because the world needs more lime green.

3.06.2005

Leopards and Farmers and Scotland, oh my!

In Sri Lanka, leopards have moved into the foothills of the Knuckles Range, possibly due to loss of habitat in other areas. The article calls it a blessing because the animals may scare off illicit loggers and poachers, but fails to express concern for the ecosystem or loss of habitat. Interesting view, eh? I'm sure we've all noticed other instances where the media has put a positive spin on a negative event.





A recent study suggests that human farming practices "saved" the world from an Ice Age 8,000 years ago. The use of saved is inappropriate in this situation as it implies an ice age to be a bad thing instead of a natural occurrence that allows certain species to prosper. But moving on.

"The theory, based on studies of carbon dioxide and methane samples taken from Antarctic ice cores, is highly controversial - a point acknowledged by Ruddiman. 'Global warming sceptics could cite my work as evidence that human-generated greenhouse gases played a beneficial role for several thousand years by keeping the Earth's climate more hospitable than it would otherwise have been,' he states in the current issue of Scientific American."

'However, others might counter that, if so few humans with relatively primitive technologies were able to alter the course of climate so significantly, then we have reason to be concerned about the current rise of greenhouse gases to unparalleled concentrations at unprecedented rates.' "




And finally, The European Commission is forcing Scotland to stop giving grants to encourage reduced emissions because the initiatives break aid rules. We've seen similar acts from NAFTA, so I suppose this shouldn't be a surprise...


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