In 1946, the Marshall Islands seemed very close for many Australians. They feared the imminent launch of the US’s atomic testing program on Bikini Atoll might split the earth in two, catastrophically change the earth’s climate, or produce earthquakes and deadly tidal waves.
A map accompanying one report noted Sydney was only 3,100 miles from ground zero. Residents as far away as Perth were warned if their houses shook on July 1, “it may be the atom bomb test”.
Radiation poisoning, birth defects, leukaemia, thyroid and other cancers became prevalent in exposed Marshallese, at least four islands were “partially or completely vapourised”, the exposed Marshallese “became subjects of a medical research program” and atomic refugees. (Bikinians were allowed to return to their atoll for a decade before the US government removed them again when it was realised a careless error falsely claimed radiation levels were safe in 1968.)
In late 1947, the US moved its operations to Eniwetok Atoll, a decision, it was argued, to ensure additional safety. Eniwetok was more isolated and winds were less likely to carry radioactive particles to populated areas.
Australia’s economic stake in the atomic age from 1954 collided with the galvanisation of global public opinion against US testing in Eniwetok. The massive “Castle Bravo” hydrogen bomb test in March exposed Marshall Islanders and a Japanese fishing crew on The Lucky Dragon to catastrophic radiation levels “equal to that received by Japanese people less than two miles from ground zero” in the 1945 Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic blasts. Graphic details of the fishermen’s suffering and deaths and a Marshallese petition to the United Nations followed.
They already fucked over the Florida Keys along with other invasive pets that got released like iguanas, curly tailed skinks, and the fucking snakes in the everglades.
That is super cool, and is certainly exciting news for the fight against climate change. I just learned the other day that Venus suffered a massive climate change with the build up of CO2 that is the reason why it is how it is today; and I’d hate to think of the earth suffering a similar fate.
Li’s team has also designed a refrigerator-sized fuel cell that uses a liquefied version of the stored power. That could produce electricity for homes, he said, and “nothing goes into the atmosphere.”
If the powder does not release anything into the environment then this could actually be carbon negative?
I’m assuming they’re referring to a closed carbon loop instead of the current open one. If we reduce greenhouse gasses to a reasonable level then extract as much CO2 as we input, there’s really no issue.
When major wind patterns change due to climate disruption it can make deserts wet and warm places very cold. I think northern Europe could be in for a shock if they started getting weather like northern Canada has at the same latitude.
Boundaries only scratched the surface of the complaints many St. Johnians have expressed regarding the parks. Congresswoman Plaskett listened to accounts from several residents, including Lorelei Monsanto, who insinuated that the National Park Service has wrongfully claimed land belonging to their families. “They still owe us 300 acres of land,” stated Ms. Monsanto, who explained that her mother had successfully sued the NPS to recover some of the family's property. “The park has stolen and still needs to give us back the land they stole."
Raymond Roberts, who said that his family on St. John could be traced back five generations, revealed that his family is currently in court with the National Park Service over land that had been in his family for centuries. “How could they own all property that four generations before me have been living on?” Mr. Roberts asked. According to him, upon the death of his grandmother in 2004, the matter was thought to have been settled, but as another resident revealed, the NPS requested that the case be reopened, and “insists on fighting them for their property.”
Abigail Hendricks, the resident in question, also raised concerns over increasing property taxes on “landlocked” land within the National Park’s boundaries. “So then all of a sudden, now my land tax has gone way up because I'm a part of the National Park,” she complained. She detailed land access issues, saying that several roads to access owned properties within the park have been blocked off. “How do you block me from getting to my property, but the government expects us to still pay for it?” asked Ms. Hendricks. That question was met with rousing applause.
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