Okay just humour me. I was looking through my sons "EDEXCEL" Science
Revision Guide. When I found this passage (page 44, Volume1 Modules 1-6)
under the heading "Pollutant Gases".

"Although hydrocarbons do produce useful amounts of energy when they burn,
the gases they produce are Pollutants.
CARBON DIOXIDE contributes to the GREENHOUSE EFFECT"

Surely if we eradicate this "Pollutant" Co2, all plant life would eventually
die!

Is Lonsdale's Science Revision Guide accurate?
Or is this a case of Political Correctness.

"lawrence jenkins" wrote in message
...
Okay just humour me. I was looking through my sons "EDEXCEL" Science
Revision Guide. When I found this passage (page 44, Volume1 Modules 1-6)
under the heading "Pollutant Gases".

"Although hydrocarbons do produce useful amounts of energy when they burn,
the gases they produce are Pollutants.
CARBON DIOXIDE contributes to the GREENHOUSE EFFECT"

Surely if we eradicate this "Pollutant" Co2, all plant life would
eventually
die!

Is Lonsdale's Science Revision Guide accurate?
Or is this a case of Political Correctness.




Describe what you actually mean by Political Correctness?

On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 21:28:49 +0000 (UTC), lawrence jenkins wrote in


Okay just humour me. I was looking through my sons "EDEXCEL" Science
Revision Guide. When I found this passage (page 44, Volume1 Modules 1-6)
under the heading "Pollutant Gases".

"Although hydrocarbons do produce useful amounts of energy when they burn,
the gases they produce are Pollutants.
CARBON DIOXIDE contributes to the GREENHOUSE EFFECT"

Surely if we eradicate this "Pollutant" Co2, all plant life would eventually
die!

Is Lonsdale's Science Revision Guide accurate?
Or is this a case of Political Correctness.

Hi Lawrence - I'd guess this centres around how one defines a pollutant and
there must be several definitions. For example a pollutant of the
atmosphere is sea salt - yet these tiny particles are vital for cloud
formation in oceanic regions. In the same vein CO2 is vital to life. One
could argue one definition of a pollutant is when a substance reaches
concentrations which are in some way "harmful" to life as we know it.

Then we'd still be left with defining "harmful" - over to others...


--
Mike 55.13°N 6.69°W Coleraine posted to uk.sci.weather 19/01/2004 21:43:19 UTC

You sad person! You really don't know what LJ means?

Eric

"Joe Bedford" wrote in message
...

"lawrence jenkins" wrote in message
...
Okay just humour me. I was looking through my sons "EDEXCEL" Science
Revision Guide. When I found this passage (page 44, Volume1 Modules 1-6)
under the heading "Pollutant Gases".

"Although hydrocarbons do produce useful amounts of energy when they
burn,
the gases they produce are Pollutants.
CARBON DIOXIDE contributes to the GREENHOUSE EFFECT"

Surely if we eradicate this "Pollutant" Co2, all plant life would
eventually
die!

Is Lonsdale's Science Revision Guide accurate?
Or is this a case of Political Correctness.




Describe what you actually mean by Political Correctness?

"Eric Ingham" wrote in message
...
You sad person! You really don't know what LJ means?

Eric


This is the definition of political correctness according to Dictionary.com

"Of, relating to, or supporting broad social, political, and educational
change, especially to redress historical injustices in matters such as race,
class, gender, and sexual orientation."

The poster says "Is Lonsdale's Science Revision Guide accurate? Or is this a
case of Political Correctness."

He is implying that Political correctness is inaccurate.

Just asking for him to clarify what he means, not you.

"Joe Bedford" wrote in message
...

"Eric Ingham" wrote in message
...
You sad person! You really don't know what LJ means?

Eric


This is the definition of political correctness according to
Dictionary.com

"Of, relating to, or supporting broad social, political, and educational
change, especially to redress historical injustices in matters such as
race,
class, gender, and sexual orientation."

The poster says "Is Lonsdale's Science Revision Guide accurate? Or is this
a
case of Political Correctness."

He is implying that Political correctness is inaccurate.

Just asking for him to clarify what he means, not you.




Joe.

"Of, relating to, or supporting broad social, political, and educational
change, "

I rest my case.

"lawrence jenkins" wrote in message
...

"Joe Bedford" wrote in message


"Of, relating to, or supporting broad social, political, and educational
change, "

I rest my case.

(in the broader sense)

"especially to redress historical injustices"

I rest mine

Slap my hands for falling into the trap....

MUST IGNORE
MUST IGNORE
MUST NOT DISCUSS POLITICS

))))))))

Definitions include substances which are found in abnormal concentrations or
in the wrong place and are detrimental to the environment. These could be
natural ( a leaf falling in a stream, decaying and causing depletion in
oxygen levels could start a debate!) or man made. In the case of CO2 I think
it should be defined as a pollutant if the levels are raised by man-made
activies outside the known natural range (over what time scale you may
ask?). Not sure what whether it would be if caused naturally by, say, a
forest fire.

Dave

This is the definition of political correctness according to
Dictionary.com
"Of, relating to, or supporting broad social, political, and educational
change, especially to redress historical injustices in matters such as
race,
class, gender, and sexual orientation."

Seems to me that this inspired and very accurate definition , and similar
one in my Chambers Dictionary, entirely miss the way the expression
"politically correct" is most often used nowadays (in my hearing at least) -
that is, to pour scorn on excessively over-zealous attempts to redress such
balances, whether real, perceived or totally imaginary.

Anne

Is CO2 a pollutant? No. It is a naturally occurring (trace) gas.
Is it poisonous? No. (Only at quite high concentrations it becomes
a problem.)

Without it photosynthesis - and thus the very basis of life as we know
it on Earth - would cease to exist.

However, we as humans are starting to become a geological force on the
planet due to massive changes in the land cover and a change in the
chemical composition of the atmosphere at a pace almost unprecedented
in the last couple of millions of years; all due to human activities.

If there were a 'Manual for Planet Earth', the chapter on climate
regulation would probably read: 'The climate is tuned to maximum
comfort for mankind. It is strongly advised to keep your hands away
from the control buttons!' The big question is: 'Do we keep our hands
away from these buttons?' The last evidence from research on climate
change related subjects starts to show that this is at least to some
extent not the case.

Mazzel & broge / kind regards, Evert Wesker
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
http://come.to/wesker (redirect URL, no adv's), or
http://www.euronet.nl/users/e_wesker/