Environmental Alarmists

The story of Karen Silkwood, portrayed in the movie Silkwood, tells of a woman living in a small town who works at a nuclear power plant. Karen Silkwood became the head of the health and safety unit for the power plant’s labor union when it became apparent that radiation exposure was causing illness into eh plant. In leading the health and safety unit, Silkwood became a whistleblower when noticing several health violations that she believed were causing radiation sickness. When Silkwood was put through several decontamination rounds due to supposed plutonium exposure, she claimed to be the victim of a malicious campaign to rid of her of the position in the labor union.

Karen Silkwood died a mysterious death in a one car accident. Marijuana tablets were found with her by the police, which were assumed to have been a contributing factor in the cause of her death. However, Silkwood’s family speculated that officials of the power plant were involved in her death. Silkwood was on the way to a lawyer’s office at the time of her death, where she planned to bring suit against her workplace. The documents she was supposedly taking with her were missing from the vehicle after the car crash.

While the Karen Silkwood story is an alarming one, it should not be considered typical. Silkwood’s death was an unfortunate event that in part led to an alarmist environmental movement during the last quarter of the twentieth century. The environmentalist movement served to stifle nuclear energy production. Consequently, the U.S. utilizes little of possible energy that could be harnessed from nuclear processes. The Chernobyl incident of the 1980s also fueled the alarmist movement which has greatly decreased the possibilities of nuclear energy. In reality, the average American’s fear of a nuclear catastrophe far outweighs the actual possibility of the event. Nuclear plants, such as the one which employed Karen Silkwood, should undoubtedly have strictly enforced safety standards. Though, the case of Karen Silkwood should be considered in proportion to the benefits of utilizing nuclear energy.

The case of Karen Silkwood can be compared to the contemporary case of Erin Brokovich, also portrayed by a movie of the same name. Brokovich worked as a legal secretary for an attorney who brought suit against a power plant that was contaminating the local water supply. When the attorney she worked for no longer wished to pursue the case, Brokovich made the suit a personal mission of her own. This story is similar to the vigilante theme taken on in the Silkwood movie. Brokovich, like Karen Silkwood, became a target by the power plant. These two stories can also be related to the story of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring.

While Carson did advocate for the more responsible use of chemicals in the environment, her views were limited to personal interests and societal perspective. As limited use of pesticides are not as beneficial in developing countries as in America. The sparking of the environmentalist movement in Silk wood’s case has contributed to lobbying for restricted nuclear energy usage throughout the global community.

Global Warming Links

http://www.greeningearthsociety.org/Articles/2000/surface1.htm

http://www.greeningearthsociety.org/Articles/2000/sea.htm

http://www.co2science.org

Solar Activity Cycle

Global Warming Hype

The Earth’s temperature range, as demonstrated in the article “The Hockey Stick: A New Low in Climate Science” by John Daly, fluctuates on a cyclical scale of hot and cold periods. The author highlights previous periods of global warming then cooling cycles with excerpts from classical literature. Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbuy Tales speaks the summers of relentless heat during the 1300s. While an excerpt from an Elizabeth preacher complains of the cool summers and poor harvests during the late sixteenth century. The warming during the 1300s, followed by a global cooling in the 1500s, shows the cyclical nature of global temperatures.

Thus, it may be erroneous for climatologists and global warming fanatics to advise of the disastrous consequences of causes of the modern period of global warming. The warm period, spoke of in Chaucer’s writings, boasted summers of hotter temperatures than at present. The cooler period in the late sixteenth century, is now referred to as the “Little Ice Age” by climatologists. The period of medieval warming allowed for the colonization of Greenland. Scientists attribute such warming and cooling cycles to natural variations due to radiation from sun spots. Periods of warmer weather are attributable to greater radiation exposure, while cooler periods are correlated with less radiation.

Carbon-14 isotopes are used to date solar activity during periods throughout history. The science of Carbon-14 dating correlates increased solar activity with the Medieval times, while a decrease in solar activity is apparent during the “Little Ice Age.” However, those who warn of the recent global warming periods blame the increase on temperatures on human activates such as industrialization and burning of fossil fuels. As Daly points out, the warmer temperatures of the Medieval period could not be attributable to the notable lack of industrialization. If solar activity did cause the global warming of theMiddle Ages, then perhaps it is responsible for contemporary warming also. To note, there is an increased amount of present solar activity when compared to much cooler periods of climate history.

DDT Chemical Formula

Rachel Carson is Responsible for the Death of Millions‏

In 1962, Rachel Carson published a more than little known book entitled Silent Spring. The book, which summarized the environmental harm caused by chemical agents such as DDT, left the nation abuzz for decades to come. Today, the publication is lauded as a holy book for environmentalists and conservationists alike. While pressing environmental concerns were raised by Carson’s Silent Spring, the scientific valididty of her claims were largely based on limited scientific data. For example, Carson’s assertion that DDT is linked to cancer and a myriad of other possible human malaise, was based on studies which correlated the use of DDT with damaged bird eggs in areas of over spraying. Regions of Canada were over sprayed to combat moth infestations, while the Southern U.S. was laden in DDT to combat accidental importation of its still infamous fire ant population.

It is true that death of plant life and decreased birds were noted in these areas, but no conclusive data was ever produced correlating the use of DDT to cancer or death in humans as a result of such sprayings. Nevertheless, Carson raised a question which still resonates in the global environmental community today:

“Should humans invent and then introduce possibly hazardous chemicals into the atmosphere without complete consideration of costs to humans and the ecosystem?


Well, if you’re the typical white American who is sitting in there air conditioned home or office—free of standing water—while you read this, then you likely conclude no we should not. With so many other possible pesticides, both natural and anthropogenic, you may concur it’s safer to not use a chemical which has been linked to the death of forests and bird life.

However, if you were one of millions of Africans at risk for malaria death, then maybe you would sacrifice a few birds and acres of forests. If U.S. Aid to your country consisted of methods such as mosquitos nets to hang over your beds, and your too poor to afford clean water or food—so much less a bed—then perhaps DDT is suddenly your saving grace. For the thousands who die in African countries each day from malaria, DDT offers great promise. Or more precisely, did offer great promise.

Due to environmental concerns and lobbying by the World Wildlife Foundation, the use and production of DDT in the Western Hemisphere has halted. The chemical is now relinquished to limited production in India and China. Studies have shown that limited sprayings of DDT, as infrequently as twice a year, can have significant impacts on controlling mosquito populations and the spread of malaria. Mosquito populations of Africa are presently thrive, thanks a natural selection process which has conferred immunity to current pesticides in use. Hence, a key component in keeping mosquitoes at bay is to alternate pesticides used. Even one DDT spraying every couple of years could have significant impact int helves of millions of Africans.



While Rachel Carrson may have brought imperative environmental concerns to the forefront of policy practices, perhaps she missed the broader perspective.

Sources and further readings:


http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Commentary/com-12_14_05_JS.html


www.malaria.org