Saddam Hussein spilled 200-400 million gallons of oil in to the Persian Gulf during the first Gulf war. The UN report years after the spill said there was no longer any damage from the oil. More trustworthy studies said that the sandy and rocky beaches as well as Mangroves were back to normal. The Mangroves surprised me. Marshes however were still damaged to some extent. The heat of air and water helped disperse the oil as did wave action. The lack of wave action is what is supposed to have hindered the recovery of the marshes. Later, Dan *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
>After giving this issue much serious thought, it occurs that these >bacteria are simply too small. What is needed are bacteria on >steroids, ie, beefy guys the size of VW beetles. Then you would see >the oil disappear faster than it can emerge from the well-head. What >say we expose some of these bacteria to some good old-fashioned >radioactivity, just like in those sci-fi movies, and then watch them >go to work. There could be a problem though if they can't discern >between a yummy glob of oil and say, a tasty seakayak, or heaven >forbid, a jet-ski. > >Brad I seem to vaguely remember at least once Sci-Fi book where the collapse of technology occurs because of exactly Brad's idea-- not the radioactive mutant VW bacteria, but that critters genengineered to gobble up oil spills got loose and gobbled up *all* the free oil in the world. Then kayaks and bolas will rule, and jet skiers will sit crying on their boat anchors. On second thought, maybe that's not *all* bad... Paul Hamilton *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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