Forest Harvesting; Comparison of American Style and Sri-Lankan Style

I was bit inquisitive why there are so many tornadoes and hurricanes in America.

I just went to Google Earth and had a little peep from above of Americas’ West and East.

There is hardly any different of tree cover of the land.
Mostly farmland and build up areas.
That did not give me a clue to the state of the forest cover.
Then I went and searched deforestation.

American harvested the 90% of the land in 70 years from 1850 to 1920.

Entire East was covered with Forest and fair proportion of the West was covered with primary forest.

The deforestation continued to this century and America now has mainly secondary forest covering 10% of the land.

American knew that the CO2 problem started around 1920 and continues even today due to their exploitation of fossil fuel.

Did they tell the truth to the world?
Big No.

In Sri-Lanka we had 90% forest cover until around 1850 and British started deforestation for coffee and tea cultivation.

By the time they left in 1948 forest cover was over 60% but before they left they pass a law prohibiting encroachment of Crown Land.

From 1948 to 2000 we have decimated another 40 percent especially after 1970.

We are now below the minimal threshold of 22% to maintain our rivers.

This land now can be called President’s Land instead of Crown Land and the development goes on.

When the thermal power plant is operational we will be approaching 10% level which is the cut off point for desert classification.

Acid rain will do the rest even we stop cutting to Zero.

Then we can say we are better than America in case of deforestation and go for an IMF loan.

Very soon we will be no different from Dubai.

Regards to American tornadoes and hurricanes trees act as a wind breaks and control the water cycle better.

They should reforest America back to 1920 or continue to have this cycle every year.

Problem is there is no country rich American can go to avoid hurricanes since rest of the world is no better including China.

This is what I call the development of the Earth Crisis.

The prediction that world ends in 1912 should be rephrased that irreversible loss of biodiversity is in full swing from now onwards.

We Sri-Lanksn will be drilling oil with Indian help till sun goes down.

The cycle of destruction has begun and it is irreversible unless there is global consensus.

Next biggest crisis will be food crisis and that will be worse than 1973 (due to oil crisis and poor foreign balance) since this time it is related to failure of rain and land becoming dessert.

We are at a cliff edge.

Problem is politicians obsessed with development and energy do not want to see that in that way.

We have no plan for food security but have big plans for 100% energy supply which we will never achieve.

Children who are born today will see the consequences but we do not even have a population plan.

Filed under: Environment, Warning, Weather, Wind Breaks Tagged: | Wind Breaks

Fossils Fuels, Coal Power and Physical Performance of Children

I was not at all interested in writing anymore about the coal power plant and its medical consequences until I read the article on New England Journal of Medicine quite fortuitously.

I was doing some search on the evolutionary behaviour of a professional cell called macrophage (which is somewhat similar to an amoeba but ten times smaller). My interest was to gather some information to update a lecture on pigmentation (another brief article in the offing how the skin colour develops in Zebra Fish and Humans) and how these cells acquire pigments in the evolutionary ladder. Three weeks of search in the web was a failure. Web provides the information in a random way and reviews are noted for their absence. I had to resort to an old book in the library and a famous one too. The book on haematology by Wintrobe (1974) provided me with some of the clues and I was on my way in the right course.

But then when I looked at the weekly update (on the 6th of July) of the journal mentioned above there is an article on the effect of fossil fuels on the lung function of children from Leicester (not far from Sheffield).

The cells they studied were the professional cell I was talking about a little while ago. It is called a Macrophage because it is a big eater. It takes all the debris (particle pollutants) that reaches the lung and neutralizes them by ingesting them.

As medical students we were made to believe that carbon is an inert substance and do not elicit any adverse reaction from the cells (macrophages) once sequestrated within them and they remain their eternally doing no harm. Furthermore the pathologists would show us a baby’s (at post-mortem) lungs without any black pigmentation and an adult with all the black carbon pigments spread over lungs. At that time they were not talking about nanoparticles and various formations of carbon particles extending up to 60 to 100 atoms.

The researches showed the effect of carbon pigment on the cells (macrophages) and their increase in number and the relationship with the Lung Capacity and the Lung Function of Children. There was statistically significant reduction in both indices. The nanoparticles seem to incite the macrophages to release chemical mediators which now we call chemokines to adversely affect the lung function of children.

It is timely to look back on the great pace baller’s career (Freddie Trueman) in retrospect and his untimely death with cancer. Trueman would have continued balling for more years if he was not exposed to the coal as a child (fossil fuel and cigarettes much later). It is time for the cricketers and scientists (with knowledge and wisdom) to go hand in hand.
We should dedicate any further research to that of the memory of Trueman perhaps named as Freddie Foundation.

Little diversion before I end this precise. Even the much talked about cholesterol (essential ingredient in cell) does not do any harm to the cell. It is the oxidized form of this cholesterol within the macrophage that does cause the damage. Oxidized form of the cholesterol causes macrophage to release a battery of mediators of disease which include atherosclerosis and many more.

Global warming, Coal Power and the Port of Call

The port of call for Thaprobane in another half a century perhaps may be closer to Gampaha or near about! This was a prediction I made in 1989 on the dark days of violence and mayhem.

I was working for an internal organization and my commitment to them was round the clock especially because of the then prevailing conditions and for my recuperations I dropped into their small library when ever I had free time. Fortunately I was working with young and middle age adults and they were healthy. Apart from their children’s illnesses and an occasional call for a delivery (child birth) or an acute appendix I was relatively free. Unfortunately for me the foreign consultants especially Americans needed up to date medical information and I did not have simple medical books to  give them and I decided to order some books on Tropical Medicine. When I received them they did not have enough and relevant information for Sri-Lanka. Japanese B Encephalitis, snake venoms and many other trivial things. There was nothing on those topics in the books I received.Finally I decided to write an introductory note for all the visiting consultants and the management was pleased to see that I was so inclined.

I forged ahead with my secondary intentions not declared as such i.e. reading all American publications including Scientific American which I loved more than the medical journals. It was like fish back in calm waters and reading for leisure was something I cherished during the dark days of internal violence(1989. Fun while on the job was quite unexpected.

No sooner I got bored I picked up a non medical book and in one of these sporadic episodes I happen to find a book with contour maps of Sri-Lanka. My first perusal was the contours of the North and East where LTTE was dominating and then the Western Coast where the politicians of the South were dominating. The gut reaction and aberration in mind of some significance was enough to lead to new frontiers. I got the librarian who happened to be one my wife’s friends to photocopy several of those contour maps. There after I went home and coloured them according to the elevation from the sea. My finding lead to the above prediction with a certain level of rise in sea level the land would be encroached by certain distance and ultimately at a certain level of see rise the port of call would be nearer to Gampaha with Colombo completely submerged. I cannot remember the figures since the notes were thrown away subsequently but the punch lines remained in my mind.

For the same reasoning the 90% of the land controlled by LTTE would be under water and it is an aberration of history in the making. Thanks to tsunami now that all Sri-Lankan including the LTTE are aware of the might of the ocean and Water Power the punch line resurfaced with Coal Power Plant in the offing and Water Day celebrated recently. All of us fear the sea and the LTTE is especially investing considerable amount of resources on sea faring because of this awareness.

That brings me to the point of relevant discussion of global warming and the contribution of coal power to that scenario. There is direct and indirect link of CO2 with global warming and coal power plant and vehicles produce excess of CO2 that cannot be mopped up readily by the photosynthesizing plants. Small island countries like ours would be better off asking bigger countries to cut down on coal power. The irony is we go for coal power not only one unit but two on the trot.

Very clever aren’t they?

The historical fact would be that the grand children of the present day planners would face the curse of the raging sea.

Tsunami that comes asunder in waves would pale into insignificance with the magnitude of the rising sea with melting of ice from the polar caps.

A recent study and a prediction differ with the earlier estimates of the sea level rise by five times. What the prediction states is that not only surface warming but the warming sea currents have an effect in magnitude much more than surface warming. In the not so distant future we are going to experience catastrophes of nature not experienced before.

The freaks weathers we are experiencing are partly the result of global warming and even though pointing a finger is difficult for most scientists some of them are becoming vociferous and alarmed. These changes are irreversible and if the mankind is not going to heed wiser counsel and become proactive much more calamities would ensue. Ad hoc environmental advice is counter productive in the long run especially in terms of energy policies.

Coal Power-Ecological Disaster

Most of my long term predictions had come true and I may not live long enough (but my great grand children would) to see the effects of my present predictions.

One of my predictions in the past was that introducing science in Sinhala medium was a disaster. I was not even 14 years then. The fact that I have to write this piece is an example of that prediction. It is somebody else who should be writing this certainly not me. It should be a bioscientist. But biologists of note are few in this country.

Another prediction was that the introduction of private practice to health sector individuals (while still remaining within the system and having best of both worlds) would make irreparable damage to the system and was a lack of social responsibility of then health planners. I have no objections to anybody doing full time private practice (not part time as it is now). It is bad for both systems. That is my point and I do not want to delve into that anymore.

The present prediction is an ecological one and it is about the planned Coal Power Plant. It is an ecological disaster of the highest (first) order not only to the Norochcholai people but to all Sri-Lankans. I would be brief but someday should write a detail article illustrating the points that I have failed to cover in this short content.

Historical facts about Niagara River, Niagara Falls and the hydroelectric power projects are good eye openers to our energy planners. There is a unique two part hydroelectric generating system on the United States side of the falls. Water is diverted from the river before the falls to make a man-made river to feed a power plant. The second part of the power project at night pumps water from Niagara into a reservoir and held until morning when energy demand rises. The pumps are reversed and become generators as the water from the reservoirs is released. These dual purpose hydroelectric power plants illustrate economy of policies and water management without disrupting the ecological sensitivities. A treaty signed by Canada and the United states allows both countries to generate electricity from the river. It guarantees that half of the normal volume of water is allowed to go over Niagara Falls during the day so that the falls still look spectacular to the visitors. During the night and throughout the winter, the generating stations get to use the three quarters of the river’s volume of water.

Why can’t our planners think in similar lines as regard to the feasibility of similar alterations to the project (upper Kotmale)instead of having the dam right across a natural fall?

It beats me. It is simply because of lack of knowledge and foresight.

Coming back to Coal Power plants I start with some medical points. In 1952 in England heavy smog in London and suburbs caused severe asthma attacks, car accidents due to poor visibility and many deaths (due to respiratory illnesses). All these were related to the air pollution and coal power plants were the major contributor. Very same problem is now evident in major cities of China. The energy demands have increased exponentially world over and the demand is going to go up irrespective of any aggressive planning. It will not improve for a foreseeable future and ad hoc planning in this century would cause irreparable ecological catastrophes. Until population growth is checked, current trends in energy demand would continue and any targets perceived would be unachievable.
When one enters Colombo from Kandy the smog that one sees near Kalaniya power plant is a good example how a small thermo plant is contributing to city pollution. The other contributory factor is the exhaust fumes emitted by all vehicles. When in Kandy if one looks at the sky from Peradeniya the gloom that hangs over the sky in Kandy in the morning is another example how a provincial city is experiencing the same problem in a different magnitude. Incidentally there is an increase of asthma especially in children in Kandy and this is probably related to air pollution (exhaust from vehicles). We in Sri-Lanka and India have the policy of subsidizing the diesel (the polluter) at the expense of petrol. Encouraging pollution is a firm policy of our energy planners and successive governments have encourages this for political reasons but not for economic reasons. Unfortunately the car owners have to pay the penalty for the polluter.

Contrasting style of governance and hypocrisy (also of stupidity) of our planners and experts is self evident. Eco-principles are only on paper and during election campaigns and quickly forgotten thereafter.

One reason we don’t have a Green Party in this country is due to lack of proper scientific training especially in bioscience. Majority of the top level students take up medicine and only a few would take up bioscience with interest We do not have a course in environment science of high (world) quality in any of the universities in Sri-Lanka. By training our children only in Swabaha mediums all successive governments have produced poor quality scientists in this country. The books they are reading are 30 years old. The fact that our banana growers are injecting urea into the stem of the banana flower is the result of this anomaly.

Coming back to the Coal Power, with one monsoon the pollutants from the power plant would be to be blown inwards. The other monsoon will take the pollution to South Indian cities. The monsoons blowing the pollutants all over the world who is responsible for the air pollution worldwide?

Nobody knows.

Who would predict the outcome to our health status?

Nobody except the poor patients with asthma and emphysema would predict.

These patients would witness an increase in the recurrences of their illnesses and debility.

There is lack of concern for the neighbours when it comes to Asian Economic Principles. The Sethusundaram Project is an example when India hurriedly started the project without adequate safeguards (with an election in Sri-Lanka around the corner). Now they cannot make any protest over coal plant since they have not developed mutual trust and economic corporations as seen with Canada and America. This is the problem with Asians neighbours except perhaps China.

The devastating effect on the inland lakes is my primary concern. Nobody can exactly predict how much damage would occur in ten years but one thing is certain it is not going to be any better than what is now. The acid rain would destroy remaining ecological systems especially the rain forest already damaged by felling and tea plantations. The rains would fail and the hydroelectric power also would fail in the long run. The coal power plant is counter productive to the hydroelectric power plants. We will have to sacrifice one sources of power in the long run and sadly it is the ecofriendly hydroelectric power (hydroelectric power is also not full proof ecologically). Even though there will be a slight increase in power generation over short period of time on long term outlook is for the worse. We will never be able to satisfy self sufficiency in power needs with the current rate of population expansion however good our plans may be. Beyond 60% self sufficiency in energy is going to be counter productive in many ways. Whether one is using coal or nuclear energy (both are irreplaceable) the energy production is going to be unsustainable in the long run.

Renewable energy source is the only solution in the long run and why we are not tapping solar power is a mystery?

We should protect the hydroelectric power generation but should not cripple it with short term plans. Lack of enough power sources should not be used as a counter argument to destroy the remaining rain forests. Water is the life line of all Sri-Lankans. Water is the primary resource of our historic living style and power projects are only secondary. If the rains fail everything else in Sri-Lanka will fail whether we have electricity or not.

We cannot eat electricity for our hunger.

The coal power plant is going to have permanent effect on our rain forest and the water reservoirs (tanks).We lived without power for centuries and present craze of uncontrolled modernization is a total madness of our energy economists and strategists. They see power (energy) as a merchandisable commodity and not a service.

The acid rain that falls on the Pollonnaruwa and Anuradhapura will do the same destruction the Sphinx of Egypt suffered in no time. The Gal Vihara and the rocks will erode faster and the Ruwanwali Saya would be covered in black soot. It is a waste of having an Archaeological Department. For what reason they preserve the artifacts if they are going to be destroyed by the mad-made elements produced by the Coal Power Plant.

They would come out with plans to minimize the emissions. The key word is minimizing the pollutants but they can never eliminate them totally and effects are cumulative and they come in small doses. But the effect is the same and destructive. I do not like to go into technical side somebody else should do that for me. But they are only talking at the production time but nothing about transportation and the pollution it causes in transport and storage. The type of coal that is coming is not pure as diamond (is the crystal carbon) and there are many forms of carbon atoms and some of them are very harmful to the lungs. Coastal line and the seaside will not be golden and the houses would be covered in black soot in no time.

I had been living in a mining village and I have seen the coal fires, coal mines and the Coal Power Plants in my own eyes and nothing of this is an exaggeration. I spent three or four times in my bills (for the cost of my heating) as compared to the miners since I could not tolerate the air with the smell of coal. I always have a soft corner for the Yorkshire miners whose children were my patients and they were the nicest of people to befriend.

But I would like to finish with an item that nobody else has gone into detail. The Coal Board that would be formed to import the coal from abroad would be the most corrupt institution even before it is formed. It would be more corrupt than the Paddy Marketing Board. Why do I say so? It is simple.

Successive governments could not run an important board like Paddy Marketing Board and how can they run (in white suits and in air conditioned rooms) a Coal Board?

The point I am going to get at is simple. There will be 50% pilfering of coal before it reaches the target audience. Coal does not come in gunny bags like paddy and neither do they come in sealed containers. They are transported in open wagons and people start pilfering them from every storage site. The gas is expensive and the fire wood is hard to come by the people will realize its fire power (coal) soon and use coal for domestic activities and later on commercial activities. The Poll Kato irons will die a natural death and coal irons will take over.  Even our (who ever who are still in service) local blacksmiths will find coal attractive. There will be a side industry providing services to the people and pilfering is going to be a lucrative trade. With marketing wheeler dealing (with open market economic principles in operation) the actual turnover of coal to electricity would be only 30% or less and the Minister in Charge will be an important man. There are also other dark sides of coal which involve officials which I do not intend to go into that in case I am violating professional ethics.