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From: @RUTGERS.ARPA:ALS050%MAINE.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: SILENT RUNNING
Message-ID: <1138@topaz.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 8-Apr-85 10:35:29 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.1138
Posted: Mon Apr  8 10:35:29 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 9-Apr-85 04:22:14 EST
Sender: daemon@topaz.ARPA
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 23

From: ALS050%MAINE.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA  (STEVE JOHNSON)

    THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO MARK LEEPERS ATTACK ON SILENT RUNNING. THE
WHOLE THING IS ACADEMIC , BUT, I JUST COULDN'T STAND BY AND LET A ARGUMENT
OF THAT LENGTH ,BASED ON AN ERRONEOUS ASSUMPTION, OFF SCOTT FREE.
    YES MARK, LIFE COULD EXIST ON EARTH WITHOUT LAND PLANT LIFE.
WATER COVERS ABOUT 7/10THS OF THIS PLANET, AND OCEAN PLANT LIFE (MOSTLY
ALGAE I BELIEVE) PRODUCES ABOUT 70 PERCENT OF OUR OXYGEN. WERE IT LEFT AT
THAT OUR PROBLEM WOULDN'T BE LACK OF OXYGEN (A 30 PERCENT DROP IN THE
PARTIAL PRESSURE OF OXYGEN WOULD NOT BE DANGEROUS TO MOST PEOPLE) BUT THE
INCREASE IN THE PARTIAL PRESSURE OF CO2.
    WHO COULD SAY WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF ALL PLANT LIFE DISAPPEARED?  I HAVE
AN IDEA THOUGH THAT THE OCEAN PLANT LIFE WOULD PICK UP THE SLACK. MORE CO2
AVAILABLE, A GENERAL WARMING TREND (BROUGHT ON BY THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT), AND
AN INCREASE IN THE OCEAN SURFACE AREA (CAUSED BY MELTING POLAR ICE CAPS) WOULD
MAKE OCEAN PLANT LIFE MORE ABUNDANT AND EFFECTIVE. THERE WOULD BE A LOT
OF MAJOR CHANGES ON EARTH BUT HOMO S. WOULD STILL HAVE OXYGEN.
    I'M A CS/MATH PERSON MYSELF , SO THE ABOVE IS BASED ON COMMON SENSE
RATHER THAN A DEEP BIOLOGICAL BACKGROUND. BUT I'M *SURE* THAT IF I HAVE
OVERLOOKED ANYTHING MAJOR THAT SOMEBODY WILL LET ME KNOW ABOUT IT.


P.S. I ENJOYED SILENT RUNNING DESPITE ITS HEAVY EMOTIONAL APPEAL.