outcome of pollution. One of this worlds biggest problems right now is over population. Essentially we're lice on mother Earth's head.

 

[scooterbug44]

Some might consider birth to be a positive outcome of pollution. One of this worlds biggest problems right now is over population. Essentially we're lice on mother Earth's head.

Do you mean low birth rates?

 

[Andy A]

I'd say commercial farming has to be one of the best examples. Granted it's net negative for the ecosystem where it occurs, but a net positive for man kind. I guess then you have to decide, which is more important?

Gee, if we don't farm we can all starve to death but it won't matter because we will do so while being "environmentally correct".

 

[Matt J]

I'd say commercial farming has to be one of the best examples. Granted it's net negative for the ecosystem where it occurs, but a net positive for man kind. I guess then you have to decide, which is more important?

Gee, if we don't farm we can all starve to death but it won't matter because we will do so while being "environmentally correct".

The real issue with farming is that we do it on a massively wasteful scale.

We produce so much that simply rots and goes to waste, but by god you'd be raising hail if you couldn't get fresh tomatoes in January. We also pay farmers not to grow certain crops to keep the price artificially inflated.

Farm subsidies = socialism

 

[30ashopper]

The real issue with farming is that we do it on a massively wasteful scale.

I haven't heard much about this, any references?

We produce so much that simply rots and goes to waste, but by god you'd be raising hail if you couldn't get fresh tomatoes in January. We also pay farmers not to grow certain crops to keep the price artificially inflated.

Farm subsidies = socialism

Agree with you there. In one respect, keeping a vibrant farming industry going is a national security issue so we don't want to see farming getting exported, but I think the vast majority of this today is simply about buying votes.