This planet is comprised of an immensely complex set of living and non-living systems . These systems are all linked together in obvious and not so obvious ways. Whether at the atomic or molecular level or in more concrete abstracts, the laws of thermodynamics apply. For every cause there is some effect that takes place. We only need look at our tanks to know this to be true. The physical relationship of light, specific chemical water characteristics, aeration, water movement, temperature, the biological relationship of zooxanthellae, coral, bacteria, macro and micro organisms, etc., etc. are all tied together.
Problems occur when there is a lack (or failure) of understanding the complexity and interdependent relationship of all things. An example from Scientific American: In India and South Asia the population of 3 species of vultures has fallen by 97% since the 1990's. It was recently determined that the vultures are dying because an anti-inflammatory drug commonly given to cattle, causes renal failure in the vultures. The result is that the carcasses of dead cattle normally plucked clean by the vultures now sit rotting, and are now consumed by feral dogs. So the the feral dog population has exploded, and with it, the threat of rabies.
So back to MrMikeB's article. It's another situation where we initially failed to understand the effects from the cause of increases in corn production. We failed to understand the complexity and interdependent relationship of nutrient loading from a physical and biological perspective. It is imperative that if we want our oceans and reefs to survive, we must determine what are the causes of destruction (as in this case), and try to develop solutions that take into account the whole picture, rather than looking at just quick fixes which may make little or no difference.
I would also ask the question of those who are enthusiastic about ethanol from corn. What is the overall energy return from converting corn to enthanol, and what are the overall effects? To grow the corn, a farmer uses machinery run on petroleum based products. The fertilizer he uses is made from petroleum based products. The herbicides and pesticides used on the corn are made from petroleum based products. The harvesters are all run on petroleum based products. The corn is then transported, which takes petroleum based products. The plant that converts the corn to ethanol, probably also uses petroleum based products. We are using a lot of petroleum based products to make a petroleum based product...So did we really think this through?
MandM, unfortunately the new compact florescent bulbs all have mercury in them. Someone needs to develop a recycling facility to reclaim the mercury or we are going to end up with another potential problem in the future. Yes, one bulb doesn't have much, but multiply it by hundreds of thousands or millions, and the situation is much different.
