[Luis Antonio]

I was reading BBC news today, (I guess this specific news is from yesterday edition) and this called my attention:


Arctic orcas highly contaminated
By Paddy Clark
BBC News

Orca, AP
Killer whales suffer because they are at the top of the food chain
Killer whales have become the most contaminated mammals in the Arctic, new research indicates.

Norwegian scientists have found that killer whales - or orcas, as they are sometimes known - have overtaken polar bears at the head of the toxic table.

No other arctic mammals have ingested such a high concentration of hazardous man-made chemicals.

The Norwegian Polar Institute tested blubber samples taken from creatures in Tysfjord in the Norwegian Arctic.

The chemicals they found included pesticides, flame retardants and PCBs - which used to be used in many industrial processes.

Chemical sink

Animals at the top of the food chain are particularly affected, and whales - like polar bears - can reflect the health of the marine environment.

The researchers are particularly worried about the flame retardants, because unlike many other harmful chemicals, some are still legal.

The international environmental group, WWF, says the Arctic has become a chemical sink.

It says the findings dramatically underline the need for European Union ministers to decide on strong legislation when they meet this week.

However, WWF says it fears pressure from the chemicals industry could lead to any new laws being so watered down that they will protect neither the environment nor human health.

The Link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/2/hi/...re/4520104.stm

While many people I know dont give a damn about whales, or penguins or anything that aint flying right under their nose I do. One of the things they teach us in economy is that the signs of danger are everywhere, and if we dont take care of the micro signs everywhere things tend to turn into a massive collapse of the system, sooner or later.

But this also brings me to thinking about the effectiveness of the, for example, Kioto treaty. Or any treaty regarding nature. We cant effectivelly measure polution reduction on countries. We cant allow developing countries *coughBrazilcough* to grow polluting, but will those countries be able to grow without generating extra pollution at first? What do you think about US's position of never signing a treaty but creating his own rules, always indulging its internal industries?

Opinion? Rants? Mild spam on topic?