Originally Posted by Reef Pilot
I have always considered myself an environmentalist, because I love nature, whether it is hiking in the back country, or snorkeling in a tropical reef. But I don't like the extremists who want to not just regulate or protect, but stop all development, and seem to be more politically motivated, than true science based.
I once met and had the opportunity to talk to Al Gore, many years ago, when he was doing his dinner speech tours. I was quite surprised and very disappointed at his lack of knowledge of the underlying science associated with many of his popular global warning examples that he would use, especially when it came to Canada. He was great at picking up a headline and using it in a speech, without checking any facts. But when questioned (and caught), he would not engage, and like any politician, would just try to change the subject.
Don't know much about Snorkel Bob (just see his business tours everywhere), but given his business interests and like Al Gore, I suspect that it is not just the environment that he is trying to promote and protect.
Having said all that, I fully support science based based regulations and research that reduce pollution and make our planet a better place to live. I have seen the bad old days with commercial and native overfishing (some of that still happening unfortunately), loggers destroying fish streams, and miners polluting watersheds with their tailings waste. We have come a long ways from that though, and great to see the effort and progress now also with the oil companies to reduce their impact and protect the environment. And I do agree that public opinion has driven governments to implement and enforce the regulations necessary to make this happen.
But we can't go back to the cave man days, as that is what the extremists are really saying, by trying to stop everything. I do believe in sustainable development and we have to continue the research and development to keep moving forward. I believe the world is a better place (not just North America) and people everywhere have a right to try and improve their quality of life. Ironically, the extremists may actually be adding to pollution in the world, by advocating against development and resource extraction in places that are trying to reduce the impact. And indirectly then, they are supporting extraction in areas of the world that do not have the same standards and goals.
As for the reefs, I believe that we need to advance the science to protect them. But again, don't think out and out bans are the answer. The oceans and reefs are vast, and our hobby really should not have any impact. Regulation, though, is definitely necessary to prevent destruction and pillaging of such a sensitive resource. Maybe reef farms are the answer.
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