August 31, 2001

2:41 AM

Interview with crew of the International Space Station[realaudio] on BBC's "Today" programme. The crew describe their bird's eye impressions of the environmental damage that mankind is doing to it's biosphere. If Denis Tito can get there, surely we could get Dubya up there to take a look-see for himself...?
posted by blackbeltjones (11 comments total)

Now that would be a real waste of money, sending "W" up there. He'd probably just spot new places to drill. "Ooh, what's that green patch over there?"
posted by Poagao at 2:51 AM on August 31, 2001

A written version of the story is found here, which has links to two Real Audio stories.

Of similar note, a visualization of the global warming trends. It appears the most measured affects are here in North America.
posted by vanderwal at 4:45 AM on August 31, 2001

I'm not seeing what Bush could do about this.

... mostly in developing countries.

In fact the article was about large natural occurences that not one nation can cause. It is disheartening to see the enviroment get damaged but unless someone has a better idea (not using paper or drinking water?) there's not much we can do and still live in the luxury of our modern society. Even with recycling and what not there is still going to be destruction of the enviroment. Humans will die then the earth will repair itself.
posted by geoff. at 4:57 AM on August 31, 2001

that's what terra and landsat-7 are for and the new eo-1! for atmospheric correction :)
posted by kliuless at 7:14 AM on August 31, 2001

astronaut: "mr president, Atlantis at your six"

prezdent: "you can see the of cuba(er) from here, hey dick, tie up that water balloon and bring it yonder"

astronaut two:(in Smithers voice) "that would be the space shuttle Atlantis docking behind you Mr. President"

Burns: "Ahhh, a corsair off the starboard, quickly Smithers get my dingy"........
posted by clavdivs at 7:15 AM on August 31, 2001

but atlantis is cuba!
posted by kliuless at 8:02 AM on August 31, 2001

Since my first flight in 1990 and this flight, I have seen changes[...]

they may not be as informed opinions as someone who's life work is study earth systems, but it's intriguing anecdotal evidence.

from his perch, this astronaut has seen changes in rivers, along with increased wind/dust storms, land usage, deforestation, and smoke (smoke visible from space?!).

some people are moved less by numbers than by images. perhaps gwb is one of those people.

geoff, as the leader of the most consuming country in the world, gwb could have more impact/influence than most individuals. (I wish he would.) no, I don't know what ought to be done, but I hate to be entirely pessimistic.
posted by epersonae at 11:15 AM on August 31, 2001

It just sickens me that nearly every other industrialized nation in the world is trying to come up with alternative power sources while the U.S. takes the tack of drilling in wildlife refuges for a short term fix... I wish our government would fund research much more aggressively to explore conservation, not only for environmental benefits but also because we'll eventually have to switch - and in the interests of national and global economy, we should start looking now.

But clearly the CEO mentality is not ready to do that. Doesn't it seem as though treating a nation like a business has its downside? No wonder other peoples of the world consider Americans to be wasteful and arrogant. I do, too.
posted by mjane at 4:44 PM on August 31, 2001

sending "W" up in space? I thought they stopped sending monkeys up there years ago.
posted by redhead at 7:36 PM on August 31, 2001

heh, reminds me of the "Dan Quayle Diktionary" (or whatever it was called) I got from somebody - some quote from "Dan Quayle" something to the effect of "The President said I could be on the next unmanned voyage to Mars!"
posted by Spirit_VW at 7:37 AM on September 1, 2001