Welcome
- 21 Apr 06, 12:42 PM
Welcome to the blog of the radio team at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Natural History Unit in Bristol, England. There are about a dozen of us here with a passion for the natural world and talking to people about it. We would love to know what you think about the programmes and the subjects that they cover. You'll find postings about programmes in the pipeline, ones that we're recording at the moment, and others that are already made. (You can hear those via the "listen again" links). So please join in the discussions, tell us what you think, and contribute to the programmes themselves. We look forward to hearing from you.
The Natural History Radio team
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Global Warming/cooling and climate change are, of course, nothing new - if there is one thing history teaches us it is that we must look both forward as well as back and we know that the climate of the globe has changed over the millennia, for all sorts of reasons. This is very important because we have to consider, as a planet, what we need to learn from history and how we wish to move forward but there is a huge problem with this simple plan - there has been not one single incidence of Global consensus on anything, ever - a very salutary lesson to learn but a fact which we know from history and must recognise for the future.
There are a number of factors about global warming which I believe are ignored - for instance, when sunlight falls onto trees and plants the energy is converted and used - very little is reflected back into the atmosphere. When sunlight falls onto concrete and tarmac, the energy is absorbed as heat, there is no conversion, very little usage, and that heat energy is then returned to the atmosphere - further, as the concrete and tarmac heat up, less and less energy is absorbed and more and more is reflected back into the atmosphere. There is another very important point here which is also very little, if at all, talked about - the effect of trees. It is well known that trees (and plants generally) provide oxygen - what is ignored is their other extremely important function - saturating the atmosphere with water vapour. Trees circulate vast quantities of water from the ground and stream it, as pure water vapour, up into the atmosphere where it collects and falls as life giving rain. Trees are incredibly important for the life of the planet - which brings us full circle back to concrete. Humans, as engineers, are very clever at making things - the problem is that at every point we try to meddle with 'nature' we mess up - we do not think things through further than their immediate financial benefit, and if we're honest, it is only the financial benefit, or dis-benefit, which is driving awareness of Climate Change - mainly in the form of insurance premiums! Which leads me to one final point - growing trees - there are irrigation systems available now, today, which can use approximately half the amount of water than more traditional means of irrigation whilst producing the same growth result - these systems are a little more expensive to buy but their effect on the availability of fresh water and conservation of precious resources can be immense. There are experimental systems which use brackish or even sea water directly with no desalination required, it is unglamorous developments like these which have the potential for saving the planet by growing plants and trees which will absorb and convert the suns energy as well as improve the climate by streaming vast quantities of pure fresh water into the atmosphere - this is the real solution to most of the planets problems. One other point - if we become better at harvesting the suns energy, we will become better at moderating the temperature of the planet while relying less on fossil fuels - fossil fuels will run out, the suns energy - well, its free and perhaps there is a lesson in that too!
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What`s planet trouble and what`s solar hotspot trouble?
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so I see NASA are busy spotting other 'earth-like' planets now. hmmmm, given how we've abused this planet, do we have any right to go looking for others to break?
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I just want to say I watched tonights (5/11/06) episode of Plant Earth and cannot truly put into words how deeply upsetting it was to see images of a male polar bear to be forced to swimming hundreds of kilometres due to the lack of solid ice only to be so exhausted at the other end he could not separate of group of walruses and then to just curl up and die through starvation. I just wish to say this has affected me very deeply and all this is because of global warming. I would like hear other viewers comments regarding this.
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I couldn't agree more with you Sharon. I'm still thinking about that Polar Bear today. A truly amazing story, and such a great shame. I'm glad to see it clearly moved other people as much as it did me. I'll be thinking about that lonely swim for quite some time.
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Kudos to the team of planet earth. Watching the polar bears plight yesterday was saddening. Without you guys, even this much would not be exposed. Saying this am I the only the one who feels a bit helpless ?
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Planet Earth really moved me last night too. It brings tears to my eyes when i think about what happened to that Polar Bear.
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Firstly, I must congratulate the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ on making THE most stunningly beautiful series Planet Earth and secondly, thank all involved in bringing home to the audience the real impact of global warming on the planet's creatures. The polar bear scenes were emotionally draining and I wept and felt thoroughly ashamed that mankind is ruining the earth and the air around us. I shall never forget this episode, the plight of that exhausted polar bear will remain with me forever.
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I watched planet earth last night and i thought it was brillant. The team really brought home what we are doing to this planet. I cried the whole way through the programme. I was emotionally drained after watching that poor polar bear struggle to swim and then find food. Then when it just peacefully curled up to die i just felt that the whole planet was responsible for that poor bear dying because the ice is melting too quickly and we are doing nothing about it. I feel so helpless because i want to help but I wouldn't no where to start.
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Agreed, the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's footage is absolutely stunning but I feel total despair and grief when you see what the fate of these beautiful and majestic creatures are likely to be. Has anyone read the Stern report? Doesnt he estimate 40% of animals to be extinct within the next 40years. Somethings got to be done and fast.
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I am so glad that I am not the only person that was so upset when watching that polar bear. I woke up still upset and am still so angry about what we have done that to that polar bear.
I am now emailing all of my friends and to ask them that everytime they can't be bothered to turn off the light, or leave the TV on standby and all of those things that we know about that rather than saying 'it won't matter, it's only me' that they think of that polar bear and do something however small it is.
There is no time for us to wait for world leaders and policy and legislation, we have to help ourselves and take some responsibility for what we do before we do more damage. It's already too late for so many things and may be too late for the polar bears but we have to try.
If you are able to please talk to/email/text/write to your friends and ask them to do the same as if so many of us were affected by the plight of the polar bear then we must make the most of it whilst we are still angry and upset.
Thank you.
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The Planet Earth series is absolutely unforgettable. I am so glad so many of us are touched by the polar bear's tragedy in particular, and are moved to reduce carbon emission in our own little ways. I think an analogy can be drawn between tackling climate change and a democratic election. If everyone thinks that their votes are insignificant, a suitable government will never be elected. It's the same when we use our daily decisions and actions to reduce carbon dioxide emission. I agree that the atmospheric system is so complicated that human influences are not the only reason the climate is changing, but are we going to risk the imbalance of this fragile system further by bumping more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere? We mustn't.
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There is one quite large way that individuals can make a difference. Its called the bicycle, one of the most energy efficient machines made by man. Yet how many people actually get out of their cars and cycle to work or to the shops or to their friends house or to the pub even. I do and what used to be a 40 minute journey to work in a car now takes me 10 minutes. A perfectly pleasant cycle only marred by the noise and stink of the constant traffic jams I negotiate.
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I enjoy cycle riding as well.
I also enjoy going on planes to Spain.
Both would not be possible without our carbon based technology, why pick on Carbon, it has freed us from having to depend absolutely on nature for our survival! We would be like the polar bear if we weren't surrounded by technology! Hungry or Dead!
Our lives would not be possible without carbon based technology, none of you would be here, and I wouldn't be able to send this message to you without this wonderful substance, and you wouldn't have been able to see the Polar Bear on Carbon based TV!.
Its no accident the planet god worshippers have picked on Carbon, what they really don't like is the technology that keeps us alive.
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It was deeply upsetting to see the death of the polar bear on Sunday. The view I adopt is of this: oil and natural gas will run out in the next century. When this happens, unless we can transfer to a hydrogen economy or something similar, we will gradually retreat as a species untill we have no technology etc ( when we've depleted all our resources ).
Wait a couple of million years more and the cycle of life may repeat itself
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Good debates here - go to the top of the blog...much echoed
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I saw the new Planet Earth episode and I also cried because of the polar bears. At the beginning of this year I attended a conference about global warming and its impacts in the health system in countries like the UK. The speaker said that the concept of global warming now was like the concept of evolution in Darwin's times. In that age, the concept came to revolutionise humanity’s thoughts and for some this concept was difficult to embrace (I have to say that for some it is still difficult). The speaker continued saying that global warming is like that, something that has to change the way of thinking of everybody in the planet. So, my question is what are we able to do and to sacrifice in our modern life for the sake of the planet? How are country’s economies going to be adjusted to tackle it? Is cooperation between countries necessary?
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What is the name of the music used for the Palnet earth trailor?
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If the effort of the people that brought us the fantastic images is not to go to waste and considering the plight that the planet is in, the least that we all can do is try to lessen the impact we have on the environment in our every day lives. If as a result of seeing the death of a magnificant animal as the polar bear we use less power, recycle more and use fuel wisely, maybe its death was not in vain.
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Until our government does a complete U-turn on climate change we are not going to be able to do anything major about global warning. I do turn off lights, don't use stand by and drive a reasonably environmentally car, but this only works if the entire UK population is dedicated to the concept. Big businesses need to improve as they contribute to the problem. Sainsburys can provide 4 apples in a nice plastic tray with clingfilm around everything - what a waste! And how many bulbs went into the creation of the Oxford Street Christmas lights this year? Force business to save energy and consumers will follow their lead! Ban 4x4s in built up areas - the only excusr for them is for those living on unmade up roads.
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I must say I watched with tears in my eyes as I saw the polar bear lay down and give up to a slow and painful death. It made me realise what a disgraceful thing we are doing to this planet.
I commend Planet Earth for showing the stark reality of life and to point out what we are doing to this planet.
By the way what is the music used in the adverts and theme tune??!!
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I am gripped by the series of Planet Earth. Its a real eye opener and makes me think about what man is doing to our planet and the wildlife. I also have a question I have been trying to get the answer to for weeks!...If you have seen any of the Trailers for the Planet Earth series on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ1 & 2, it has a great peice of music accompanying it. Can anyone tell me what this piano/violin music is? I want to download it but dont know what it is! HELP?
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The music peice that accompanies the planet earth trailer is a great tune from an icelandic band called 'Sigur Ros'. The song itself is called hoppipolla, it does have foreign lyrics, but it adds to the quality of the tune.
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Thinking about how far away we are away from a sustainable society certainly makes me depressed!
On the otherhand, there is so much we could do.
Consider a cycle network with 20mph traffic road speeds,and a bus lane network in cities like Birmingham ...roads would be safer, many people would cycle, and buses for those that can't would be much more efficent.
It seems bizarre that city councils (like Birmingham) have rejected such ideas out-right. Yet we have such high obesity levels, such high car use here, it seems such a perfect solution.
Perhaps in another age!
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I was so upset when watching this programme last night. I really want to help save these creatures as i feel the decline of our eco system is down to unthoughtful or ignorant people who just don't think. It's remarkable creatures are rapidly becoming exsint.PLEASE PLEASE SAVE OUR DYING ECO SYSTEM AND LET THE WILDLIFE SURVIVE ANOTHER 10 YEARS.
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It is comforting to hear that others were upset by watching the starving polar bear. Who could but be upset, I suppose? I know I am just repeating other posts here but I believe I will be haunted by that footage for a long time. Many say that the large bears; polar, panda, grizzly, are the charismatic celebrities of the natural world along with orangutans, koalas, big cats etc. Their cause is easier for us to identify with. Their conspicuous family units and obvious suffering and hardship are aspects that touch humans and compel us to respond. It seems easier to get people to donate money towards sponsoring one of these more appealing animals compared to less glamorous projects such as the prevention of soil erosion worldwide or desertification in sub-saharan Africa. However, if the money donated to our more charismatic causes is used wisely and directed rightfully towards habitat and biodiversity preservation, then at least it is doing some good. As long as something fires up public imagination and indignation, as evidenced in the above comments, then it is truly worthwhile. Thanks to the Planet Earth team for such an excellent and thought-provoking show!
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For all of you who have been moved by Planet Earth & Sir David Attenbourgh's own wildlife film series over the years.
Please vote for him as our Living Icon, on the Culture Show's site. He is in the top three, with Paul MacCartney & Morrisey. As you see, there is only one man there who has changed the world's view on Earth.
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I've been watching planet earth series with much interest,the programe just shows how beautifull our planet still is with it's many diffrent variety of life forms,and how complexed it all is,did it really just evolved?or is there a master designer?It grieves me to see how mankind is exploiting the earth at it's expence.Planet earth series brings it to our attention just how fragile the enviorment is and how greedy and short sightedness man is.
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As we are the only species to understand its environment sitting in the predator position in so many ways, we should attempt to do something to counter the effects from the Malthusian problem which is the source of these changes.
We have our intellects and technology, a technology which we have failed to deploy constructively for nearly 40 years, preferring to be lulled into the role of consumers and not responsible custodians of the inheritance of future generations.
Any one remember the born to shop mentality of the 1980's?
Anyone out there prepared to start "Thinking out of the box"?
- Should we be thinking of engineering on a planetary scale?
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For all those people out there who felt moved by the plight of the polar bear (and the millions of others suffering similar fates), I would like to say "Don't dispair, there is plenty you can do".
Many people have commented on how powerless they feel to make a difference and improve the living conditions of all species on planet earth, but are at a loss as to where to start. Well, there are hundreds of websites with some great tips: you can start by seriously reducing, reusing and recyling: go look at www.wastewatch.org.uk or www.wrap.org.uk or www.recyclenow.com
If you want to focus on animals go to www.wwf.org.uk and get involved in their work. There are many, many small changes we can all make which will make a big difference.
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Could someone please help with a question, I would like to know if the music used on the series is available to buy. Thanks
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More people are aware of energy waste and its effects on the environment; making them turn off lights etc. Why are street lights left on all night; surely they could be turned off after one or two in the morning, or maybe just light one side of the street. Think of the reduction in council tax. The next time you fly over a city at night, look down and count the lights; how many people can you see, cars don't count.
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the music that is used to advertise planet earth is hoppipolla by sigur ros, u can listen to it on u tube or buy it from amazon
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Global warming is just ONE major consequence of an underlying PROBLEM that we (or our parents and grandparents) should have faced up to 30 years ago, when publications such as "The Limits to Growth" by Meadows et. al. first drew broad public attention to the fact that an ever increasing population of technologically empowered, but essentially INSATIABLE human beings is placing an UNSUSTAINABLE drain and strain on Earth's finite resources and carrying capacity.
Instead, because of the truly radical implications for our economy, lifestyles and lifestyle aspirations (and the vast vested interests in them), we went into COLLECTIVE DENIAL. Which, essentially, is where we still are today, now struggling both to and not to face up to the situation as the effects of our increasing impact on the planet become ever more apparent and threatening.
Even you, I'm afraid, despite your good intentions, are largely beating about the bush, avoiding facing up to the ROOT CAUSE of the PROBLEM, which lies in a socio-economic order deeply rooted in and dependent on mankind's animal nature, and thus INHERENTLY unsustainable - unsurprisingly, in view of what Charles Darwin is supposed to have taught us about human origins.
For a summary of my views please follow the following link:
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The greatest danger to Planet Earth is Man.
Why is it the vast majority of homo- sapiens enter this world kicking and screaming and leave again with just a gasp or a sigh? The time in between is spent destroying the very environment they so desperately want to avoid entering and eventually become so reluctant to leave.
Other animal species are born and expire with far less fuss. The time between is taken up taking just what they need and they leave behind their shells or husks which sustain the environment.
What chance for future life on Mother Earth?
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I watched the Planet Earth episodes this morning with a friends son I was baby sitting. Afterwards, he turns to me and says "Why does the america bush guy try so hard to control the world when there's going to be nothing left of it soon".
A 7 year old boy can work it out, yet one of the most powerful men in the world can't. Figures.
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Could anyone explain to me why global warming, attributed to increasing levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases, can be solved by people using less energy?
Let us suppose each of us can reduce our energy use by 50%; how precisely does this help if at the same time the world population increases by 50%?
The idea that we can somehow buy our way out of climate change is not convincing.
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With regard to the comments of Roger Hicks above. Whilst you make the point that we should have faced up to this problem 30 years when Meadows et al released "Limits to Growth", you fail to point out that the Club of Rome was widely criticised because they failed to provide calculations which justified their model. I find it a little bit suspect that it took them so long to release these calculations, leading me to believe that the model used within β€Limits to Growthβ€ could possibly have been flawed or incorrect. β€Limits to Growthβ€ aside, you make mention of humans being the problem in our failure to realise the problem. I don’t subscribe to this view in the slightest, I am believe that Julian Simons β€Ultimate Resourceβ€ is a much more accurate reflection of the current situation. Firstly because unlike the Club of Rome he produced evidence which backed up his point. You will of course recall his wager with Paul Ehrlich. Yes we are the problem, but we are also the solution. It’s ok to make pessimistic points about the insatiability of human kind, but you fail to note that as population has increased so has our understanding of technology. And as our understanding of technology increases, solutions can and will be found. Lets take for example a UK specific case study that we are all familiar with – Nuclear power. Coal as we all know is non-renewable and is consumed at a very high rate, by opting for nuclear power, the government has ensured a clean and reliable source of power for future generations. You will also have noted the increasing availability and decreasing price of renewable energy resources such as solar power. This is becoming more and more popular, and along with self-sustainable housing provides us with a very optimistic outlook. In short I believe that as a problem arises, humans will always find a solution. This can be seen in every walk of life, not just our current resource situation. If we look at medical science for example. A few years ago cancer meant death, there was no doubt about it. But now we are developing new and improved ways to treat cancer. Why can’t this be the same on a global scale?
As for the polar bear in planet earth recent – very saddening, but go to a poor nation like Africa and see children dying every day from lack of food and water, and I assure you it will pale into insignificance. If all it takes to upset people is a cute animal, maybe we should show more pictures of third world animals dying, that way something might get done.
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I chanced to check out this old thread this morning, and discovered Chris Holloway's response to my earlier post.
Chris's optimism ("In short I believe that as a problem arises, humans will always find a solution" etc.) is a common MECHANISM OF DENIAL, especially amongst more intelligent and educated people. Jonathan Freedland, in last Wednesday's Guardian, gave a similar demonstration of it, which I (rogerhicks) responded to in the comment thread below, if anyone is interested in taking a look:
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Like many who have posted messages on this site, I was deeply moved by the image of the suffering polar bear. As a primary school teacher, I have decided to launch a whole school project on the effects of climate change and hopefully teach the future generation about how precious our planet is and how important it is to care for it. If anyone knows of any interesting resources I can use with the children, please let me know.
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A question for the boffins:
WHY NOT........
Use ultra super heated steam as a fuel?
The current generation of steam turbine uses steam at up to 520 deg. C.
BUT!........ did you know that, at temperatures approaching 2000 deg. C., water decomposes, explosively, into its constituent elements!........ It then as it cools, recombines, explosively, to form water!
ALSO...... did you know that the Space Shuttle runs on Hydrogen and Oxygen?
OR THAT....... Lasers will, at relatively low powers, explosively heat water to temperatures around 2000 deg. C.
Am I getting carried away?
OK!....... It might be slightly problematic for turbines but what about THE 4 STROKE CYCLE?
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ANOTHER QUESTION FOR THE BOFFINS!
A couple of years ago the Israelis patented teh falling air column principle for driving an air turbine. The principle is based on the Plaza cooling towers, designed for the last Spanish Olympics.
The problem is that the principle requires a tower some 3 or 4 Km high!
BUT!!!!!...... why not transpose the idea to a pair of 2 Km deep shafts, commected at the bottom, powering air turbines at the surface?
The cycle could be initiated by the injection of supercooled air, via fine sprays at the top of one shaft and enhanced by warming the other air column......... the warming process could be effected by use of the Van Der Graaf Principle.
A 25 metre diameter shaft complex would, at an airspeed of 100Kph, move something around 125 million cubic metres of air per hour!
Now that should be capable of powering several very large generators!
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Let us be rational and not religous. Trying to save energy is in fact futile and contradicts a suptle variant ot the second law of thermodynamics (that all energy ends up as heat).
Why? It is very simple but far from intuitive. It is easy to see an energy saving if you insulate your house but do NOT confuse lower heating bills with energy saving!The insulation needed energy to make it and any money you save you will spend. Where does that money go? Think about it and you will realise that every penny ends up as energy (heat).
Think about those vegatibles you bought. How did they get to the shop? How are the profits made used? What are the wages of the employies spent on? Answer in the end energy.
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Did I hear correctly? Did someone really heat the ground for 16 years day and night using electric heaters? How can I possibly reduce MY carbon footprint enough to counter that level of stupidity?
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On 'PEUT' episode 1 Gabrielle Walker (on our behalf) flew over Greenland, went snorkelling in Fiji and watched lemurs in Madagascar. Where else will she go in the next 7 episodes
and how big will her carbon footprint be?! (On a local level - how did she get to her UK airport - by car or public transport?)
Help save the planet Ms W by getting all the experts who are already out there to phone/email their reports to
you at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ. Not as much fun though, eh?
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Why, oh why do you let these light-bulb pudits on the programme? This week we had one telling us the EU should ban incandescent light bulbs. These bulbs are carbon neutral. Every time you switch on a light, the heat output is sensed by the heating thermostat and this turns down the heating by an equal amount. So if I have off-peak electric heating topped up by a thermostat-controlled fan heater, when I turn on a 60W lamp, the fan heater is turned down by 60W. result: no difference in carbon. The onle time a light bulb uses power is if you turn it on when you are not using heat, and this is very rarely. On top of that, the total use of electricity for light bulbs is only six pounds per person per annum, provided each person uses one forty or sixty watt bulb at a time. This is because we only need to turn lights on in the dark hours during winter, and much less in spring, autumn and summer. So-called "Energy Saving" lamps are a complete red herring!
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May I purchase a copy of the Attenborough programmes on 20th. January, 2007 - 'Are we changing the planet Earth' and 'Can we change the planet Earth' please.I wish to give a copy to our children and grandchildren.
Thankyou,
Michael Calver
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I listened to the series with interest, but ultimately a sense of utter futility, for the reason that several others have pointed out which the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ (in common with almost all other public media) persistently ignores.
The fact is, if you want to save the planet, Don't Breed!
If, by improbably heroic effort, the impact per person on the world is halved in the next 40 years, there will be no benefit if the number of people doubles as it did in the last 40 years.
Actually, of course, the planet isn't under threat. Even life on the planet isn't under serious threat. Very many species of life, especially the bigger ones, are in imminent danger of extinction, but it's happened before, the fourth rock from the Sun will still be here for a few more billion years and the diversity of life will evolve again.
What's under threat is the planet as we know it, and should love it if we had any sense since we evolved to fit it. It and all those other living things on it are our life support system, which we're overloading.
The planet doesn't need us.
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God looked down from heaven stroked his beard smiled saying I see mankind has decided Global capitalism is to be their new god I will give them a little problem to occupy their greedy little minds.
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With reference to Brian Whittaker's comment, not all of our problems are down to human population growth. Consider the following. The Earth's population is predicted to be about one and a half times what is currently in 50 or so years, and most think that numbers will stabilise at comfortablly less than double the current world population; so our pressure on the environment grow in line with this. If resource use per individual grows in line with the economy at a very modest annual rate of say 2% per year, then there will be a 2.7-fold increase in demand for resources in 50 years, and 7.2-fold increase after 100 years. At 5% per year, then 11.5 times as many resources will be needed each year after 50 years, and 131-fold after 100 years - not that this would be possible. Thus, the demand for resources per individual is likely to grow faster than is population size. So if you want save the planet, don't keep increasing your use of resources! And, preferably, don't breed either.
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Polar Bears and Global Warming
Like others here, the effect of climate change on the lives of polar bears is a powerful motivaton for me to change my behaviour even more than I do already.
The thought of polar bears dying of exhaustion and hunger makes me get off the sofa and turn off the light, turn down the heating and other moderating behaviour.
Never say "what difference can I make?". What we all do as individuals, adds up to a whole lot.
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Olnik, with his questions 'for the boffins' sounds as if he is coming from a position where he has a lot of easy answers. Unfortunately, laws of thermodynamics, the most basic of the Universe, say that you cannot get energy from nowhere - there always has to be an energy scource. The laws also say that, when you do change energy from one sort to another, you must always lose some. In the case of complex machines, this is usually a lot.
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I also found the episode of Planet Earth with the polar bears very upsetting and felt sickened that it was caused by us. I have written a myspace blog and would very much appreciate your comments and information on what more we can do to help.
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The program on 6Feb2007 notes that there have been large changes in Global Temperature in the past as evidenced in the Greenland Ice and SeaFloor Mud. These are large when comapred to the .6 degree or so change over the last 100 years.
So perhaps something other than the Greenhouse Effect could have caused it. Perhaps variations in the amount of heat emitted by the sun and received by the earth (whose orbit varies).
I'm not saying that's the cause...but I'm not stupid and need convincing not dicatating to.
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I listened in only at the tail end of the program PEuT today for the first time, but it wont be the last. I can expect this to be a well listened-to program of the future dealing with a very important subject.
There is a great deal for all of us to learn and some dissemination of information can hopefully occur via this blog medium.
For those of you who are interested deeply in this subject and would like to know of technology developments that have prospects to arrest the damage already done by man, I'm giving you here the links to two very interesting web sites with short filmed sequences.
One has information about a new fuel burning method said to be able to reduce carbon emissions by 90% (Yes, 90%) and the other shows a new alternative fuel 'HHO' made from water (yes, WATER).
First there is the improved burning method known as Stagnation-Point-Reverse-Flow (or SPRF). It's prime applications will be for aircraft jet engines and for domestic/industrial heater burners of gas/oil. When fully exploited commercially it will go some way to reducing the greenhouse emissions effect on the climate - and maybe stabilise the situation before it's too late?
Anyway it's a very interesting article, I'm sure you'll agree.
To watch and learn just paste this link, into your web browser:-
Its origin is from the Microsoft News Technology site.
The other item is a fantastic development to reduce fuel consumption and burn cleaner - This one uses water after converting it to HHO gas via a patented electrolysis process.
It's even more relevant to us right now as it can and is being used as a retrofit in motor vehicles. ---- also is being used for gas burners and welding operations.
For more information paste this link to your Web Browser:
I’ve been in possession of this information since November 2006, so I cannot understand why the Press, the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, nor any of the relevant Politicians appear not to have cottoned on to the fact that there are already available technological solutions to mankind’s contribution to our global warming problem.
Not that we can stop such global warming entirely, because I believe man’s increased usage of fossil fuels during the last three or four decades has only aggravated a naturally occurring cyclic change in our climate.
Bye for now.
Laurie
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Look! Only now! Discounts!
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Regarding the polar bear episode which has been written about so extensively, something that nobody has mentioned really bothered me. At the very end of the diaries one of the hungry, locally roaming bears was nosing the window of the crew's hut. How was this alarming situation resolved? In the closing seconds of the programme one of the crew was heard to say "get the gun". I cannot believe that the polar bear was shot, but then if the crew were about to become polar bear dinner...answers please!
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Pressure on the habitats of other species, both direct and indirect (e.g. from CO2 emissions) is roughly proportional to the world's human population.
This is now doubling about every 50 years.
This means, for example, that per capita CO2 emissions must halve within 50 years just to stand still.
Should we not address the taboo issue of population control before most of us are exterminated by a run-away planet?
We may soon be faced with the unpleasant alternative of reduce this generation or loose the next - discuss.
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I agree with all those people who believe that climate change is our fault and our fault alone.
The goriilas and rhinos are not committing suicide, the polar bears are not melting the ice cap, the orang utan is not felling the forest to plant palm oil trees and so on and on.......
An article in the "New Scientist" recently examined what would happen if all human life disappeared from Earth. The wrters concluded that recovery of threatened habitats and species would occur quite quickly. This is actually happening in the area of land which was contaminated by the nuclear reactor meltdown at Chernobyl. Despite the radioactivity many species are thriving much better than before the accident. The only difference being the absence now of human activity which causes such disturbance to, and destruction of the planet's wildife!
I wonder why we spend such an inordinate amount of time trying tp treat the symptoms, [lightbulbs & so on], while ignoring the "disease" itself, which is, of course that there are rather a lot of us!
You can cut down on individual carbon footprints in the "developed" world fairly easily, where we are "going at it" as if there is no tomorrow, but what about the billions on the breadline who, quite rightly are aspiring to the lifestyle of the western world? How can we car driving, plane using, gluttonly, energy wasting people deny the same luxurious, profligate lifestyle to people who are at present scratting in the dirt for a few grains of rice? Of course, you can't, but we will need a few more planets pretty quick to supply the raw materials - there won't be much left on this one.
Yes, of course there are too many of us and we should shout this truth from the rooftops.
We humans are undoubtedtly highly intelligent, but we also appear extremely irrational as we continue to ignore the "elephant in the room", and we will only get what we deserve as things get worse.
Its such a pity that all the other species will suffer with us through no fault of their own!
Colin Wells
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I entirely agree with the previous writer. Homo rapiens is hugely succesful biologically, and yet a great many appeals for our help and generosity beg us to help save millions of children/adults from avoidable deaths. So, instead of 80 million more of us each year, there would be 9o million, 100 million? What are we trying to do - make the situation even worse? Part of the solution for loss of species and global climate change must surely be halting the growth of human population, and indeed gradually, humanely reducing it. I agree that every child that IS born should have the very best care, but let's make sure every child is a wanted child. Let's move heaven and earth to get the needed reproductive health services to every woman in the world who wants to avoid further pregnancies.
And let's challenge those political leaders who want to INCREASE birth rates in developed countries to help pay pensions and boost economic growth. They are mad - certainly oblivious to the environmental crisis caused in part by the massive growth in human numbers in the last 50 years.
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Anyone see Channel 4's programme ?
Why hasn't the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ put this argument to it's audience?
The programme told me what I wanted to hear, which makes me suspicious of it, but interesting and plausible science is put forward. Isn't that the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's job?
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On the bright side, there might be one less polar bear but there's one more walrus than there would have been!
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Hello, if it is possible, I would like to post some of my observations on watching a recent programme on global warming. I found the writing after listening to the latter half of a radio 4 programme this morning
On sunday night, 21/1/07, I watched a programme by Attenborough on "Global Warming" It was pretty dire and frightening but, is it true? I don't mean to doubt the facts of global warming but is it down to us as human beings? I suppose that if it is, it could be construed as being amusing in its naivety as to our actions.
I remember a comic from my youth who was American and totally ironic. Stan Freeburg would have depicted our plight from the point of view of perhaps, Angels talking to each other; "Ha,ha, youu cannot imagine what they are doing now. They have taken to trying to control the oil supplies of the middle east and are bombing them back to the stone age to make them tractable. They leave behind depleted uranium from their weapons and a depleted and very suspicious Arab world. Keep ,em poor and you can buy their treasures for wam-pum. If that is not bad enough, they are helping to drag the most populated nation into a cycle of pollution and materialism beyond that, in terms of pollution, of any other nation." Freeburg would have used his comic sense of the irony to juxtapose the relative positions " I hate to telly you this, but they are driving miles to recycle newspaper in bloody great cars!". Yesterday, my middle-aged and middle-minded neighbour went hurtling off down the road in her car to catch the recycling lorry that had forgotten her miniscule amount of paper!
Is it me? or are the actions of the world inconsistant with the concept of stopping "Global Warming". We do not doubt the effects as the ice caps melt; we see the change in the weather that is occuring and recognise that we cannot go on using fossil fuel in a profligate manner. But we do! We save paper that irresponsible businesses flood us with. Common sense should tell us that the act of recycling with its attendant collection processing and ultimate re-use can only be of marginal benefit. The most efficient recycling that I can remember is the use of newspaper to wrap fish and chips in and the use of the Sun newspaper to adorn the walls of the privy in neat squares.
What other lip service do we pay? Almost everything that we buy is in plastic including vegetables and fruit. Most of it is grown and flown to us to enable us to have both choice and freshness and we feel that by recycling some of the packaging, we will save the earth! Someone is giving us bullshit. Bullshit is acceptable, plastic is not! The experts suggest that minimal cutbacks in our energy use will solve the problem, at least, some of them do which suggests that the very idea of an expert is a contradiction in terms.If I go to a garage with a problem with my car and expert will diagnose it and repair the problem. Experts in things such as climate change can differ on everything which suggests that they are whistling in the dark and not at all very expert!
If we divide the world into five regions; North and South America, Europe, China and India, the worst perpetrators are Western Europe and North America. The damage to the earth has been mostly done in the last hundred years and mostly by North America and Western Europe. If such a small percentage of the world's population has created such havoc as is said, in such a short blink of an Industrial Age eye, then to welcome aboard the rest of the world to enjoy the materialism culture that we suscribe to is beyond folly.
Or is the whole thing mass panic with little truth to it? Even Bush has succumbed to the panic if that is what it is. His "State of the Union" address has coined a new phrase "twenty in ten" applied to his intended cut back of energy use by twenty per cent in ten years. The green lobby is saying too little, too late but if the problem is down to our use of fossil fuel it is beyond the politicians to do anything. We like our four by fours and our people carriers. When you have had old cars that have suffered from overheating, you realise that a journey of very few miles can and does generate a lot of heat. A car is a boiler on wheels, only a bloody great boiler. New slogan" put an engine in your house and the heat can supply your needs as you travel along the road! Obviously that is farcical but just think about it. We insulate our homes but we dissipate the heat of our cars! Alternatively, we listen to politicians and drive miles in our ton of machinery to dispose of our waste paper in kilos! I would suggest that to drive to the local tip to place your paper in the recycling bin has cost more energy and waste than the paper could possibly be worth.
There is now a new initiative that suggests that fuel can be made from vegetable material. It already is! Anyone who has burned wood as opposed to coal is well aware that the return in heat
to the amount used is considerably higher. There is no great secret, if we use current growth for current use the use is going to diminish to a great degree. The other problem is ethical, to grow stuff to fuel our cars when the world is starving seems totally immoral, even worse than our current stance.
In the long or short run, dependant on which expert is asked, we are going to lose a lot of our freedoms. These will probably erode with cost but not without a lot of peripheral wars to decide on the controlling of the world's resources. Do we really believe that a CHina with the material concepts of the west is going to allow the control of the middle east to the likes of Bush and Blair.
It is really time for the action to start. Manufacturing without the plausibility of components being recycled should be abandoned. If you make it you should break it is probably a better slogan than twenty in ten. The sacrosanct nature of business has to be eroded. Bad business is bad for everyone and the world. It struck me as particularly ironic that in the recent water shortage, we could not water gardens and grow things but the local carwash could still be used to beautify the most constant of polluters, the car. Is that madness or is it me? It reminded me of a sermon by one local vicar who suggested that the majority of the population on a Sunday were out "cleaning and worshipping their new gods"
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Best educational series I have seen in a long time.
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I completely agree with Mark. I appreciate his views. Commenting on the global warming, it is not just animals that are getting affected, even humans are affected.
I am from Southern part of India and the temperatures observed has increased in the last few years. Summers are hotter than before and it is getting hotter in months earlier than summer.
My observation from, following the news channels and news articles, is that global climate is changing and the environment is getting affected. Natural habitat is being destroyed and species of the earth are becoming extinct.
As humans, we have higher intellect and possibly more intelligence than other species. With the power coming from this intelligence, also arises a greater responsibility. It is for us to remember that we share this earth with thousands of other species. It is not our personal property. We were created on it and not the other way around.
If this narrow mindedness and selfish nature continues, what might be left behind for future generations is just photos of animals and birds. We work hard and save for the future, so that our children and grandchildren live comfortably and with security. In this context, is it right on our part to deprive the future generations of the pleasure of interacting with nature?
Is it right on our part to destroy habitat of other species? We should not forget that we are all linked together in the eco-system, and our survival is dependent on the survival of other species.
It is ironical that we have billions of dollars to spend on war, but not sufficient money to find alternative sources of energy, or to help impoverished people who can not afford one proper meal. Of what use is money, that can not be used for benefit of people or animals?
What is point of destroyin nature for few more millions of dollars? We come from ashes and go back to ashes. Money has no use in the kingdom of ashes. Its not of much use with incurable disease either.
It's time to stop the blame game between countries, and time to act. It's already too late to have discussions and debates. Let us act as individuals to save the earth and may our combined efforts save it from
wanton destruction. Started with planting a few plants. Next is to find steps to preserve sanctuaries, and inspire other people to protect the earth. May we succeed ,and leave an earth that future generations can enjoy in the way that we enjoyed, without destroying it.
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The 'Planet Earth' series has profoundly impacted the global consciousness of humanity as to the delicacy, inter-connection and survivability of the greater portion of plant and animal species on this rather small planetary system.
When our Laws of Thermodynamics are vetted through our diverse ecological landscapes, it will be revealed that our insignificant planet can only sustain 1.5 billion human beings. De-population will occur by catastrophic or cataclysmic events. As individual
humans we are quite good, truthful and honest; as collectivities we are absolutely insane.
When post-modern advance societies rid themselves of the virulence of political systems, religious systems and military systems (viewed now as mere vulgar kleptocracies), the eyes of humanity will once again open to the freshness, spontaneity and coldness of life. Our only purpose in life is to eat, to sex and to die!
The goal of human culture is to blind us to these obvious limitations on all life forms. There is no creation without a preceding destruction. This is how transformation occurs in nature and the objective physical-chemical systems.
Respectfully,
John E.D.P. Malin
Chiarman of the Board & CEO
Informatica Corporation
Executive Division
P.O. Drawer 460
Cecilia, Louisiana 70521-0460
P.S. Thank you for all of the preceding thoughtful comments which inspired my contribution to this timely topic of our age and era.
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