Hi John McEwen!!
On Sun, 30 Mar 1997, John McEwen wrote:
> Why is it that we poor taxpayers are constantly under the thumb of Big
> Busin...woops I mean Brother? Here in the Great White North, air pollution
> is not a big problem yet, but...?
Oh yes it is... The farmers in the Fraser Valley have commissioned a
study by a prof at SFU to documant the effects of air pollution on the
crop yields. The preliminary info shows many millions of dollars of
damage to the various crops. They are ready to sue the provincial gvt.
if the pollution levels aren't lowered. That's why we have the heaviest
pollution standards in Canada... idle, and DYNO test done by an American
outfit from Texas.
When the lower mainland (read Vancouver) has an inversion, you can see
the smog as well as smell it. Anyone with a lung problem gets advised
to stay indoors, and the local papers publish an air quality index to
advise you where the pollution is the worst.
> talking about diesel trucks, diesel locomotives, stationary engines, power
Study after study shows the automobile to be the main cause of smog,
primarily because of their numbers. Can you imagine Calgary with 50,000
semi's running around town, and sitting in traffic jams?? Right now,
there just aren't enough big diesels on the road to make it cost
effective to test them. This WILL change as it becomes politically
expedient to do so... lots of car owners screaming "what about trucks".
> plants and finally a big one which no one mentions, jet aircraft. The
> average 747 puts out more atmospheric junk in one takeoff than any 10 LBCs
> will do in their lifetimes.
Yes, but 99% is "up there", not down here where we live. Besides,
they've got lots of engine smog controls as well. Just watch a honking
big military jet take off with a heavy load, and you'll see the engines
pumping smoke!!
When skiing any of the 3 local ski mountains, you rise through the
pollution and get to look down at the city with its' slimy layers of
greenish brown fog which seems to top out about 2,000 feet.
> price - both financial and practical. But, the environmental mavens will
> never be satisfied. Each improvement achieved simply prods the regulation
> of more improvements - meanwhile the real polluters keep on polluting and
Don't forget that we're in the era of "due dilligence". The Americans
aren't the only people who have hungry lawyers in their midst... If a
government, or regulatory body can be shown to be ignoring evidence that
auto smog is harming, they will be found liable. No politition likes
the thought of losing in court... it's bad for the image!!
Later, Kirk Cowen
ps. re your child's inheritance: I agree completely; let 'em get their
OWN wierd things!!!
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