Whaling worsens carbon release, scientists

[Still Waters 25,820]

A century of whaling may have released more than 100 million tonnes - or a large forest's worth - of carbon into the atmosphere, scientists say.

Whales store carbon within their huge bodies and when they are killed, much of this carbon can be released.

US scientists revealed their estimate of carbon released by whaling at the Ocean Sciences meeting in Portland, US.

Dr Andrew Pershing from the University of Maine described whales as the "forests of the ocean".

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[Promethius 6]

A century of whaling may have released more than 100 million tonnes - or a large forest's worth - of carbon into the atmosphere, scientists say.

And it's not done the whales much good either...

[J.B. 2]

They are very big animals, so of course killing them would do some serious damage. . . and every living thing stores Carbon.

[behaviour??? 24]

A century of whaling may have released more than 100 million tonnes - or a large forest's worth - of carbon into the atmosphere, scientists say.

Read more...

Thanks

B???

[danielost 8,867]

sorry i dont buy it. these animals would have died of old age anyways meaning that said carbon would still have been released.

but since most whales eat plankton, and most of earths co2 is changed into o2 by plankton, killing the whales would allow more plankton to live thus more co2 being changed into o2.

Edited February 28, 2010 by danielost

[Wickian 3,437]

sorry i dont buy it. these animals would have died of old age anyways meaning that said carbon would still have been released.

but since most whales eat plankton, and most of earths co2 is changed into o2 by plankton, killing the whales would allow more plankton to live thus more co2 being changed into o2.

You forget that every single thing humans do contributes to AGW.

[danielost 8,867]

You forget that every single thing humans do contributes to AGW.

* snip *

Edited March 1, 2010 by Saru
Removed personal attack

[Swede 2,130]

Just a bit of mathematical perspective;

The worlds human population is currently around 6 billion.

Current death rates are generally around 1%/annum.

Recent figures place the annual human death rate at 56,000,000 to 57,000,000. Relatively consistent with the 1% figure.

By mass, the human body is 18% carbon.

Let us take the average human weight at death to be 150 lbs. This figure could likely be refined.

18% x 150 = 27lbs.

27 x 56,000,000 = 1,512,000,000 lbs. = 756,000 tons of carbon/year as a result of human mortality.

Edit: Typo.

Edited February 28, 2010 by Swede

[danielost 8,867]

Just a bit of mathematical perspective;

The worlds human population is currently around 6 billion.

Current death rates are generally around 1%/annum.

Recent figures place the annual human death rate at 56,000,000 to 57,000,000. Relatively consistent with the 1% figure.

By mass, the human body is 18% carbon.

Let us take the average human weight at death to be 150 lbs. This figure could likely be refined.

18% x 150 = 27lbs.

27 x 56,000,000 = 1,512,000,000 lbs. = 756,000 tons of carbon/year as a result of human mortality.

Edit: Typo.

humans either have to stop dieing or stop breathing and eating.

[J.B. 2]

humans either have to stop dieing or stop breathing and eating.

It goes back to something Star Traveller said in another thread. If we're in an unfavorable weather spiral that is beyond our control, we would do our best to minimize it. That's not a quote, just the gyst of his comment.

We can't stop breathing or dying, but the folks in charge supposedly want to minimize this bad spiral as much as they reasonably can by putting serious controls on corporations. . . if they can earn some money on the side by taxing us for every breath we take, they'll take advantage.

[danielost 8,867]

It goes back to something Star Traveller said in another thread. If we're in an unfavorable weather spiral that is beyond our control, we would do our best to minimize it. That's not a quote, just the gyst of his comment.

We can't stop breathing or dying, but the folks in charge supposedly want to minimize this bad spiral as much as they reasonably can by putting serious controls on corporations. . . if they can earn some money on the side by taxing us for every breath we take, they'll take advantage.

this is assuming that 1 we are doing anything to cause it. 2 that we can do anything to minimize it.

what global warming is about is control over the human population.

[Wickian 3,437]

this is assuming that 1 we are doing anything to cause it. 2 that we can do anything to minimize it.

what global warming is about is control over the human population.

Our rising population is a problem. If over half of us died there would still be billions.

[J.B. 2]

Our rising population is a problem. If over half of us died there would still be billions.

And if over half of us suddenly died, there would be so much carbon released that GW, if it truly is linked to CO2 like scientists claim, would certainly be AGW as our CO2 release killed the current climate.

[Funky Poacher 84]

- snip -

* snip *

Edited March 1, 2010 by Saru
Don't make things worse

[Lilly 33,259]

Ok, enough with the personal remarks...focus on the topic not on sniping at others.