Happy Earth Day

Fidel

I came across this and thought I should share a few quotes from various sources from the very first Earth Day in 1970:

Earth Day Predictions, 1970

"We have about five more years at the outside to do something."
- Kenneth Watt, ecologist

"Civilization will end within 15 or 30 years unless immediate action is taken against problems facing mankind."
- George Wald, Harvard Biologist

"We are in an environmental crisis which threatens the survival of this nation, and of the world as a suitable place of human habitation."
- Barry Commoner, Washington University biologist

"Man must stop pollution and conserve his resources, not merely to enhance existence but to save the race from intolerable deterioration and possible extinction."
-New York Times editorial, the day after the first Earth Day

"Population will inevitably and completely outstrip whatever small increases in food supplies we make. The death rate will increase until at least 100-200 million people per year will be starving to death during the next ten years."
- Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University biologist

"By...[1975] some experts feel that food shortages will have escalated the present level of world hunger and starvation into famines of unbelievable proportions. Other experts, more optimistic, think the ultimate food-population collision will not occur until the decade of the 1980s."
- Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University biologist

"It is already too late to avoid mass starvation."
- Denis Hayes, chief organizer for Earth Day

"Demographers agree almost unanimously on the following grim timetable: by 1975 widespread famines will begin in India; these will spread by 1990 to include all of India, Pakistan, China and the Near East, Africa. By the year 2000, or conceivably sooner, South and Central America will exist under famine conditions....By the year 2000, thirty years from now, the entire world, with the exception of Western Europe, North America, and Australia, will be in famine."
- Peter Gunter, professor, North Texas State University

"Scientists have solid experimental and theoretical evidence to support...the following predictions: In a decade, urban dwellers will have to wear gas masks to survive air pollution...by 1985 air pollution will have reduced the amount of sunlight reaching earth by one half...."
- Life Magazine, January 1970

"At the present rate of nitrogen buildup, it's only a matter of time before light will be filtered out of the atmosphere and none of our land will be usable."
- Kenneth Watt, Ecologist

"Air pollution...is certainly going to take hundreds of thousands of lives in the next few years alone."
- Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University biologist

"We are prospecting for the very last of our resources and using up the nonrenewable things many times faster than we are finding new ones."
- Martin Litton, Sierra Club director

"By the year 2000, if present trends continue, we will be using up crude oil at such a rate...that there won't be any more crude oil. You'll drive up to the pump and say, `Fill 'er up, buddy,' and he'll say, `I am very sorry, there isn't any.'"
- Kenneth Watt, Ecologist

"Dr. S. Dillon Ripley, secretary of the Smithsonian Institute, believes that in 25 years, somewhere between 75 and 80 percent of all the species of living animals will be extinct."
- Sen. Gaylord Nelson

"The world has been chilling sharply for about twenty years. If present trends continue, the world will be about four degrees colder for the global mean temperature in 1990, but eleven degrees colder in the year 2000. This is about twice what it would take to put us into an ice age."
- Kenneth Watt, Ecologist


Sound like any of the current alarmist stuff we are currently hearing about global warming?

Misippi Egger

Thanks, Rod for posting this! :laugh:

It's always fun to read in hindsight the "solid scientific evidence" predictions from all the experts - things that were never even close to being reality ! :woohoo:

Gator Bait

 
HAHAHAHAHA . . . and I suppose you didn't believe any of the warnings about DDT back in 1970 either? :laugh:

Yes, there are alarmist out there but there are also a lot of intelligent people that understand the consequences. Global warming may not follow your or my model but to throw it out with the bath water makes no sense at all. We have averted environmental catastrophes in our lifetime by paying attention and if Earth day helps even a tiny little bit I'm all for it. Earth day is about education, some have it and some . . . well, just my 2¢ worth.

Happy Earth day to you also,

Gator

 
 

Fidel

I was an infant in 1970 so I really don't remember much about DDT warnings. And thanks for the red herring, don't know what I could have done without it.

I just find it amusing that the same people that can't predict with any reasonable amount of certainty whether or not it will rain tomorrow are treated as omniscient concerning dire consequences of future events we cannot possibly predict or understand.

Gator Bait

 
DDT wasn't a warning it was a fact. Indiscriminate use of it as an insecticide had contaminated the food chain. Birds such as the Bald Eagles, Brown Pelicans and Terns were almost destroyed. The DDT in their food source of fish and minnows was preventing them from laying eggs with shells or shells to thin and weak to be of any good. The use of DDT was banned in this country and the birds are still recovering.
DDT was a wake up call that if ignored could have had "dire consequences of future events we cannot possibly predict or understand" to use your words.

There are alarmist on both sides of the fence and it is only through research and education that they can meet in the middle on common ground. I wouldn't waste my time on mistakes made in the past but look for the truth in the present. Am I up to 4¢ yet, I'm on a tight budget.

Have a great day, what ever day it is,

Gator

 

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

Fidel wrote:

I just find it amusing that the same people that can't predict with any reasonable amount of certainty whether or not it will rain tomorrow are treated as omniscient concerning dire consequences of future events we cannot possibly predict or understand.

True enough.

But I don't think you mean to imply that their 'predictions' being wrong are proof that we should just continue along the same course. "Same course" being some massively undefinable concept, unfortunately.

just one example, is the massive pile of plastic in the pacific ocean. Is there really no concern for that? Is it a non-issue? I don't think it's going to kill every damn fish in the ocean like some folks assert, but does anyone really say "ah, fine with me, keep it coming."?

Maybe it's just the annoying centrist in me that just can't help but think for every nut that is raving about how windmills are the only possible solution, there's a nut screaming 'drill, baby, drill'. And for every scientist with an agenda, there's a scientist with, well, the opposite agenda.

I agree that scientists are human, may have agendas, and are fallible. And it goes without saying, even though I'll say it, that if a highly educated and trained scientist, studying and researching for years, can be incorrect, then a talk-show host, reading headlines and ranting into a microphone to the converted, can be just as wrong.

That may be a cheap one aimed at extremely conservative 'personalities' that are just as obvious targets as the liberal extremists. So i'll try to equate oranges and oranges: I often hear the argument that scientists are wrong about global warming, because scientists have agendas, fabricate evidence to suit their hypotheses, etc. Maybe so. But invariably, someone decrying 'global warming' will trot out scientific evidence in support of their own position. Isn't that a contradiction?

I dunno. I don't have the answer, and I know you aren't saying you do.

With all the foolishness from t---- and his devisive posts a few weeks ago (on the OT forum, re: his eco-flag waving and mocking/berating) , i'm disappointed to see another thread that will likely start the same arguments all over again.

BENTE

thanks that was amusing

fishlessman

maybe it did happen

Jeffersonian

And now that DDT has been under a de facto ban for decades, millions have died from the malaria that used to be virtually eradicated. But heck, they're just dusky heathen, not lofty creatures like birds.

Jeffersonian

Oh, and Fidel, I thought you might like this Mark Steyn column entitled, "Apocalypse Soon"

Little Steven

Brad,

Go figure, you are saying there is more than one way to look at an issue?

Steve

Jeffersonian

No! All must see things my way!! :laugh:

Fidel

I'll read it as long as you promise me it isn't about thermometers.

Gator Bait

 
"dusky heathen"??? WOW - Your words not mine. DDT was banned in this country and is still in use in other counties. I have not been aware of millions of Americans dieing of malaria. As a matter of fact the CDC is not aware of anybody dieing of malaria anywhere in the U.S. Here is the CDC Malaria Map Application. When you have launched the application please click on the United States and report back to us how many deaths the CDC has on record for this country. My post earlier says "The use of DDT was banned in this country and the birds are still recovering." maybe you should reread them . . . :laugh:

Have a great day,

Gator

 

Jeffersonian

Not a word about thermometers or calibration in it. You're safe :P

Jeffersonian

I'm not talking about malaria in the US, where we had access to the much more expensive alternatives to DDT, but in places like Africa, Sri Lanka and Venezuela, where they did not and, as a result, had tens of millions more cases of malarial parasite infection. It still kills over 2 million people a year, unnecessarily, where developing nations followed the West's lead in banning DDT. A high price for (maybe) thickening a few birds' egg shells.

My use of "dusky heathen" was, of course, ironic. If there were 2 million Americans, Canadians and Brits keeling over per year for want of the use of a cheap, effective insecticide, you can bet we'd be seasoning our barbecue with DDT. But, since it's just Africans, Sri Lankans, etc...

Gator Bait

I know you are not speaking of malaria in the U.S. but if you would read what I posted I was speaking of DDT in the U.S., no where else. As for "thickening a few birds' egg shells" we are talking near extinction of more then one species, one of which is our national symbol. Now wouldn't that look dandy if we poisoned the Bald Eagle to extinction. Your opinion is welcome but please don't flame me for what I have not posted.

The World Health Organization has posted its position on the subject of the use of DDT in malaria control, it is a good read, I hope you take the time, I did.

Global Malaria Programme
The use of DDT in malaria vector control
WHO position statement


Gator

 

Gator Bait

 
LOL, It's the same 'ol song and dance Tweev. :laugh:

Gator

 

Gator Bait

 
Hahahahaha, Yup, works for me. :laugh:

Gator

 

Jeffersonian

Unfortunately, you can't ignore the pernicious effects of what has been done while patting yourself on the back about the benefits. Hundreds of millions have suffered from the banning of DDT and many millions more have died. Personally, if it comes down to a choice between people and birds, I know which way I'll jump every time: No blood for birdies, baby.

Crimsongator

apples sprayed with alar, they tasted so much better. These are the same people who would run us into a ditch for using charcoal.

Kokeman

For Earth day I fired up both eggs. (only cooked on one :evil: ) Had to do my part to prevent the next ice age.