Environmental News

Guinea worm Dracunculiasis is a parasitic disease now nearly eradicated globally. About 3.5 million cases in 1981, in 20 countries. Reduced to less than 20 cases globally in 2022. There is no vaccine etc., this was all done by improving public sanitation.

It was a particular goal for The Carter Center

Guinea Worm Eradication Program at The Carter Center



Led by ex-President Carter and wife Rosalynn. She died yesterday at age 96 (or so). The Carter Center continues its work.

 

I'd agree. Not my intention to write an exit summary here, but the Carters did many things beyond struggling with Presidency for 4 years. 'Habitat for Humanity' made (makes) major contributions that could be reviewed. Maybe it has been.

I focused on what may be the world's largest nematode (certainly ranks highly in ickiness). The Human Enterprise does less to improve the low side of prosperity bell curve than improving its high side. Examples of dedication to the low side puts we who call ourselves ecologists to shame. Which sounds gloomy, but hard to escape that when Warriors die.

 

For your files of externalities related to coal combustion:

Mortality burden of air pollution from coal-b | EurekAlert!

 

This plane in water after runway overshoot:

US Navy removes fuel from plane that overshot Hawaii runway and is now resting on a reef and sand - ABC News

U was actually surprised that it had not been brought to shore yet. Lots of electronic goodies in there.

So the P8-A is a 737 airframe, which has a normal landing distance of about 5000 feet. Kaneohe Bay runway is >7700 feet. Reports at the time indicated bad weather conditions at landing, sooo ...

A replacement plane has been brought in. Article does not mention a replacement crew

 

Most platinum comes from deep mines around Rustenburg South Africa. I did not know that, and would still not but for:

Elevator drops 650 feet at platinum mine in South Africa, killing 11, injuring 75 - ABC News

An elevator with 86 inside was on the way up. But then it reverted to rapid descent. 11 dead 75 injured.

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I took a potash mine tour in New Mexico once. (smaller) elevator car to a similar depth I guess, about -2000 feet. Such elevators move very fast, but obviously normally decelerate at end of travel. It really is a whoosh though.

 

Lead pipe removal:

Millions of lead pipes would finally be ripped out under proposed EPA rule | Ars Technica

Total cost estimated as $20 to $30 billions. Total benefit estimated as $10 to $35 billions per year.

If you have any clever uses in mind for all that lead, step right up.

 

From this week's Science (journal):

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adi1071

I tried to include their money shot here but could not upload, so go look at it there. In part because it reminds me of @Zythryn vehicle paint job.

It is worth bearing in mind that a lot of interesting evolution (including flowering plants and primates) and a lot of interesting persistence (including coral reefs) occurred while earth was whacking hot and CO2 was whacking high.

But I would not conclude that all is well for the human enterprise (HE), as we endeavor to run that timeline backwards. HE is a complicated system of feeding, watering, and energizing 8 billions (and growing). Based on a remarkably few species of plants and animals that work well (enough) at 400 ppm CO2 and its corresponding temperatures. Many of which have diseases, parasites, and other ankle biters that appear to prefer warmer conditions.

So, draw your own conclusions.

The future that actually happens will redraw us.

 

Does US import garlic from China? It grows perfectly well in climate of Gilroy CA; see their annual festival.

Are crops anywhere fertilized with sewage products? Oh gosh yes, see Mexico for another example. See imported cantaloupes for that recently having gone wrong.

Is garlic sold as food a particularly good vector for poo poo pathogens? I would think not, because it typically has outer-layer removal and heating to important 62 oC. Raw foods, dear readers, raw foods...

Do I eat Chinese-grown garlic without consequences? Yes, but N=1 is not compelling.

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Funny story. about 10 yrs ago, one of the pig or chicken viruses was active here, and garlic was imagined as curative. Prices 4x at least and amusement was tempered by "I will do without until this dream passes".