[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Surprise! The US is one of the ten best nations in
the world at balancing economic growth and the
environment.
from: www.unfoundation.org
RATINGS: New Index Ranks Countries On Environmental
Performance
Snip
This is obviously a very biased judging system... Sure, domestically, the US
has been quite good about controlling emissions, reducing polution, etc., but
what about what US companies do in foriegn countries excusively for shipment
to the US? What about the damage done by raising cattle in foriegn countries
that is specifically for export to the US? What about the environmental
damage done by the oil producing countries we buy our oil from?
If you account for all of those, I am sure that we would not be in the top
10, and we may even fall among the ranks of the 10 worst.
As for comments by others that a desert, arctic tundra, and the ocean floor
not being worth protecting... Those areas need the *most* protecting. The
desert and tundra, by far have the most fragile ecosystems, and if it weren't
for the ecosystems there, there would be no life there at all, and no means
to support human life in such areas. As for the ocean, that area is the most
critical... the single celled photosynthetic organisms that run rich through
the ocean are the planet's life support system, producing vast amounts of
oxygen, and the ocean holds a great deal of biodiversity, which needs to be
preserved. Additionally the ocean is the area that is typically hit hardest
by human polution, because all polutants dumped into rivers end up there, all
the pesticides are washed out by rain into rivers and end up in the ocean,
and waste is dumped into the ocean thinking it doesn't do any damage... it
does lots! ! ! of damage.
Never take anything for granted, because when it's gone, you may find out how
truly important it really is, then it will be too late to get it back.
Michael Harney
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
