The Environmental Watchdog MasterThread

Psy-Fi · 11-14-2021, 06:11 AM

Climate groups slam Biden administration oil auction as 'hypocritical'

Psy-Fi · 12-03-2021, 07:36 AM

The US is 'by far' the biggest contributor to global plastic waste in the world, producing 42 million TONNES in 2016 - more than twice as much as China, study finds

Lisnaholic · 01-10-2022, 07:14 AM

^ I'm afraid that headline is just too depressing for me to read the article, Psy-Fi.

It's in the nature of this thread that the good news stories are mostly insignificant in the face of general environmental trends. Here's a small step in a good direction which is unlikely to make any discernable difference :-

Turkmenistan's President Wants To Close "Gates Of Hell" : https://edition.cnn.com/travel/artic...hnk/index.html

Notice that the story is about a declaration of intent only; watch this space for when it actually happens. Also watch this space for a resolution of the similar long-burning probs at Centralia, Pennsylvania.

Psy-Fi · 01-29-2022, 03:47 AM

Biden’s First Year Drilling Permitting Stomps Trump’s By 34%

Psy-Fi · 02-01-2022, 08:57 AM

The amount of waste being generated by the Covid-19 pandemic is a threat to the environment and human health, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.

Psy-Fi · 05-31-2022, 06:34 AM

Pharmaceutical contaminants discovered in South Florida bonefish

Quote:

A three-year study by FIU and Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) has discovered pharmaceutical contaminants in the blood and other tissues of bonefish in Biscayne Bay and the Florida Keys.

“Coastal fisheries face increasing threats associated with human-based contaminants,” said Jim McDuffie, BTT President and CEO. “Pharmaceuticals are an often overlooked dimension of water quality and their presence in South Florida bonefish is cause for concern. These contaminants pose a significant threat to the flats fishery, an important part of Florida’s recreational saltwater fishery, which has an annual economic impact of $9.2 billion and directly support over 88,500 jobs.”

Since the study began in 2018, FIU scientists and BTT research associates, in partnership with Sweden’s Umeå Unversity and the University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), have sampled 93 fish in South Florida, finding an average of seven pharmaceuticals per bonefish, and a whopping 17 pharmaceuticals in a single fish. The list includes blood pressure medications, antidepressants, prostate treatment medications, antibiotics, and pain relievers. Researchers also found pharmaceuticals in bonefish prey — crabs, shrimp and fish — suggesting that many of Florida’s valuable fisheries are exposed, and not only the bonefish fishery.

Lisnaholic · 05-31-2022, 04:11 PM

That's depressing news. It's worrying that there are so many knock-on effects from pollution that we don't much think about until they turn up in some scientific study.

In a similar way, forest fires are in the news only while they are burning, but that's only part of the story. After the news cycles have moved on to other scandals, the real impact of fires starts to kick in, but those reports are most often local news only:-

Ayn Marx · 05-31-2022, 04:18 PM

Underneath discussions such as this is the now forbidden topic, seldom raised since the 1970s, the population explosion.
If by some miracle the majority of our species began behaving in an ecologically sensible way the mere presence of billions upon billions of our species imagining we can continue to increase in numbers without negative consequences is no more than a delusion. Never mind, the planet is about to take its revenge.
Glad I wont be around to see it.

**Frownland** · 06-07-2022, 01:45 PM

It's a pretty good point if we accept the parasitic nature of capitalism to be inherent to human nature and therefore unchangeable.

SGR · 06-07-2022, 02:04 PM

Oooooh, Malthusianism...

01-10-2022, 07:14 AM	#893 (permalink)
Lisnaholic ...here to hear... Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: He lives on Love Street Posts: 4,444	^ I'm afraid that headline is just too depressing for me to read the article, Psy-Fi. It's in the nature of this thread that the good news stories are mostly insignificant in the face of general environmental trends. Here's a small step in a good direction which is unlikely to make any discernable difference :- Turkmenistan's President Wants To Close "Gates Of Hell" : https://edition.cnn.com/travel/artic...hnk/index.html Notice that the story is about a declaration of intent only; watch this space for when it actually happens. Also watch this space for a resolution of the similar long-burning probs at Centralia, Pennsylvania. __________________ "Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

05-31-2022, 04:11 PM	#897 (permalink)
Lisnaholic ...here to hear... Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: He lives on Love Street Posts: 4,444	That's depressing news. It's worrying that there are so many knock-on effects from pollution that we don't much think about until they turn up in some scientific study. In a similar way, forest fires are in the news only while they are burning, but that's only part of the story. After the news cycles have moved on to other scandals, the real impact of fires starts to kick in, but those reports are most often local news only:- __________________ "Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

06-07-2022, 01:45 PM	#899 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	It's a pretty good point if we accept the parasitic nature of capitalism to be inherent to human nature and therefore unchangeable. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

05-31-2022, 04:18 PM	#898 (permalink)
Ayn Marx Music Addict Join Date: May 2022 Location: Sometimes Posts: 552	Underneath discussions such as this is the now forbidden topic, seldom raised since the 1970s, the population explosion. If by some miracle the majority of our species began behaving in an ecologically sensible way the mere presence of billions upon billions of our species imagining we can continue to increase in numbers without negative consequences is no more than a delusion. Never mind, the planet is about to take its revenge. Glad I wont be around to see it.

06-07-2022, 02:04 PM	#900 (permalink)
SGR No Ice In My Bourbon Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: /dev/null Posts: 4,327	Oooooh, Malthusianism...