Re: [Paddlewise] pollution and paddling.

On 4 Feb 2004 at 8:47, Michael Edelman wrote:

> > From: "Michael Daly" <michaeldaly_at_rogers.com>
> > On 3 Feb 2004 at 15:28, Steve Brown wrote:
> >
> >>> I think the air is generally clean enough,
> >
> > Based on the wrong information.  It's filthy and getting worse
> > every year.
>
> Assertions like the one above, without data to back them up, are
> misleading at best and at worst, make it very difficult to make
> further progress. Both the air and water today are *much* cleaner
> than they were 20 years ago, thanks to various regulations and
> programs.

Using information incorrectly doesn't clear up the issue.

Come paddling with me and I'll show you the pollution.  You don't 
even have to look up any data.  

One of the most beautiful paddling areas in the world is Georgian 
Bay, part of Lake Huron.  Here are a couple of photos I took two 
years ago during a week long trip from the town of Killarney to Bing 
Inlet.

<http://members.rogers.com/michaeldaly2/georgianBaySkies.htm>

On the left is a photo looking north into Killarney Provincial Park 
on a cool clear morning.  The sky is a lovely blue.  The hills in the 
background are La Cloche Range - the white patches are gleaming 
quartzite.  This is the Laurentian Shield at its best.  Canoeing in 
the park puts you pretty close to those hills and the sparkling white 
stone contrasting with the dark green of the evergreen trees and the 
pale blue of the lakes is something to behold.  Kayaking outside the 
park puts you into a world of small islands and spectacular views.

On the right is a photo of an island campsite a couple of days paddle 
from Killarney.  This photo was taken on a hot, muggy day.  Not much 
scenery - the expanse to the south is over 100km of water.  Note the 
color of the sky.  That's not a touched-up photo, nor is it a trick 
of the light.  You are looking at smog - a couple of hundred 
kilometers north of Ontario's industrial areas.

If you look into the EPA document you referenced, you'll find that 
oxides of nitrogen are on the increase.  NOx does nasty things - the 
same EPA web site shows some: 

<http://www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/nox/hlth.html>

When I was born the term was rarely used.  Smog alerts when I started 
paddling in university were rare - a few per year.  I remember 
returning to the city in those days - the smog was a dome over the 
city; you could escape it by going into the country.

Nowadays, we get dozens of smog alerts per year.   The smog covers 
all of south-eastern Canada and the north-east US in a single giant 
cloud.  The local Weather Channel broadcasts a map showing its extent 
on the worst days.  No more escaping - as the  photo on my web site 
demonstrates.

NOx also contributes to acid rain.  Come paddle with me - I'll show 
you the lakes throughout northern Canada that have been damaged or 
killed by acid rain.  It is a problem that accumulates - the 
Laurention Shield doesn't provide the minerals that can buffer the 
acid and the rain is more acidic every year.

Come paddle with me and I'll show you the areas that were once filled 
with fish and are now nearly barren.  It's easy to see - one invasive 
species - the zebra mussel - has made the water much clearer.  The 
fish in these areas can't be used as a regular source of food 
anymore.  You can eat several servings per month, but more than that 
puts you at risk of poisoning.  Clean water you say?  Where?

<http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/laws/tenth-ijc-response/threats-e.html>

It's not just the Great Lakes - the recent warnings on salmon should 
tell you something.

The EPA web site notes that they only track six pollutants.  What 
about the stuff they leave out?  Two particle pollution types are 
tracked, but aerosols in general are not.  Aerosols are having a 
significant effect on the planet:

http://www.exn.ca/Stories/2004/02/10/53.asp

Come paddle with me and I'll show you plants that are at risk - more 
heat (global warming from CO2 - another untracked pollutant) combined 
with less insolation are damaging some species.

Come with me to the Canadian Arctic - great kayaking there!  Global 
warming is changing the arctic environment more than the land where 
we live.  Come see the polar bears struggling to get food as their 
polar ice cover is disappearing.  Come meet the Inuit women who's 
breast milk is so loaded with industrial pollutants that doctors and 
nurses are afraid to recommend that they breast-feed their children.  
Water cleaner than ever, you say?  Really?  Maybe in your backyard!

Come paddle in waters being invaded by warm water species so foreign 
that Inuktitut words for them don't exist.

If you paddle in the real world, you'll see what the numbers don't 
always tell you - we're destroying the planet.

I stand by my comment - the air is filthy and getting filthier ever 
year.  You provided some of the numbers that prove it.  Since you 
brought up water - ditto.

Mike
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