Pollution, polution, pollution!!

[gavroche]

I am really getting fed up with hearing that word everywhere in all medias. Everything we do or use seem to create pollution. Yesterday, on the French radio, they were complaining about people using wood burning stoves as they create pollution, releasing small particles of whatever in the air. On Countryfile last sunday on BBC1, they were complaining about cows farting and releasing tons of CO2 , polluting the air and advising people to eat less meat. Human beings release co2 every time we breathe out so should we stop breathing too? Enough!! How did the human race manage to survive for thousand of years before that dreaded word " pollution" became so fashionable, I wonder.
Us , cyclists are probably polluting the air more than other humans then when we breathe hard going up a hill so should we be banned from cycling then?

 

[winjim]

Yes, everything we do or use creates pollution. This is true.

 

[Beebo]

Human beings release co2 every time we breathe out so should we stop breathing too? Enough!! How did the human race manage to survive for thousand of years before that dreaded word " pollution" became so fashionable,

It’s all about being carbon neutral.
Before the industrial revolution humans were on the whole carbon neutral.

 

[PeteXXX]

But cows still farted...

 

[Levo-Lon]

The problem with the earth is US, once we realise that we need to go, all the problems of the world will heal.

Simple

 

[ColinJ]

But cows still farted...

Apparently, because of their strange digestive system, burping is a much bigger problem!

As for general pollution... I walked down to the local Lidl yesterday along the A646 in the evening rush hour. The air quality was horrible! Every breath made my throat sore and my chest tighten.

This is a small town with just 3 main roads. I dread to think what city air quality is like.

The reason that there is so much fuss about pollution is because it is a huge problem which kills tens of thousands every year and is getting worse!

 

[Beebo]

But cows still farted...

Probably not on an industrial factory farmed basis. Whilst being fed GM enhanced grain from Brazil, grown in a field reclaimed from the rain forest.

 

[fossyant]

I walked down to the local Lidl yesterday

Thank your lucky stars you didn't go to Aldi, or you might have been in a fight for Kevin the carrot.

 

[newfhouse]

On Countryfile last sunday on BBC1, they were complaining about cows farting and releasing tons of CO2 , polluting the air and advising people to eat less meat.

The problem with direct bovine emissions is more about methane than carbon dioxide. The CO2 problem is about the supply chain and deforestation for grazing in other parts of the world. Less unsustainable meat, less damage to the planet.

 

[gavroche]

I think most of today's problems with pollution were created in the last century when coal was king ,the internal combustion engine was not regulated , radiation was released in the atmosphere starting in WW2 and all the nuclear tests afterwards, and extensive use of chemicals in WW1 and Vietnam . Nowadays, the problem is more with big international companies not wanting to lose revenues from lucrative polluting sources like oil and deforestation to name just those two. I also blame junk food outlets for the increase in human health problems. The list could go on but I will stop here.

 

[Dave7]

Now I have a theory. No evidence to back it up so helpful comments welcome.
1. Farmers should attach a HUGE plastic bag to the ar*e end of every cow.
2. Each night the contents of these bags are transferred to tankers.
3. All these tankers are emptied to a national system and used to fuel air baloons.
4. All airplanes are scrapped and everyone has to use these air baloons. They are limited to 15 Kg luggage for longhaul holiday flights to ensure it all works.

Now, there may be the odd flaw here but I think all will agree the idea is brilliant

 

[mudsticks]

Cows produce methane, not CO2.

Well managed grazed pasture can draw down (sequester) CO2

Herbivores are not the problem, per se methane isn't such an aggressive CCG.

How we manage land, and our animals can be a problem.
But they can happily, also be part of the solution.

And seabed silt management too, as I discovered this morning

It's complicated, I've spent most of today mulling over all this with a bunch of 'experts'

In nature there is no waste, there is no pollution, its all cycles of life death, and recycling, of all the elements.

It's just man that has a tendency to put the wrong stuff in the wrong place.

Too much Nitrogen in the water.

Too much CO 2, and NO in the atmos.

Too much plastic everywhere.
Synthetic chemicals, and poisons same.

We don't have to live like this.
It's a choice we've made, in part for convenience, but it's also had some horrible effects.

The good news is that there are many solutions to all this already, and plenty others in the pipeline.

Whether we get onboard with them, quickly enough, remains to be seen.

Mustn't give up hope just yet tho

 

[winjim]

Now I have a theory. No evidence to back it up so helpful comments welcome.
1. Farmers should attach a HUGE plastic bag to the ar*e end of every cow.
2. Each night the contents of these bags are transferred to tankers.
3. All these tankers are emptied to a national system and used to fuel air baloons.
4. All airplanes are scrapped and everyone has to use these air baloons. They are limited to 15 Kg luggage for longhaul holiday flights to ensure it all works.

Now, there may be the odd flaw here but I think all will agree the idea is brilliant

https://phys.org/news/2008-07-cow-backpacks-methane-gas.html

 

[BoldonLad]

Now I have a theory. No evidence to back it up so helpful comments welcome.
1. Farmers should attach a HUGE plastic bag to the ar*e end of every cow.
2. Each night the contents of these bags are transferred to tankers.
3. All these tankers are emptied to a national system and used to fuel air baloons.
4. All airplanes are scrapped and everyone has to use these air baloons. They are limited to 15 Kg luggage for longhaul holiday flights to ensure it all works.

Now, there may be the odd flaw here but I think all will agree the idea is brilliant

Fantastic idea.

A small detail, is methane lighter than air (thus enabling balloon to rise)?

 

[Dave7]

Fantastic idea.

A small detail, is methane lighter than air (thus enabling balloon to rise)?

I can see my $M idea earning me less and less
Edit......they can use it as they do with all hot air baloons. Just set it alight, hot air into baloon and its up, up and away