Dear Mr. Prager,
(et. al.)
It has come to my attention that waste consisting of petro-chemical plastics accumulates in areas of the oceans known as "gyres". Two of these areas are located in the Pacific Ocean, and are nicknamed "The Great Pacific Garbage Patch". These areas would be ideal locations for solar-powered hydrogen/oxygen-producing electrolysis facilities.
("The garbage patch formed and continues to exist because of ocean currents. The patch is not actually static in position, sometimes drifting into landmasses which have begun to resemble landfills. It moves with the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, a high pressure zone of air which forces ocean surface currents to move in a slowly clockwise pattern, creating a whirlpool which sucks garbage from other parts of the ocean into the gyre. The high pressure zone is extremely stable, as it is caused by hot air from the equator cooling as it moves northwards. There are several such gyres around the world, and they are traditionally avoided by sailors and fishermen because they are devoid of wind and marine organisms." http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-great-pacific-garbage-patch.htm)
One of the functions that could be integrated into these facilities would be an on-site plasma-converter-oriented waste-disposal operation deploying a fleet of trawlers to collect and plasma-degrade the petro-chemical plastic polymers (which are impervious to bio-degradation) to biologically absorbable and exploitable chemical compounds. One of the by-products of this operation could be a fuel called "syngas", which is alluded to in the article about plasma-converters. Other operations that could be integrated into these fuel-producing facilities could be on-site communities to house the families of employees of the facilities; resort-type operations like hotels, restaurants (serving fresh fish taken in the trash-trawling operation), and marinas; hospitals with trauma centers integrated with air/sea search and rescue capabilities for faster response to mid-ocean transportation disasters like air-crashes and ship-wrecks.They could also support heavy air and sea port facilities, reducing the fuel- capacity requirements of both types of craft, which capacity could then be devoted to additional cargo and passenger space, increasing efficiency and reducing the aggregate number of trans-oceanic trips needed to meet commercial demand. In other words, it could be very economically and environmentally advantageous to extend civilization into the mid-ocean environment in this way. All of this would be developed in phases, of course, with an eventual reduction in plastic waste collection as recycling and plasma-conversion replaces dumping as a means of plastic disposal at the land-based population centers.
It is lamentable that the knee-jerk reaction of secular humanists is to find ways to say "no" to human population growth and development. In the case of plastic waste, they seek a ban on plastics, which afford many utilitarian advantages over other materials. (Plastics make it possible.)
God is always looking for Ways to say "yes" to human kind. In the case of plastic waste, let's convert it to fuel!
Garbage Island
Psalms 51–53 & Romans 2
The other day I ran across a troubling report about people who think it is acceptable to use the ocean as a giant garbage dump. Here is an excerpt: “If you should see this amazing floating pile of plastic in the Pacific Ocean, it’s called ‘The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.’ It features three million tons of plastic debris floating in an area larger than Texas. An eye-popping 46,000 pieces of plastic float on every square mile of ocean!” Other sources estimate the amount of garbage is even bigger. Plastic is especially bad because it does not dissolve.
During our sojourn on earth, we have been charged, like Adam, with taking care of the earth and its creatures that God has given us.Genesis 2:15 says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” God delights in what He has made and this extends to the sea and all that live in it (1:10,20-21).
This world should remind us of the greatness of our Creator and serve as a springboard of praise to Him. Indifferently using it as a garbage dump mars its beauty and threatens the creatures that live here. Showing respect and caring for the land, the ocean, and the air is our duty as believers in Christ.
For Further Study
To learn about our responsibility to care for the world God has created, read Celebrating The Wonders Of Creation online at www.discoveryseries.org/q1108
No comments:
Post a Comment