in Reaganspeak, that just means they'll give hearing aids to whales

[Guest guest]

Concerns about sea critters grow as ocean noise levels increase

 

As the world's shipping traffic more than sextupled between 1948 and

1998, scientists say the oceans' noise levels have increased by some

15 decibels -- and as the impact of decibels is calculated

exponentially, that's nothing to sneeze at. Researchers worry about

the possible threat to many marine organisms that depend on their

sense of hearing to survive. Scientists have speculated for years

about the relationship between marine mammal beachings -- such as the

recent dolphin strandings on Florida's Key West -- and military sonar

blasts. Some researchers believe the " acoustic smog " may also affect

the animals' ability to feed, breed, communicate with each other, and

navigate the waters. Joel Reynolds, Marine Mammal Program director at

the Natural Resources Defense Council, argues for regulating ocean

noise: " We have to treat it like any other form of pollution. "

 

straight to the source: The Standard-Times, Associated Press, Jay

Lindsay, 20 Mar 2005

<http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4608>

 

straight to the source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Debera Carlton

Harrell, 18 Mar 2005

<http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4607>

 

 

Kick over the wall 'cause government's to fall

How can you refuse it?

Let fury have the hour, anger can be power

D'you know that you can use it?