permaculture

[David Neeley <dbneeley@yahoo.com>]

Keith,

Now you're getting somewhere, IMHO. Yes, I agree that there
are many issues to deal with concerning jet exhaust and
environmental impact. Yes, I agree that it is neither off
topic nor a matter of small concern.

I simply believe that we must be careful in what we attempt
to attribute to a particular cause. Again in my opinion,
that comes off to the public at large as being of
particularly low credibility for the reasons I have covered
before.

That said, there is much that can be determined about the
various known toxic substances and the problems they are
causing. For example, I understand that damage to the ozone
layer may well be extremely bad because of some of these
elements--resulting in both short- and long-term effects
including an acceleration of skin cancer and a contribution
to climate change.

We could, for example, determine a fairly good estimate of
the amounts of each of the noxious pollutants emitted by
jet aircraft each year either worldwide or just in the U.S.
Unless we can build a powerfully persuasive argument that
this is a subject in need of immediate attention, though,
we'll easily be drowned out by the mass that deny such a
problem exists.

I do *not* think we help our own cause, however, to attempt
loose associations that cannot be shown to exist in reality
with any degree of reliability. Unfortunately, we must
often paint detailed pictures with full supporting evidence
in order to be taken seriously by the public and thence by
the politicians.

I strongly suspect that most on this list have a much more
detailed and experienced view of permaculture than I, for I
am a relatively new convert. However, I have a great deal
of experience in persuasive communications, politics,
economics, and some of the other disciplines necessary for
communicating effective messages on these subjects. Now, I
seek to learn and to practice much more myself so I will
become increasingly able to function in this way.

Please understand that my comments on this topic are meant
to be constructive and not in any way to discourage the
observations or the effort. In my view, if we cannot build
constantly more effective means of reaching the public with
some sane information we will all suffer greatly in the not
too distant future--to levels far beyond anything yet seen.

David


--- Keith Johnson <keithdj@mindspring.com> wrote:
> Let's pretend for a moment that I never mentioned any
> particular health 
> issues. 

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