Comments on: Pollution

By: Nissim Dahan (Israel/USA)

Nissim Dahan (Israel/USA) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:21:35 +0000

The Environment is quickly becoming the ideological imperative of our time, even more of a threat than ideological extremism.

The decision, some 150 years ago, to run our economies on fossil fuels, may prove to be the single greatest mistake of all times.

And yet, it is very difficult to mobilize support. There are literally trillions of investment dollars poised to fight a generalized movement toward green. Industry has invested heavily in the way things are, and is not likely to advocate on behalf change, unless everyone becomes convinced that the status quo will not hold, and will undermine the economic viability of everyone on the planet, including the moneyed interests who not seem to think that things should stay as they are.

People don’t seem to be open to massive change, especially when the threat around them grows gradually. We prefer to think that things will somehow “work out.” Al Gore put it this way: When you throw a frog into boiling water, it quickly jumps out. But if you warm the water slowly, he stays in until the water becomes deathly hot.

We’re in a fix now, in which the temperature is being turned up ever so gradually. Are we going to “jump out” and embrace the possibility of change? Or are we going to stay in, comforting ourselves that things will somehow work out?

By: Esra'a (Bahrain)

Esra'a (Bahrain) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:28:55 +0000

Are there any organizations in the mideast dedicated to enrvironmental protection?

There are some non-profits and organizations, as well as academics, who target environmental issues and talk about them.. sometimes making an effort of tackling them more publicly. But I cannot really think of a single, effective organization doing this successfully in the Arab world. Yet:

Four Arab Gulf states have pledged a total of US$750 million to a new fund for tackling climate change.

(More) I know of an organization that is emerging and I'm quite confident that we are going to see them in action soon. Check them out.

By: eric/canada

eric/canada — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 13:13:32 +0000

There is going to be more attention paid to pollution concerns due less to dire predictions such as global warming and such and more to do with clean water sources. Air pollution is a serious problem, to be sure, but nothing (environmental, anyway) can devastate a population quicker than a tainted water supply. Around the world, these sources are either drying up or becoming toxic waste dumps, and more and more energy resources are being diverted to either cleaning them or manufacturing alternatives, neither of which is sustainiable long term, certainly not for an ever-increasing population.
We are already seeing food shortages and riots in the midst of what is still the apex of a petroleum driven world supply economy, and everyone is now seeming to take for granted the looming prospect of more famines in the drought ravaged sub-Saharan areas of Africa.
Consider the increasing urban/rural population gaps, the energy needed to service cities, feed, water them, and take away their crap. Consider how many of these energy sources are non-renewable. Then consider how fast virulent bacteria can move through a tightly packed, unhealthy, and pollution surrounded population, and war starts to be a lot less scary than another Horseman.

By: Madmax

Madmax — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:10:52 +0000

Are there any organizations in the mideast dedicated to enrvironmental protection? Given that there are issues that take up more media space and SEEM more pressing, I can understand why this might be a low priority issue. However, pollution is probably the most dangerous issue facing the planet because its often shoved to the side as people try to deal with other global problems. Thus, environmental damage is allowed to continue – even in countries that supposedly have environmental standards. The American Environmental Protection Agency is notorious for not doing much. In fact, they allowed BP to dump more sludge into Lake Michigan last year. Also, with China fueling its growth with fossil fuels, we could be heading for rough times in the next couple decades.

Right now pollution is local. But as the world gets filled with more junk we will begin to see environmental catastrophies that orginiate in one country spread to another one. What will that do for world peace? People have enough trouble with getting along already…

By: Esra'a (Bahrain)

Esra'a (Bahrain) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:29:30 +0000

You first!

By: Kawthar (Sudan)

Kawthar (Sudan) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:59:44 +0000

Damn, where are all those environmental activists when you need them?

Voluntary human extinction is the way to go!

By: Esra'a (Bahrain)

Esra'a (Bahrain) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:21:41 +0000

Okay, this makes sense. Apparently this was due to a huge blaze that hit a motor company yesterday.

According to GDN:

A massive blaze lit up the Bahrain sky last night as it destroyed a car parts warehouse at Sehla. Two firemen were taken to hospital with smoke inhalation as the blaze swept through the building, which is part of the National Motors Company.