Environmental Protection

[Syn7]

I've been posting stories like this in random threads where they kind of apply. We see them a lot in the China threads, but I figured I would just make a thread and put them all in here. We can argue about global warming, corporate manipulation etc etc and the "Living in a material world" thread can go back to being more about science than politics. In this one we can cover the crossover. Bring the science and then bash it over the heads of the scientifically illiterate who choose to include political rhetoric in their arguments.

Anywhooo...


http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/...A0902T20140111

Why isn't this a bigger story?

And also... "Freedom Industries"... WTF?

[Kellen Bassette]

If any big coverage does come, it probably will be from outside West Virginia. There's way too much support for coal, mountain-top removal and fracking in W.V. for them to be making much of a stink over poisoned drinking water.

[SoCo KungFu]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/0...n_4648010.html

[GoldenBrain]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/0...n_4648010.html

***Sad face***

This is just terrible!

[GoldenBrain]

I'm not sure how valid this is because I'm not familiar with the source, and I couldn't find it in the mainstream news. Anybody up there in North Dakota know what's really going on?


http://www.www.alternet.org/radioact...d-north-dakota

After oil companies and state executives in North Dakota hid the news from the public that nearly 300 oil spills occured between 2011 and 2013, radioactive toxic sludge is brimming back up to the surface, bubbling forth from the ground and mixing with fresh water across the state.

[Syn7]

I don't have a source to quote, but I think I heard that some of the chemical(s) was found upstream in, I believe, Ohio.

[Raipizo]

I don't have a source to quote, but I think I heard that some of the chemical(s) was found upstream in, I believe, Ohio.

Might be the power plant leaking that you're thinking of.

[Syn7]

Not sure. I just heard it in passing. Something about the same chemical found upstream. It piqued my interest, but I never looked into it. I'll look around to see if I can find anything about it when I get a chance. But like I said, it could just be bullshit. If true, I would be interested more in the how than the what, knowhutimsayin?

[SoCo KungFu]

Ohio is all sorts of screwed right now. We have river contamination from the crap in WV that's reached at least Cincinnati. And yes, the nuclear plant had been leaking.

http://www.cleveland.com/open/index....lant_is_l.html

[Syn7]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/02/0...rinking-water/

I guess it was only a matter of time before Duke came up.

[SoCo KungFu]

http://www.motherjones.com/environme...mental-impacts

Pot heads are becoming as annoying to me as climate denialists and anti-vaxxers. Actually, a lot of anti-medicine, anti-pharm nutbags in general are raging burnouts that neither know the first thing about environmentalism nor medicine...

This article hits on trespass growing. But really, indoor grows are also very destructive in terms of energy demand to keep the conditions right for grows. MJ is just another product that selfish idiots will devour to the detriment of everyone else, ecologically.

[Syn7]

My dad grows a handful of plants along side the tomatoes every year. The yield pretty much lasts us the whole year. Doesn't really take up much energy or space. All the water is collected rainwater. Sun is free energy and the soil is maintained organically with compost waste. Do I get a pass?

[Syn7]

Anyways, that's what happens when you force an industry into the hands of criminals, deadbeats and overall selfish douchebags. There are similar issues with moonshiners. The big difference being scale. Legalize it, regulate it and move on. It will be no more or less destructive than any other crop that is managed properly.

Also, if you want to get down to it, the amount of energy used and pollution resulting from importing non native fruits and veggies is quite large.

But I agree, it's sad that assholes do what they do to what belongs to all of us. I spend a lot of time in the bush(well, not lately) and it pisses me right off when I see the mess people leave behind. So unnecessary.

[SoCo KungFu]

Its not just about criminals. Indoor grows are quite environmentally costly as they are finding out in Colorado. Commercial growing requires a high energy input for indoor grows through artificial light and climate control. Further, its year round. Its incorrect to simply pass this off as a result of prohibition. Greenhouses are better, outdoor cultivation is best.

Also, if you want to get down to it, the amount of energy used and pollution resulting from importing non native fruits and veggies is quite large.

Tu quoque. Further, both practices should be mitigated. But pointing the finger at big ag doesn't dismiss the fault of industrial pot growers. And while we're at it, Cannabis is a non-native plant in the new world.

But what chaps me the most is that there is a large proportion of these people that are as illiterate as any other group of extremists that simply refuse to acknowledge hard evidence to these facts, and simply pass off more conspiracy theories on the gov't and academics suppressing their "miracle plant."

Do I get a pass?

I'm ranting primarily about large scale plots with intent to distribute. Particularly trespass grows and indoor grows. Trespass grows for obvious reasons. Indoor grows have huge carbon footprints. You can produce 18 pints of beer for roughly the same energy cost of one joint. Given the growing energy demands and emission issues, I think its pretty irresponsible to allow such for a largely recreational plant.

[Syn7]

Yeah, to be honest I feel that way about a lot of things. Things we do that really serves no purpose. I have no problem with responsible use of intoxicants among adults, but I also don't separate them from the larger issues regarding sustainability. It's on my mind a lot lately. Walking down the food aisle, gas station etc etc. I think about the true price we pay for a lot of the things I love. I can't tell you exactly what kind of damage is caused by manufacturing, for example, transistors, but it can't be good. In a lot of ways I'm torn between wanting to regress and wanting to progress faster and more efficiently. Realistically, I know the latter is the only option that has a chance. People aren't going to change fast enough, we just need to make it easier for them to transition. In that respect, I love what I do. I honestly believe that while many professions keep this whole thing of ours from crashing into the ground, it's the scientists and the engineers that truly will make the difference here.


While I can't, and won't, ignore my own contributions to the state of this planet, I have put a ton of effort into reducing what I leave behind. I live in a kinda 4-plex type place and I see the amount of trash produced by those around me and I feel like so many just aren't even trying. Each tosses more trash in a week than I do in two months(not counting compost, I probably outpace them all in that one). Still, I feel like I don't do enough and it bothers me that most people don't even really care unless there is a direct sudden consequence for them personally. Too many distractions for people. Too much choice IMO. It's just not a good look or an easy fix.

And I'm sure you know, but I wasn't calling you a hypocrite specifically. I think we are all hypocrites. And I make no excuses for douchebags who spike power lines to sell drugs or make a mess in the bush. But I do think that you could lump any crop that isn't essential into the same category. If you produce and ship outdoor weed on a large scale, it's not that different from something like mangos or whatever. We consume a ton of stuff we don't need. I haven't looked into it, but I am willing to bet that only a small minority of the eneregy used to get these products to our homes is from the actual growing.