Ok, maybe not political, but I did find it interesting.
A “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico seems to be getting bigger. So named because of its inability to support marine life, the area contains oxygen-depleted water.
It is caused when salt water loses a large amount of oxygen, a condition known as “hypoxia.” When fresh water and salt water mix it can often keep oxygen from filtering through to the sea bottom (which is a problem for fish, shrimp, crabs, etc).
The last time the dead zone reached these levels was in 2002 off the coast of Louisiana – a record 7,900 square miles.
So, who is ready to start off-shore drilling?
Fine, I suppose this is where you look for some witty insights to my mind. A "bio" of sorts. Here is the deal... I ride motorcycles, smoke cigars, golf, kayak, fly, race my car through the mountains, write (a lot), and travel extensively. I am almost old enough not to care what other people think about me...almost. ~Godfadr
I did a quick search (not extensive, mind you) and found that increases in chemical nutrients (such as fertilizer contamination), water column conditions, or even some wind patterns (such as those off of the coast of California)lead to this situation. I did not find anything to suggest that oil-drilling activities increase the occurance of hypoxia.
With all respect, throwing that statement in the mix is simply irresponsible. Consider the fact that since we began the policy of redirecting food crops to be converted into liquid fuels, the market for those crops (such as corn) has exploded. The use of fertilizers also increase with the increase planting. The flooding that the upper midwest has seen this year has caused a significant amount of run-off from the fields whose drainage patterns would normally not pose a problem. Thus, a larger than “normal” amount of fresh water (from the flooding) and fertilizer contaminents (from the field runoff) has been making its way down the Mississippi River into the Gulf.
Has there been sufficient time elapsed to establish that this is the cause of the increase of the Dead Zone? I cannot answer that. However, since this Dead Zone existed there in the first place, the logical place to look for a cause would be to examine what changed in the conditions that support the hypoxia in the first place.
One could throw out the claim that the man-made global warming alarmists are to blame for this increase in the dead zone in the Gulf by pushing this bio-fuels malarky on us. It would also be just as irresponsible to seriously make that claim without difinitive evidence to back it up.
Who is ready to start off-shore drilling? I am! I will change my position when facts (not fears or supposition) are presented that demonstrate that renewing oil drilling activities off of our coasts pose a significant danger to the marine environment.
If this Dead Zone is in an areas where there are significant oil reserves worth pursuing, we could actually combine the efforts to extract that oil with an effort to oxygenate the water (using the oil rig platform to support the air pumping equipment) thereby helping both the economy and the environment.
Jim, having read this blog for some time – and enjoy it very much – I am going to guess the Godfathers last comment was a joke.
My apologies, then, for taking it too seriously.
No worries Jim. I really like your input.
I actually was making a joke but in today’s envoirnmen I think we need some sort of sign that shows one is making a joke. I am going to go for the tilde “~” sign before and after the comment (kind of like the question mark before the sentence in Spanish).
Anyway, great input!
I’m glad you cleared that up.
I was about to launch my own research into the matter, because I think it is time for us to drill off shore.
Plus it gives me more insight about your blog, I visit daily and thought for a moment I had missed something.
Adam
Godfather: Thanks Adam! I appreciate the comments!