From: pmh2962@tamsun.tamu.edu (Pat Hayes)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Re: CFC's and the ozone layer
Date: 12 Jan 1993 21:53:51 -0600
Organization: Meteorology, TAMU, CS, TX
Distribution: tx
NNTP-Posting-Host: tamsun.tamu.edu

Alan McKendree writes:
>Bill Carter) writes:
>>   The evidence must be fairly convincing, because the U.S. is halting
>>   all CFC production in 1995.
>
>unjustified.  This halt is more a result of hysterical
>environmentalist lobbying groups selling the Congress on the idea that
>"something must be done" (and incidentally giving them more to do to
>justify their continued existence), using fudged or suspect data, than
>the result of clear and accepted fact.
>
>Read _Trashing the Planet_ by Dixie Lee Ray for more info on this and
>numerous other environmental topics.  If I remember correctly, her

... there's an excellent reference. What are her qualifications
    for expounding on atmospheric dynamics and chemistry?
>
>It also contains the story of another stupid ban created by the
>Congress, this time on DDT, largely as a result of the (in)famous book
>_Silent Spring_.  Ray observes that as a result of this ban, diseases
>environmentalists' motive in this action, it was certainly _not_ the
>improvement of the human condition.
>Not only that, but DDT is a relatively harmless chemical; I have
>personally spoken with people who used to blow it in each others'
>faces as a joke (back when it was legal).

...I thought the evidence on DDT-thinning of bird eggshells was
   sort of conclusive?  Not to mention some (most?) strains of
   nasty critters had evolved to be immune to DDT.
>
>So just remember when A) you are faced with a mandatory (albeit
>completely needless) airconditioner or refrigerator repair bill in the
>hundreds of dollars (mechanics are now _required by law_ to repair
>these leaks before adding more Freon) and B) people start getting
>injured and/or killed (again, needlessly) by the flammable and toxic
>coolants which were rejected by the marketplace years ago in favor of
>non-flammable, non-toxic Freon, that you have the Congress and
>environmentalist extremists to thank.

   Whew!  Pretty twisted logic here.  Lemme see if I follow you.
   You think we're gonna dump our freon and return to stuff we
   used twenty-odd years ago? Bzzzt! There are a couple safe
   substitutes already on the market; I used some this summer
   to recharge my car's a/c.  It seemed a tad more expensive
   but what isn't these days ('cept spew on the net). I don't
   recall reading anything on the label (??!!) from the
   Surgeon General about flaming toxicity. There was a notice
   about not injecting it under my breasts, but ...
 
   Sounds like you're suggesting the DDT ban was a big conspiracy?
   Excuse me, but, ack! Get a grip, dude. At worst it was an honest
   scientific overestimate of danger in the face of some pretty
   convincing data.  At best, it brought some birds back from the
   brink of endangerment/extinction.

   And don't try to compare the DDT ban (science/politics ala 60's)
   with the CFC ban (the 90's).  No comparison in any way; if you
   have a wit of intelligence and are willing to look at the facts.

>Alan McKendree          Opinions posted by me are mine, only.
                         Unfortunately, NOT.


-- 
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Pat Hayes, Meteorology, Texas A&M University...<whoop!>...phayes@tamu.edu 
O&M 1008, TAMU, CS, TX 77843-3150....days:(409)845-1680 fax:(409)862-4466