20100531
I have sent this request out to my Biologist and Ecologist friends - this is an open letter to concerned scientists - please reply to solaroof@yahoo.com
I am working in Montreal because of good progress with Sola Roof opportunities both here and in the USA. A few DIY Food Pilot Projects are going forward - so we will have multiple sites (QC, NY, NH, AZ) by the end of the summer. Additionally, there will be a Life Synthesis operational commercial greenhouse project at the farm of Bård Sylling in Norway and likely one other DIY (Do It Yourself) Tunnel Greenhouse project near Oslo. Therefore, we are certainly going to gain much knowledge and inspire greater confidence in the Sola Roof concept for cost effective and highly efficient heating and cooling processes to use low grade energy gain (solar) or loss (to cold sinks) that is capable of sustaining closed atmosphere greenhouse operations at peak insolation in hot climates or during Nordic winter nights. I invite you to participate and to spread the word about our DIY Food campaign, where I have cited the ETC article: "Who will Feed Us".
You may be aware of the presentation of Sola Roof technology next weekend at the Oslo Environmental Festival. We are showcasing the technology in a pavilion that will have a high profile - "Future Living". Please spread the word about this event.
I have a serious question to address to all life science people, I would like to ask you all about the BP Oil Disaster, with reference to my position stated at my Blog - which challenges the strategy of using toxic chemical dispersants at the well-head, where BP is capable of injecting at the source, and is understood to be directly mixing toxic chemical dispersants with the crude oil flow. We know the quantity of these chemicals is vast - one third of the world's supply has been acquired. Also there is a lack off ongoing disclosure as to the quantities of these chemicals being used. The key issue that I would like to confront - perhaps you can help me to verify this position scientifically - is that reporters (CNN and others) and BP officials (right up to the COO and CEO) are quoted as saying the the resulting toxic mix of crude and dispersant will be "degraded by bacteria" - it is claimed that the toxic soup will be rendered harmless by the natural action of biota of the ocean ecosystem.
My intuition and general knowledge of the toxicity of the dispersants and the blow-out of crude oil and gases from deep reservoirs is that these substances will only kill living organisms of any kind and that dispersants have a biocide action even at great dilution. These materials are not reduced in toxicity as they dilute and are not metabolized by any known bacteria (there may be some efforts to find these bacteria or create GM bacteria with such capability) and that the claims that natural bioprocesses will breakdown the toxins are pseudoscience intended to placate the public opinion. If this issue is not clear and a you cannot state unequivocally that my position is correct, then is it possible that exposure tests can be conducted by UMB or University of Oslo or the marine research agencies of the Norwegian government. I believe that it is very important to know the truth so that over the months ahead (I believe it will be many months before the blow-out is stopped) the world's oceans can be protected as far as possible. I fear a dead Gulf of Mexico and an Atlantic ecosystem collapse could result from this disaster. Far better that early action is taken for containment that is effect as possible to isolate the damage.
America in the circumstances is not going to do what is best for the world but will try to minimize local impact without consideration of the global picture. You guys all know more people in the ocean science domain then I do - please use your networks to get answers quick as possible.
Regards, Richard