[ExI] BBC article on climate change

[John Clark]

From:
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8223611.stm


> Species are going extinct at perhaps 1,000 times the normal rate

That's a really really interesting statistic. It would be even more  
interesting if I had some reason to believe it's true. My rule of  
thumb is to be suspicious of any article that uses the word "normal"  
without further elaboration.

> Soils are becoming saline, air quality is a huge cause of illness  
> and premature death

Everyone agrees that bad air is, well, bad; but is it really a HUGE  
cause of death? If so it's odd that in no place has the the air gotten  
worse than in China, and yet in no place has the life expectancy  
increased more. I think that means that some things are worse than bad  
air, like no food.

  John K Clark 
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