Comments on: Drive-by Extinction http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2007/08/17/nitrogen_pollution/ Blogging the science and policy of global warming Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:13:20 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5.2 hourly 1 By: The Ruminant » Green energy or greener water in the Chesapeake? - Environmental Defense http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2007/08/17/nitrogen_pollution/comment-page-1/#comment-484 The Ruminant » Green energy or greener water in the Chesapeake? - Environmental Defense Thu, 06 Sep 2007 04:56:51 +0000 http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2007/08/17/nitrogen_pollution/#comment-484 [...] Today, the Chesapeake Bay Commission – a multistate commission led by the state governments of Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania - issued a new report on how rapid expansion of up to 300,000 new acres of corn production in the Chesapeake watershed could add another 5 million pounds of nitrogen pollution to the waters of the Bay. (Already in 2007, 160,000 acres of corn were planted in the watershed.) Corn is fertilized with an average of 150 lbs of nitrogen per acre. Much of this runs off into nearby water bodies because corn absorbs only 40 - 60 percent of that amount. [...] [...] Today, the Chesapeake Bay Commission – a multistate commission led by the state governments of Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania – issued a new report on how rapid expansion of up to 300,000 new acres of corn production in the Chesapeake watershed could add another 5 million pounds of nitrogen pollution to the waters of the Bay. (Already in 2007, 160,000 acres of corn were planted in the watershed.) Corn is fertilized with an average of 150 lbs of nitrogen per acre. Much of this runs off into nearby water bodies because corn absorbs only 40 – 60 percent of that amount. [...]

]]> By: Lisa Moore http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2007/08/17/nitrogen_pollution/comment-page-1/#comment-483 Lisa Moore Thu, 23 Aug 2007 16:49:27 +0000 http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2007/08/17/nitrogen_pollution/#comment-483 Hey folks, here's one more example of nitrogen pollution that's often overlooked: hog farming, which can release nitrogen into the air and water. Environmental Defense's Raleigh office is working hard to <a href="http://www.environmentaldefense.org/article.cfm?contentID=5078" rel="nofollow">clean up hog farming in North Carolina</a>. Hey folks, here's one more example of nitrogen pollution that's often overlooked: hog farming, which can release nitrogen into the air and water. Environmental Defense's Raleigh office is working hard to clean up hog farming in North Carolina.

]]> By: Climate 411 &#187; Beyond Climate: Carbon and Cows - Environmental Defense http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2007/08/17/nitrogen_pollution/comment-page-1/#comment-482 Climate 411 &#187; Beyond Climate: Carbon and Cows - Environmental Defense Wed, 22 Aug 2007 20:02:33 +0000 http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2007/08/17/nitrogen_pollution/#comment-482 [...] Drive-by Extinction [...] [...] Drive-by Extinction [...]

]]> By: eschneider http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2007/08/17/nitrogen_pollution/comment-page-1/#comment-481 eschneider Sun, 19 Aug 2007 04:17:02 +0000 http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2007/08/17/nitrogen_pollution/#comment-481 Thankyou for reminding us that there are noxius gasses other than carbon dioxide that require our social conscious. Hydrocarbons, Carbon Monoxide, and Nitrogen Oxides have been regulated in the automotive industry now for almost 30 years. Unfortunately, the measures used to reduce these gasses in automobiles do so at the expense of increased carbon dioxide. I was beginning to wonder if new federal mandates were going to require us to remove our catalytic converters and EGR valves to reduce greenhouse gasses. You make a very good point about industry not being regulated proportionately with the automotive industry. American drivers have spent countless billions in increased automotive component costs and repair, as well as periodic emissions inspections. Why are industrial smokestacks not subject to similar regulation, while the automobile is still vilified? Why is fertilizer use not subject to the same inspection criteria as the many millions of automobiles? Thankyou, also for calling to our attention the large impact nitrogen oxides have on global warming. Until I read this article, I had previously thought that by far the largest cause of global warming was water vapor, and secondarily carbon dioxide, and that tertiary contributors were small in comparison. I had no idea that nitrogen oxides played such a large part of the problem! Thankyou for reminding us that there are noxius gasses other than carbon dioxide that require our social conscious. Hydrocarbons, Carbon Monoxide, and Nitrogen Oxides have been regulated in the automotive industry now for almost 30 years. Unfortunately, the measures used to reduce these gasses in automobiles do so at the expense of increased carbon dioxide. I was beginning to wonder if new federal mandates were going to require us to remove our catalytic converters and EGR valves to reduce greenhouse gasses.

You make a very good point about industry not being regulated proportionately with the automotive industry. American drivers have spent countless billions in increased automotive component costs and repair, as well as periodic emissions inspections. Why are industrial smokestacks not subject to similar regulation, while the automobile is still vilified? Why is fertilizer use not subject to the same inspection criteria as the many millions of automobiles?

Thankyou, also for calling to our attention the large impact nitrogen oxides have on global warming. Until I read this article, I had previously thought that by far the largest cause of global warming was water vapor, and secondarily carbon dioxide, and that tertiary contributors were small in comparison. I had no idea that nitrogen oxides played such a large part of the problem!

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