Dr Strangelove … and scary AGW solutions

At www.physorg.com/print228124344.html …. ideas to combat the rise in levels of co2 in the atmosphere and in the oceans are beginning to feature some Dr Strangelove kind of ideas – and one of them is adding iron filings to the oceans. The threat of global warming, they think, is good reason to tinker with ecological systems – in the air we breathe and the water that feeds us with its bounty. Luckily, a few other scientists are getting worried something crazy will be set in motion, and a bit of research into the oceans is in order. This has miraculously appeared, as if on cue – a paper that enjoyed the lavish funding AGW receives for largely irrelevant studies but on this occasion useful by its timing. Apparently, the kind of species living in iron rich sea bottom regions differs markedly from those in regions free of iron (which is probably a bit obvious but never mind) hence, by adding iron to the oceans will have the effect of encouraging certain species at the expense of others. It is not said if it will actually decrease the amount of co2 in the oceans – only that adding iron might be harmful. The environmentalists have not previously been too bothered about unintended consequences – just so long as the green agenda is adhered to. Chopping down pristine tropical forest in order to create plantations of palm oil destined for the European biofuels market is okay, it seems, or erecting wind turbines that decimate raptors and bats and send people in earshot crazy with the background whine – well, that's okay as well, but … adding iron filings is apparently not such a good idea (not that tons of iron filings are likely to make a lot of difference anyway). There are a lot of whacky green ideas out there designed to thwart co2 and frogmarch politicians in thrall to the cliff edge – and us along with them.