Deep Sea News reports that Planktos is ready to begin dumping iron in international waters. They’ve invested $2 million in their second-rate science. Though a single iron fertilization will probably only have local effects, their idiotic claims of restoration make me see red.
“We’ve done exhaustive research into the data that are available that address all of those questions,” said Coleman. “If we bring back plankton communities to levels they once enjoyed, then how can there be negative effects from that? We are bringing plankton communities back to a baseline.”
When pressed, however, Coleman acknowledged that the “baseline” guiding the company was “unclear.”
In this article, they claim that satellite data shows that plankton is down 10% since the 1970s. On their website, they claim (citing a broken link) that plankton is down 50%. If they’re going to “restore” plankton levels, I hope they know which is correct. But I’m not holding my breath.
For my exhaustive review of Planktos’ claims, go here.
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Thanks for doing such as nice job tracking and tackling this issue. I’ve tried to give it a shot on my blog as well, building on your fine work. Good luck with that vicious sun.
Thanks, Kate! I enjoyed your post as well, especially the gardening bit.
[...] to set off a huge plankton bloom. They’re making so much noise about it that bloggers everywhere and even the New York Times is paying attention. It’s exactly what we don’t [...]