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POP goes the ice cube

Discussion in 'Environmental Discussion' started by hyo silver, Jul 26, 2011.

  1. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    As polar ice continues to melt, toxic chemicals known as Persistant Organic Pollutants are being released into the atmosphere. Substances like DDT, PCBs, and mercury that were frozen into the ice over many years of use are now finding their way back into the environment. So, even though we have curtailed our harmful use of many toxic chemicals, they're coming back to haunt us. A recent study, published Sunday in Nature and also reported by CBC yesterday showed that present levels of POP chemicals circulating freely are higher than the current deposition rates.
     
    #1 hyo silver, Jul 26, 2011
  2. Stev0

    Stev0 Honorary Hong Kong Cavalier

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    Well, somebody better tell those silly 'ol POPs that climate change is a hoax, and they'll get right back down into the ice.
     
    #2 Stev0, Jul 26, 2011
  3. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

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    The earth is like a fat guy, that loses a lot of weight. All those toxins that got trapped in the fat can start coming out at unpredictable times.

    Instead of Fat the earth has stored the natural and man made toxins in the ice and underground and under water. We know we sometimes get some nasty stuff when we drill or mine. But at least man controls when that comes out. Soon we will see our toxic past melted out on us. IMHO the biggest thing to fear is a quick release of natural methane that can that can greatly accelerate warming and release of other toxins. Mother nature's a Bi&*h
     
    #3 austingreen, Jul 26, 2011
  4. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    That is what i fear the most since methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2. I was reading a report in Science Daily (I know I know) regarding the release of vast amounts of methane being the final nail in the coffin during the Permian-Triassic extinction although volcanic activity over 600,000yrs played a large role as well.
     
    #4 F8L, Jul 26, 2011
  5. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    Is there a name yet for the current mass extinction? Something between the Information Age and the Indecision Age would sound about right. Maybe Human Extinction would be more accurate, though that leaves open the distinction between extinction BY humans and extinction OF humans. It may well be both, but that remains to be seen.
     
    #5 hyo silver, Jul 26, 2011
  6. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    The mercury is the one mentioned that I'd be worried about.
     
    #6 wjtracy, Jul 26, 2011
  7. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    All of the poisons are cause for concern, especially when there are so many different ones, and so much of the toxicity is being released all at once. It's probably not just mercury that tends to work its way up the food chain, becoming more concentrated as it goes.
     
    #7 hyo silver, Jul 26, 2011
  8. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    My hypothesis was mercury from coal age might be vapor form to get up there during more centuries of use. Not sure.
     
    #8 wjtracy, Jul 26, 2011
  9. Feri

    Feri Active Member

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    Sorry, a little off topic however,

    1. What many people don't realise is that the CO2 we are releasing took 243 million years to capture. During that period conditions on earth would have been hostile to human habitation. It is the capture and locking away of all that carbon which created the climatic conditions we have enjoyed during our more recent evolution.

    2. There are about 5 billion more people alive today than ever existed or died prior to the beggining of the 20th C. What are we going to do with over 6 billion bodies in the next 50 t0 80 years?
     
    #9 Feri, Jul 27, 2011
  10. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    It will happen eventually. We are way to active for it not to happen. Very few species last that long. :)
     
    #10 F8L, Jul 27, 2011
  11. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    The age of gross denialism. GOD, for short
     
    #11 SageBrush, Jul 27, 2011
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