Guest essay by Eric Worrall
Scientific American thinks construction of President Trump’s border wall will dangerously exacerbate climate change.
Trump’s Wall Could Cause Serious Environmental Damage
The effects of building a massive concrete wall range from increased emissions to blocked wildlife migration routes.
…
And climate activists say that President Trump’s border wall with Mexico and other efforts to keep people out represent a backward effort to stem a tide of migration that would be better addressed at its source: in places where climate impacts are already happening.
Trump, though, had one response yesterday, as he announced an executive order that fulfills his campaign promise to build a border wall: “Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders, gets back its borders.”
Environmental activists say there’s already plenty of evidence that a border wall, beyond the existing fencing that runs along large portions of the border, would be an expensive and potentially damaging climate mistake.
“In terms of climate adaptation, building a border wall is an act of self-sabotage,” said Dan Millis, a program manager with the Sierra Club’s Borderlands project. “And the reason I say that is we’re already seeing wildlife migrations blocked with the current walls and fences that have already been built. We have hundreds of these walls that were built without dozens of environmental protections.”
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Read more: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/trumps-wall-could-cause-serious-environmental-damage/
Words fail me.
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Climate and Environmental Activists are saying this? So it must be true. Scientific American should publish their sources of these comments so we can pin point the origin of stupidity. These idiots need to be held accountable for spreading more junk science.
Just being the Devil’s Advocate here…..
We in Canada, along the TransCan Hiway, thro the Rocky Mtn. parks, had so much road-kill that they fenced-off the Hi’way. Notwithstanding the fact that they installed the occasional over-bridge for migratory/transitioning wildlife (not well adopted, if I remember correctly) there is now apparently genetic evidence of the impact of such a barrier in terms of divergent evolution of more-or-less separated herds.
Just saying …..
And, to follow up, if one views the whole topic thro’ the lens of migratory movement, are the Mexicans not trying to re-establish hereditary territory long-since lost to the land-grasping Americans?
My casual observation is that they’re well on their way to achieving that goal … too late to bolt the stable-door?
In haste to go and hide in my bunker, incognito ……
It’s part of the Coudenhove-Kalergi plan. Enhance globalization by mongrelizing humanity through migration and cross-breeding.
Where is “cognito?” Is it near aguanga?
“fthoma2014 January 27, 2017 at 8:07 pm
It’s part of the Coudenhove-Kalergi plan. Enhance globalization by mongrelizing humanity through migration and cross-breeding.”
Better than inter-breeding ancient Egyptian style.
Your information must be old. The have motion sensor cameras on the crossing and they are regularly used by ungulates/bears/wolves/Cougars and lots of other little critters. They adapted well to the overpass types. Not as well in the tunnel types But they work.
You ought to visit Langtree, Texas, so you can get a sense of what it’s like before writing a comment about “herds”. I remember sitting by the Rio Grande with my children watching the illegals wade the river and walk into the bushes. Most of them are caught eventually, but I don’t recall seeing any herds in the area, other than domestic cattle. I suppose there’s deer and coyotes crossing back and forth, but I wouldn’t worry if somehow Mexican deer started looking a bit more Mexican or whatever.
Don’t take biologists’words without a dose of salt. The discipline is not as bad as social science in that it has science in it but it has been corrupted in the same way by “progressive” justification of means by the planned ends. Some, like Jim Steele, held firmly on to ethical objective standards. For most, Paul Ehrlich is the poster boy.
On the TransCanada Highway through Banff National Park, there are 44 wildlife crossing structures (6 overpasses and 38 underpasses) and 82 km (51 miles) of highway fencing. That’s about 1 crossing every 2 km, and they are well-used by wildlife. Even some birds use the crossings, which are designed to look and feel natural. It’s certainly better than roadkill, not to mention that it’s safer for the humans too.
Don’t take biologists’words without a dose of salt. The discipline is not as bad as social science in that it has science in it but it has been corrupted in the same way by “progressive” justification of means by the planned ends. Some, like Jim Steele, held firmly on to ethical objective standards. For most, Paul Ehrlich is the poster boy. Although those under 50 may not know they were brainwashed in university.
Let’s look on the bright side climate alarmists, the more illegal aliens America deports the lower our carbon emissions will be and since most of the countries these people come from have much lower standards of living their personal carbon emissions will be greatly reduced so it’s a win-win in the fight against man made global warming.
I am absolutely sure that once President Trump is informed that climate alarmists are claiming that building a wall will impact the climate he will abandon the wall – yep absolutely sure.
What a bunch of baloney.
I wonder what they think a city looks like to migratory wildlife? Are all the acres and acres of buildings not in effect, a wall? How about highways? Railroads? Even farmland looks like a wall to a lot of wildlife (though just like a buffet to other wildlife). And what, pray tell, do they think a field of solar panels or two upon row of windmills looks like to wildlife?
If we were going to be governed by what walls do to wildlife, we’have no cities, no long distance transportation, and no food.
Oh, and my understanding has always been that most of the border with Mexico is the Rio Grande. Frankly, that’s pretty problematic in terms of building a wall or even a fence. But is there a lot of wildlife (other than what can fly over both a river and a fence) that migrates across the Rio Grande?
(Yes, that’s a serious question)
And what of the Trans Texas Corridor scheme? That would have prevented even farmers/ranchers from moving their machinery/cattle from one of their fields on one side to another of their fields on the other side. I wonder if anyone raised any alarm about animal migration in that case?
Coyotes and other animals have adapted wonderfully to suburbia homes in the southwest. They love eating dogs, for example. Deer populations in suburbs and cities in the Northeast are now higher in some places than in the countryside where I live. No hunters in those places, lots of roads and barriers and fences but the deer just hop right over these.
Takes at least a 9 ft fence to stop mule deer. I had an 8 ft but they jumped over that flat-footed (they had incentive—I was after them). At 9 feet, so far, so good. I may need to go to 10 ft if they figure out how to clear the current one. Out-rigging also slows them down—a fence with a second one or two wires 3 feet out from the first. Makes them jump both up and over at two heights. That’s worked for about two years now. Keeping deer out is an expensive proposition. A nine foot fence is not cheap. Plus, you have to maintain the fence because one opening and they never forget.
These deer are hunted (by me and others) but the allowed number of permits is lower and bucks only now. People have no idea what damage deer do. They just see Walt Disney (who lied about everything wildlife). It’s very scary. (Note: I was here first—the deer are the interlopers.)
If the border wall is not ten feet or more, the deer may not care, assuming any are actually migrating.
The solution is to build this much shorter wall. We’ll also get the Baja which should pay for it.
http://i.imgur.com/HlnwnVD.jpg
Of course, you’d want to bring water to the Baja. The Columbia River has an outflow of 2 million gallons per second. US consumption is 1,000 gallons per person per day. So it could supply 170 million people.
http://www.nwcouncil.org/media/23981/columbiariver.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/zpnOV39.jpg
BTW, the aqueduct could generate $60 billion/yr in water bills to pay off the construction loans (hey, China has lots of money) assuming $15/month/person (household average water bill in the US is $30/month) and assuming non-residential users pay an equal amount per person (they actually use 90% of the water but at a tenth the rate). If this is a trillion dollar project, it could be paid off with interest in 20 years. Ain’t statistics grand?
Thanks for the reminder.
Hey, can I insert images?
[img]http://i.imgur.com/HlnwnVD.jpg[/img]
[Not that way, just put the URL in without brackets or tags -mod]
Rubbish
Maybe they should just mine the border then, and to depth that stops them from digging tunnels as well.
That would be a good idea except for those damn humanitarians.
Possibly Trumps wall will need some catflaps…
Cats climb. 🙂
Beyond belief but not surprised right. I had a brilliant personal moment when I stopped debating the Left and started treating them with contempt. Rushing to see my hard left older brother in 1989 after the wall came down in the country of our birth I was prepared for a tiny bit of crow eating. Instead he looked out over the Pacific and said quietly into the distance “and that is why I believe the government should control the economy” I almost tumbled off the balcony to my demise. I left his home completely gob smacked and free of the belief that he was intelligent.
We have said it many times… AGW has become a cult with these folks. It hasn’t been about science in forever. Jim Jones would have loved this stuff.
Never give up your brother…
Not to worry. Have not given him up just not looking up to him as I once did. Today he lives high in the mountains hurling down t hunderbolts mainly about climate change on the great unwashed. Of which I am happy to be one.
So Madonna’s unconditional love for the lost will work? People make choices. They have to live by them. I will not bail out stupid people, whether I share their DNA or not.
So concerned about wildlife, except when it’s for Cuisinart windmills. Hypocrites.
Further proof that Global Warming is used as a vehicle for every cause the radical left has.
Controlling illegal immigration makes climate change worse.
This one is a keeper, just like Feminist Glaciology.
Whenever someone on the left complains about “bringing politics into science”, slap them in the face with this.
TonyL January 27, 2017 “Controlling illegal immigration makes climate change worse. Whenever someone on the left complains about “bringing politics into science”, slap them in the face with this.”
As if any liberal would actually hear and understand this message
Politics entered science when super politician for life Al Gore started creating propaganda for the cause.
who needs architects and concrete when there’s
http://www.voestalpine.com/stahl/en/Products/Products/Metallurgical-materials/Slag-products/(access)/mobile
A popular additive, improves performance and cuts down heat of hydration that can lead to cracking in large pours. The Romans had the right idea with pozzolan, probably some in Hadrian’s wall.
Good fences (or walls) make for good neighbors. And in this case, the taller the fence (or wall) the better the relationship between the US and Mexico will be.
That line in the poem is intended as irony.
It missed it’s mark then.
It’ll be carbon neutral after you factor in the fact Air Force 1 won’t be jetting off to a climate change summit every other weekend.
I remember when the Governor of Colorado put up a snow fence along the continental divide, his theory was to provide more snowpack on the eastern side for water, etc. I think it was gov, Love…
This is the only thing I could find – Ref:
http://www.independencepass.org/projects-removing-snow-fences.htm
What mass animal migration?
Buffalo? Caribou? Polar Bears? Elk? Reindeer?
I don’t think so..
The ONLY animal invasion that will be thwarted by The Wall is of the illegal alien human variety..
The Great Wall of China is often termed “a fantastic architectural and engineering wonder”. It is a work of art and a global tourist attraction.
The Great Wall of Mexico (since they are paying for most of it we should be gracious enough to name it after them) should match the majesty of the great wall on the other side of the world. I suggest that the existing 1% for art, from all federal projects, be diverted to the wall project; then call the Great Wall of Mexico an artistic and architectural wonder.
Over time finish out the entire wall as “walkable”, and even build it through the rough terrain (similar to the China version). The tourist walkers could then observe the many wildlife migrations in person, without disturbing said wildlife. The route from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico could also be ADA accessable.
Wall sponsorships (private or commercial) can be peddled at $5,000 per foot. Tower sponsorships (similar to the China wall “towers”) can be had for $200,000 (plus annual retainer).
We got art, we got eco-tourism, we got “walkable”, wonderful architecture, handicapped friendly, income generation, reality tv races from coast to gulf. We got it all.
If border walls create “increased emissions,” then the Great Wall of China must produce an awfully large amount. How come environmentalists don’t tell China: “Tear down this wall!”
“Tower sponsorships (similar to the China wall “towers”) can be had for $200,000 (plus annual retainer).”
‘Trump Towers’…
DonM
“The tourist walkers could then observe the many wildlife migrations in person, without disturbing said wildlife.”
“The tourist walkers could then observe the many wildlife migrations in person, and buy permits to throw wet sponges, or something, at them.”
Better – and more income . . ..
Auto
Just when you think they’ve run out of CAGW claims…….
Perhaps DJT should call it a pest-exclusion wall. Australia has the longest fence in the world stretching over 2000 miles to keep rabbits, emus and other pests out of the pastoral areas of Western Australia since 1907. Google rabbit proof fence. I have not seen a word on it that it affects climate in that time. But you could get some funds to research the issue if you applied.
BTW, A superb movie, Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0252444/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Actually it does a great job of keeping dingos and rabbits on one side from mixing with dingos and rabbits on the other side.
(And no , dingos are NOT native to Australia, they are an imported species that came with the first migrants about 60-70 thousand years ago)
Dabbits and ringos?
Can someone explain why young guys leave scool to migrate north when there’s already enough VW, Audi, Ford suppliers and Final assembly plants in Mexico.
Lack of local telenovelas?
The decline and fall of SciAm to the extent that it is barely distinguishable from Mad Magazine is very sad. I am old enough to remember when it was a serious publication and with my fellow nerdy friends, looked forward to reading it when it came in the mail
SciAm, Mad Magazine. I read them both avidly as an adolescent.
Chuck L., how dare you insult a quality publication like Mad Magazine by comparing it to Scientific American!!!!
The magazine that brought us:
The Towering Sterno
Star Blech!
Spy vs. Spy, and on the very rare occasion, Spy vs. Spy vs. Spy
(lol)
Don’t forget it brought us ‘What Me Worry’!
Trump just wants to keep good climate in and bad climate out. Watt’s Wrong With That?™