More Evidence of Global Warming—But Does It Matter?
Going “clamming” on the beaches of the Northeastern U.S. means hunting for the little guys pictured here, the quahog. But did you know that you could be making chowder out of something that had been alive for more than 500 years?
According to this article in ECO Magazine, examining the isotopes of oxygen at various levels within the clams’ shells is akin to examining the rings of a tree, i.e., one can determine the growing conditions, including temperature, that was associated with each successive year. That means, for the first time, we have additional evidence of the warming and changes in salinity of the Earth’s oceans (or at least the North Atlantic) that has taken place since pre-industrial times.
But the reader might yawn: Don’t we already have plenty of evidence to this effect?
Well, it depends on how one defines “plenty.” Needless to say, climate denial is alive and well, albeit almost exclusively in the U.S. And now, the incoming administration in the federal government is showing that it will exacerbate the problem by gutting or completely eliminating the federal agencies that previously studied global warming and its causes.
Of course, you could object further that climate denial is not based on evidence at all, but rather on an economic/political commitment to the fossil fuel industry, i.e., that no amount of evidence will squelch climate denial—and you’d be correct.
Craig,
Over fishing of the oceans resources by humans is a real problem.
Being basically land animals, humans don’t really appreciate the very different environment of the ocean. We tend to thing of the ocean in terms of land agriculture, where area’s a can be isolated and adapted for human usages, without too much damage and other areas. (Farmland can co-exist with national parks and reserves).
The ocean is different, it’s just one biosphere. Every event impact on the biosphere as a whole. The world’s oceans seem exceedingly resilient, because of the vastness of the ocean and most of the devastation seems on a small scale, but unlike the land surface, damage by humans is far more difficult for humans to repair or rehabilitate.
It’s very despairing to witness all the passion and energy spent on the dubious fight against oil pipelines, while very little effort is spent on the far more important issue of preserving the planets oceanic environment.
@ Craig and Marco
You both seem sensitive to the growing challenges in these areas.
The negative impacts of industrial level over fishing coupled with the discharge of wastes from A to Z at high levels into the Oceans is becoming increasingly visible. More efforts to clean things up or mitigate the oceans can be added to the growing List of Action items requiring more attention.
Most would agree with these concepts. But as Craig noted we are entering into a political leadership ERA that is focused on making economic growth the end all and be all of its purpose and funding for real programs to reduce the negative consequences of industrial activity will be reduced if it is perceived to get in the way of some sort of vested interests plans to grow more wealth!
So as the evidence mounts of the damage we are doing the incentives and will to take corrective measures seems to be lacking among-st the political new leadership class. Denial is definitely linked to the pursuit of greater profits regardless of the societal and environmental costs in-spite of overwhelming scientific evidence of a serious deficit growing.
The Oceans provide us with great benefits and their healing will require more resources the longer we ignore them.
Mate Marco on one level I can understand your statement of lets say frustration with protests over pipelines when we are not paying greater attention to the oceans the source of much life’s blessings…
I will state that most pipelines provide a safe and economical manner of transport for the fuels society depends on but the following information and facts provide a small example of insight as to Why there is such Blowback to them now…..
In N D where you seem to align with the locals in their desire to build their big pipeline there have been two large oil spills from ruptured pipelines. They dont get the media attention they warrant but info on them has long since gone Viral on the internet and this tilts public opinion and feeds the activists passion for resistance to the Wealth Machine!
In 2013 the TESORO Pipeline spilled over 840,000 gallons of oil in NW N Dakota . Only a third of the oil spill has been mitigated as of this writing!!! The ineffectiveness of the State agencies in charge of such issues speaks volumes of and for the Cavalier attitudes that seem to Prevail up there. Morton city may be nice on the surface but her neighbors are indifferent to their surroundings!
Concerned state scientists fear the rest will just seep into the ground due to money influenced political paralysis.
This spill is the largest onshore oil spill in the US and it goes under reported and under mitigated ?? 150 miles South of the large Tioga ND large oil spill, a second rupture near Belfield ND leaked over 176,000 gallons of oil into a creek that feeds into the Little Missouri River on its way to the waters of the Great and Grand Missouri River. This spill is more recent but goes under reported and regulatory action seems to be in low response mode?
Tioga ND is where the first Oil was discovered in 1951 and placed ND on the map of oil producers though the level of production remained small until the Shale extraction technology hit the scene in early 2000’s.
Then of course there is the large TAR Sands Oil ( from the Eastern Clipper pipeline that spurs off from Canada into Michigan) 5 or 6 yr old rupture in Michigan where toxic oils spilled into the Kalamazoo River in Mich and it has taken over $225 to $250 million in cleanup costs from the Feds and State to repair the river and its Eco system. large fish kill. Again marginal media coverage of these events; perhaps lest the public grow more skeptical on the continuing path of over Industrialization that is leaving in its Wake scores of Industrial Sacrifice Zones in the Western states so that we can continue to fuel the ever hungry consumption and production cycles that entrap us into unhealthy patterns of behavior or mis behavior. Pick your Fancy!
So Marco perhaps these examples give reason as to why there is such a strong and growing movement a backlash to more pipeline development. Blowback is inevitable when the Big projects continue to have these types of failures. I submit to you to reflect on these incidents and then perhaps one can understand to a degree why the Blowback exists and Why it is Growing even if some of it may appear to be excessive.
Things to Reflect on and we don’t even have to go to the Vast Ocean off shore as is in our backyards here.
The ND State examiners lay blame for these Black Swan events on a high level of Lightening strikes in the Great Prairies as the cause of these pipeline ruptures? The Kalamazoo one I don’t have info other than tar sand oil is highly corrosive due to the processing chemicals used and this accelerates failure in steel and valves etc.
The Blowback grows when one sees how the public sector usually has to pick up the cost of cleaning up after these accidents yet the profits accrue greatly to the owners of these projects .
These examples are just the Tip of the Iceberg – all part of a Bigger Message that perhaps its Really just Nature’s Way of Telling us Something is Wrong….
Perhaps this Illuminates to a degree perhaps why there is resistance to certain pipelines? Its all interconnected now , both On Shore just like you said so well & Off Shore!
Silent,
I’m sorry to break this to you, no sentient being called “nature or Mother Earth exists to tell you anything is right or wrong !
Oil pipelines are not perfect, but they are the most economical and environmentally safe method of transporting oil.
Pretending that modern industrialized societies can operate without oil, is an irresponsible fantasy.
I’m aware that airplanes crash on occasion, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to trust Qantas to fly me home safely later this month. (actually, Qantas has never crashed since 1920! ).
I think the real reason pipelines are the target of demonstrators, is political symbolism. These large installations are easy to protest and focus and attract greater media attention.
Tesoro Logistics a division of Tesoro Corporation, operates over 2,950 miles of transmission pipelines in 8 U.S. states (Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming).
Tesoro transports approximately 38 million gallons of oil per day or 14,000,000,000 gallons per year, or even more staggeringly, 140,000,000,000 gallons over the last 10 years.
Like all industries, Tesoro’s pipeline technology has been rapidly improving and losses through leaks and spills dramatically reducing. Tesoro’s losses amount to less than .00001% of oil transported.
You are also miss-informed about the cost of cleaning up leaks.
Tesoro is responsible for all the costs incurred, in addition to rehabilitation and future problems that might arise over the next 30 year period ! (estimated at possibly $160 million), Tesoro has already placed that sum in a fund to be used at the discretion of State and Federal authorities. This is in addition to the cost of clean up and land rehabilitation.
On shore oil pipeline clean ups are time consuming and expensive, but fortunately quite easily contained and leave no serious lasting effects. (they look more dramatic than they really are).
In contrast rail transport of oil is far more dangerous and vastly more polluting.
Focusing on fighting oil pipelines will further politicize and polarize the environmental movement. It’s an issue to rally radical environmentalists, leftists etc. It will become associated with radicals disrupting economic prosperity, and alienate the vast majority of voters.
What it won’t do, is create support for real environmental progress, in fact it will further alienate Joe Public.
Industrial societies will always create pollution problems. The challenge for any society is to develop technology to minimize and mitigate the downsides, without disrupting the benefits.
The difference between land and the ocean seems to be we can more easily identify and relate to land pollution. Oceanic pollution is more difficult and less understood.
@ Marco
No where did I say that pipelines are all bad. I actually said they are the most cost efficient method of transporting fuels for society etc.
Perhaps you don’t like it that I presented strong evidence of why there is opposition to some of these projects now. But it is Reality.
Closer to my home lands Energy Partners is now in court in Texas over numerous violations in 2 separate new pipeline developments so there is No Free Lunch as they say…
The figures you presented are impressive and they Tesoro and others need to pony up and pay their costs for damages. Period.
Glad they are meeting some of their responsibilities its their Public Relations campaign not mine , its their revenue streams they need to protect so let them be . But to dismiss public opposition to these projects as just radicals having their day is simplistic, authoritarian and not the rules of a democracy. Business must be held accountable and despite what ever Flavor is currently in power
there is a large segment of the US population that is organized to push back on excessive energy development.
That is what we fought the Revolutionary War for – some Freedom of Choices and the legal options to restrict power from the landed gentry class. In these days it is Corporate Power so dont be surprised if the Blowback continues if the public perceives a Cavalier attitude by those in Power to under regulate these projects, etc.
It is part of the territory now. Part of the growing Awareness that pollution is on the Rise and there is a need for curtailing it both On shore and Off shore.
That is the point of Craigs post.
It should not be to demean environmental groups or similar because they are active in their opposition. Its called Democracy in Action . The Commons belongs to the people not the Investor Class.
Silent,
It’s quite proper (even essential) for projects such as pipelines, oil drilling, gas extraction etc to be subject to government regulation and monitoring.
Governments are the licencing authority and responsible for ensuring that corporations applying for licences have sufficient capital or insurance to comply with any foreseeable failures.
In some cases that may mean a bond or fund, in others insurance.
It’s important to remember who benefits from these projects. It’s not just the corporation, but the entire nation eg;
1) Consumers benefit from cheaper domestically produced energy. 2) Cheaper domestic energy provides domestic employment, not just in drilling, but building, maintaining, engineering, refining. Hundreds of thousands of domestic jobs are created with each pipeline, jobs that stay in America.
3) Pipeline construction and technology is an export industry. Thousands of jobs are created exporting pipeline technology and components developed in the US.
4) The flow on from major heavy industries creates thousands even millions of jobs in secondary supply industries.
5) Major engineering projects such as pipelines provide opportunities for learning trade skills for US workers, especially blue collar workers.
6) The economic activity is largely domestic increasing local tax revenues and building American comunities.
7) US balance of trade is assisted, reducing US debt and ending US dependence on imports.
8) The capital accumulated is reinvested in US projects.
9) Cheaper domestic energy makes American industry more competitive, and creates even more employment and economic growth.
10) Every American, even those living in the cities, is enriched by the economic activity generated by these industries.
Democratic process relies on permitting peaceful dissent and protest. However, it does not allow for small group of radicals to overrule the wishes of the majority. Small groups claiming to represent the “people” seldom represent anyone but themselves.
You seem to regard the “investor class” as some sort of enemy. Investors are citizens also, the vast majority of US citizens are “investors’ in one way or another. These are the people who provide the wealth of America. Without their investment, there is no US society, no employment, no prosperity.
What about their democratic rights ? These investors are the “commons”, not radical protestors.
Oh, and as a side note, you should do a little more objective investigation about the true causes of the US Revolutionary war. (one of the principal causes was the refusal by British authorities to allow the dispossession of Native Americans !).
Marco give it a rest
Everyone knows how important the fuel supply chain is to almost everything. What is with the lectures on things I alluded too twice. Do you have the capability to process concepts and expand with out use of words Marco??? I wonder sometimes.
What is it about the Revolutionary War and how it relates to pipelines and pollution on shore and off shore???
My remembered knowledge of the Indians and the British is that the British had made alliances with them and honored those to some degree. Some fought w British and some did not.
My memory tells me that the colonialists in some cases were seizing more and more land from Indians and pushing them back and other negative things to a various degree . ( I dont remember the specifics anymore have no need to) Some of this land grabbing and other abuse created some of the frictions that led to the War among many others.
In respect to the Investor class many dont care about the consequences of their investments. The old linear thinking. just want their return. They have no regard for the lives or ECO systems negatively impacted. They just want their return.
The circular economy and sustainable economy calls for us to be more accountable in our Investments etc. So to passively allow things to do harm to the environment with no recourse or penalty to the investor class will just continue to encourage non responsible investing. That is the Greater Point and it is a main position point in many Circles around the Globe now.
For decades polluters were allowed to continue to pollute because of the power of the so called almighty investing class. Their right to profit was deemed sacred and trumped all others. That thinking is going away. Not my movement just open your eyes and read it as it is global push back. And its Global Marco.
Well the new emerging World Order is abandoning this type of subsidy
increasingly we will see more controls put into place to prevent idle investing without consequence. Many corporations are joining in on this side of the argument and demanding that their Supply Chains adhere to higher standards in many areas. so change is being mainstreamed and moving away from radical approaches.
25 years ago these things would not be the trend but now they Are!
Take it up w them all those so called radical groups you despise , but dont be surprised if you discover many are not really radical as they have become the Mainstream in many societies and cultures.
Its about limiting pollution and destruction of ECO systems not favored class systems of OLD !
Silent,
From your reply it’s evident that you are very selective when it comes to information.
That’s the problem with making such enthusiastic and emphatic pronouncements. You end up like the character in the Life of Brian declaring vehemently ” What have the Romans given us ? Nothing !” . Then being forced to make revisions when his fellow committeemen start to remind him of all the Roman benefits.
Your main claim seems to be that a democratic majority, made up from the people or “commons”, oppose pipelines etc. You identify their enemy as oppression by an elite “investor class” and corporate power.
My reply illustrated this is a delusion often created by relatively small but noisy groups, while sensationalized by the media.
Because these smallish groups often attract support from a wider political grouping of leftist organizations claiming to represent “the people’, the illusion of popular support is more often than not, over estimated.
So, instead of simply dismissing your assertions, I paid you the courtesy of explaining the reasoning (or math)of why I disagree.
The 10 points were to illustrate why the average American, especially blue Collar worker does not support “Stop the pipeline Movement”, once it’s carefully explained. I also pointed out that “the investor class’ includes a vast number of ordinary Americans, although I concede that the environment may not be their first consideration, and “democratic ” process much still take into consideration their concerns.
I support the expansion of pipelines for all those reasons, but mostly because it makes environmental common sense !
The concept of “leave it in the ground” is ill-conceived and silly. That won’t happen.
Where we can agree is on the role of regulating authorities. As industries evolve it’s the duty of regulatory authorities to provide guidelines, rules and monitoring of development and procedures.
If the regulatory authorities are astute and insightful, both the corporation and the public weal can be accommodated. A strong regulatory regime can be very beneficial in promoting public confidence and investor reassurance.
I apologize if I seem a little over analytical, but I’m not fond of letting broad sweeping statements go unchallenged 🙂
Oh, by the way, a belated Happy New Year !