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WORLD LOVES A STOGIE

Is the Amazon rain forest the “lungs of the world”? NO, says the LA Times:

Far from cleaning up the atmosphere, the Amazon is now a major source for pollution. Rampant burning and deforestation, mostly at the hands of illegal loggers and of ranchers, release hundreds of millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the skies each year.

Brazil now ranks as one of the world’s leading producers of greenhouse gases, thanks in large part to the Amazon, the source for up to two-thirds of the country’s emissions.

“It’s not the lungs of the world,” said Daniel Nepstad, an American ecologist who has studied the Amazon for 20 years.

Nonsense. It’s just that the world has taken up smoking. Good for you, world!

Posted by Tim B. on 06/09/2005 at 09:05 AM

  1. Brazil now ranks as one of the world’s leading producers of greenhouse gases
    Hmmmmm…gaseous, noxious, toxic…

    Bingley spends a great deal of time there…coincidence or something more insidious?

    Send in the Swampy Patrol!!

    Posted by tree hugging sister on 2005 06 09 at 10:11 AM • permalink

  2. We on the right do so little for environment, I think it’s time to give something back. Lets all chip in get the Amazon some high quality blunts.

    Posted by Aging Gamer on 2005 06 09 at 01:27 PM • permalink

  3. most people miss this paragraph buried at the end

    Even without the massive burning, the popular conception of the Amazon as a giant oxygen factory for the rest of the planet is misguided, scientists say. Left unmolested, the forest does generate enormous amounts of oxygen through photosynthesis, but it consumes most of it itself in the decomposition of organic matter.

    Once again the South Park guys were ahead of the curve when they dared say the rain forest sucks.

    Posted by Kevin on 2005 06 09 at 02:04 PM • permalink

  4. When will it occur to these “lungs of the world” reporters that real lungs take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide, while forests (when they are growing, at least) do the complete opposite.

    It’s the burning down of forests that does the same thing as lungs, chemically speaking.

    Posted by zscore on 2005 06 09 at 05:55 PM • permalink

  5. I’m not at liberty to comment on my activities there, beyond saying they involve lots of caipirinhas, beer, and coffee.

    Posted by Mr. Bingley on 2005 06 09 at 07:41 PM • permalink

  6. The LA Times is writing about air pollution??? That’s appropriate, I suppose… they have so much first hand knowledge of the issue.

    Posted by kywong73 on 2005 06 10 at 01:57 AM • permalink

  7. Actually, Los Angeles in 2005 is substantially cleaner (air and litter) than many Asian and European cities.  As a result our sunsets aren’t nearly as spectacular as they used to be.

    Posted by Kevin on 2005 06 10 at 02:28 AM • permalink

  8. This “lungs” canard is ridiculous. Any thinking person knows that the ocean is over 3/5 of the planet’s surface and nearly every square foot contains oxygen-generating algae.

    And it’s harder to burn than old growth trees.

    Posted by Some0Seppo on 2005 06 10 at 09:42 AM • permalink

  9. All RWDBs are currently fevourishing working out ways to harvest those Algal Blooms to turn into petrol.

    Posted by Rob Read on 2005 06 10 at 11:32 AM • permalink

  10. Damm, that worlds got a great set of lungs on it, eh?

    Posted by flenser on 2005 06 13 at 01:33 AM • permalink

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