Nexus - 0103 - New Times Magazine-pages

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CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE =~ apparent that the inundatlon of global water redistribution may Professor Pearman believes that ‘mythic’ Atlantls - dated by Plato at have on stresses in the Earth’s crust governments must make economic, what we now know was the end of the has remalned largely unexplored, as social and environmental planning last ice age - might be as real as has the effect of sallnatlon on water changes now to circumvent potential Noah’s Flood and Gilgamesh’s Del- tables. disaster. uge. 9 With two colleagues, Macquarie From Sri Lanka to Micronesla to What to Do? University professor Gilmour is pre- the Caribbean, submerged stone Each of us can use less polystyrene paring maps showing effects on the ruins strewn across the planet’s con- and plastic wrapping, CFC-propel- Australian coastline. They are also tinental shelves are invariably sited lant spraycans, grid-fed electricity, analysing the need for sea walls to above a depth of 300 feet - mute petrol and bulk freezers; industry protect roads, housing and farmlands testaments to a ‘forgotten’ prehis- Iberates more greenhouse gases near coastal wetlands which will toric trading civilization based into the atmosphere than indlvlduals extend inland as sea levels rise. around the planet’s coasts. and must be discouraged in any way Professor Pittock sald the only We have far less ice on the planet possible. way to save the coastline would be to today, but some estimates of sea level Dr Irving Mintzer, author of a US bulld massive sea walls or continu- rises over the next two generations World Resources Institute computer ally pump sand onto the beaches - an outstrip those of the CSIRO. study of global warming, says the impresslve jJob-creation project! International glaciologlsts warn greenhouse effect can be consldera- The findings of the Greenhouse that the greenhouse effect may cause bly reduced if governments take Project will be presented at a five day a rise of up to nine metres if an concerted action. He recommends a conference from November 30th, Antarctic meltdown begins, accord- tax on fossil fuels to fund solar en- organised by the Federal Science Ing to Science MinIster Barry Jones. ergy development and that we limit Department’s Commission for the “Put quite bluntly, people are CFC production. Future. golng to have to decide if they are “We have to start thinkIng how People should feel free to write a going to continue to burn fossll fuels we can organise our economy and letter to Barry Jones, Minister for and drown Melbourne and London, or our clivillzation so that we're not Science, House of Representatives, if they are going to change their producing these burnt fuels in the at- Canberra, ACT, 2600. energy use,” he said earlier this year. mosphere and that’s going to be a - Learn toswimES) - R.A. The effects that masslve shifts in hard one”, said Dr Bird. down, and the chlor a, rine they release The UN has arranged an his breaks down ozone, a naturally occur- toric pact in Montreal, ratified ting unstable form of oxygen. by twenty-four countries, to cut Ozone stops 90% of ultraviolet ra- the use of chemicals which are diation frorn the Sun, dangerous to destroying the Earth’s ozone land and marine plants and animals, layer. The chemicals - chlo- trom reaching the Earth's surface. Holes have been opening In the rofluorocarbons (CFCs) - must ozone layer since 1979 over Antarc- be virtually eliminated from the fica and since at least 1986 over Nor- biosphere to prevent cata- | Way.expanding each spring Gnd sum- ; . A mer and dirnin ing with autumn. strophic changes in climate, CFCs are man-made, inert, mass blindness, crop damage, odourless, non-toxic, non-flammable et human immune system break- chemicals which don't break down In er meres ie i the lower atmosphere - but of the fe — ne eerie mpenees hundreds of CFCs, three are particu- Or Paul Newman, a visiting US ozone in skin cancer. larly dangerous. Most widely used are layer expert from Applied Research The first such agreement in history CFC 11 and CFC 12: as coolants In Corporation, presented evidence to calls for countries to freeze and then refrigerators and alr conditioners, plas- the CSIRO's Division of Atmospheric holve CFC consumplion by the late tic packaging foams and propellants Research In Aspendale, Victoria, that 1990s. The agreement, over a year In In aerosol cans. Thirdly, CFC 113 ls used the hole is linked to a pronounced the making, has been hampered by as a solvent in the electronics industry. cooling in the stratosphere about 20 chemical corporations (CFC produc- M toc kilometres above Antarctica. Or New- tion Is a $A2.75 billion-a-year Industry) ore to Come man believes that this spring the hole in and bickering governments. The ozone layer Is depleted and thin- the ee _—- be a than _ ing already, but the CF duced year, and that there may be some lin What’s the Problem? eee eee ee ro wat | with the El Nino-Southern Oscillation Cresare increasing in the atmosphere teached the upper atmosphere - CFCs phenomenon (which caused the se- by 5% per year. Upon reaching the persist in the atmeszhere for at least a vere drought of 1982-83). upper atmosphere they slowly break | century. They are also responsible for Continued Next Page 20 Nexus New Times Three apparent that the inundatlon of ‘mythic’ Atlantls - dated by Plato at what we now know was the end of the last ice age - might be as real as Noah’s Flood and Gilgamesh’s Del- uge. From Sri Lanka to Micronesla to the Caribbean, submerged stone ruins strewn across the planet’s con- tinental shelves are invariably sited above a depth of 300 feet - mute testaments to a ‘forgotten’ prehis- toric trading civilization based around the planet’s coasts. We have far less ice on the planet today, but some estimates of sea level rises over the next two generations outstrip those of the CSIRO. International glaciologists warn that the greenhouse effect may cause a rise of up to nine metres if an Antarctic meltdown begins, accord- Ing to Science MinIster Barry Jones. “Put quite bluntly, people are golng to have to decide if they are going to continue to burn fossll fuels and drown Melbourne and London, or if they are going to change their energy use,” he said earlier this year. The effects that masslve shifts in - R.A. What’s the Problem? Cresare increasing in the atmosphere by 5% per year. Upon reaching the upper atmosphere they slowly break What to Do? - Learn to swimE) Nexus New Times Three