Subject:
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Re: Who does W. Love? BIG OIL!!!
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Tue, 20 Mar 2001 15:19:49 GMT
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Viewed:
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257 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, James Simpson writes:
> > I don't see how third-world countries, which are by definition under-
> > industrialized, can be blamed for producing more pollution than the United
> > Smokestack of America.
> Proportionately, developing nations do indeed put greater amounts of
> pollutants into the atmosphere than developed nations - chiefly because
> poorer countries either lack, or have chosen not to install, pollution
> control devices that mitigate the problem. China is a good example of this -
> it is heavily dependent on the burning of "soft" coal, which is bituminous,
> IIRC, and heavy with carbon that produces soot when burned.
That's a very good point. "Proportionately" is a tricky word in this
context because ultimately it's the net amount (and severity) of pollution,
not the relative amount that's important.
> In the U.S., really, the major contributor of green house gases is automotive
> emissions, not refineries or power plants. Most "smokestacks" have very good
> pollution regulators. You're from Pittsburgh, right? Here in Houston, the
> smoke coming out of our refinery smokestacks is white, but 40 years ago it was
> black. I'd warrant that its the same in Pittsburgh.
8^) I'm a recent import to Pittsburgh, but I've seen pictures from the
fifties taken at high noon that looked like twilight or darker! The air
here still has a distinctly industrial tinge to it, even twenty years and
more since the industry deteriorated.
> Anyway, basically, our automotive culture is contributing the lion's share of
> our poor air quality, while in third world countries it is unregulated or
> antiquated power plants that are causing the problem.
I like this more balanced assessment of the problem, rather than a
knee-jerk "it's not us, it's them" argument.
Dave!
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Who does W. Love? BIG OIL!!!
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| (...) Dave!: Proportionately, developing nations do indeed put greater amounts of pollutants into the atmosphere than developed nations - chiefly because poorer countries either lack, or have chosen not to install, pollution control devices that (...) (24 years ago, 20-Mar-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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