Friday, May 19, 2006
Carbon Dioxide: It's Good for You!
The Competitive Enterprise Institute, which cynically pushes a message that global warming is a completely natural phenomenon, and not related to human activity, has produced two 60-second television spots focusing on the alleged global warming crisis and the calls by some environmental groups and politicians for reduced energy use. The ads are airing in 14 U.S. cities from May 18 to May 28, 2006. View the ads here.
As it turns out, the CEI receives significant financial support from Exxon Mobil. According to The Washington Post...
"The Competitive Enterprise Institute, which widely publicizes its belief that the earth is not warming cataclysmically because of the burning of coal and oil, says Exxon Mobil Corp. is a "major donor" largely as a result of its effort to push that position."If you are as impressed by their scientific prowess as I was, I'm sure that they would love to hear from you, too.
"I think what attracted them to us was our position on global warming," said Sam Kazman, CEI's general counsel. "And we hope to get support from other industries that agree with us."
Here's what I told them....
I watched your video on The Competitive Enterprise Institute's web site. I am truely amazed that you would sell the idea that carbon dioxide, (CO2) is good for people.
Carbon dioxide, while a necessary functional environmental component, is not good for humans or any other animals. It is an animal waste product. It is waste in exactly the same sense as are feces and urine. If enough CO2 accumulates in Earth's atmosphere, plants will flourish for a while, since plants inhale CO2 and exhale oxygen.
But if the CO2 concentration becomes sufficiently high, the plants will die. CO2 traps heat inside our atmosphere. It is a major source of planetary warming. A good example of planetary warming is the planet Venus, where CO2 is the main atmospheric constituent, and the average temperature is 872°F. Not a good model for a futuristic vision of Earth.
Earth can process a certain amount of CO2, interacting with water and plant life to convert it to oxygen and carbonate rock. But there is a point, perhaps a point already reached, where the rate of human CO2 production will exceed the rate at which Earth can recycle it.
This is not my opinion; it is sixth-grade Science class.
I don't believe that you really think carbon dioxide CO2 is good for you, but in case you do, here's a simple demonstration experiment that may change your perspective. (To ensure safe conduct of this demonstration, you must enlist another, trusted person to assist you. Take turns if you like, so each of you can enjoy the experience.)
1. Find an old refrigerator, big enough for you to climb inside. You can find one at a salvage yard or used appliance store. Maybe your neighbor, Jethro has one in his back yard.
2. Climb into the refrigerator, and let your helper shut the door from outside. Stay inside with the door closed for fifteen minutes, or until your helper hears you bang on the door to let you out.
As you inhale the oxygen inside of the refrigerator, your metabolism will gradually convert it to CO2, which you will then exhale. After a few minutes, there will be more CO2 than oxygen in your atmosphere. If CO2 is good for you, you will soon begin to feel so good that you won't want to leave the refrigerator. That's why you need another person with you; because if someone doesn't open the refrigerator and let you out, the CO2 will make you feel so good that you will suffocate.
If you want to wallow in your own waste, be my guest, but don't ask me wallow with you. Your advertisements demonstrate either absolute stupidity or or a diabolically porcine lust for profit, or both. I sincerely wonder if you have sense of responsibility to anything but yourselves.
[jj]
