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Environment

Greener Exchange Of Information

September 27, 2010 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 88, Issue 39

It is clear from Rudy Baum’s editorials that he is a strong supporter of the anthropogenic global-warming hypothesis. However, instead of just writing about it, perhaps he should begin to take actions to evaluate ways that ACS can decrease its own carbon footprint.

As a first step, it would be highly instructive to evaluate the carbon footprint of the ACS Boston national meeting. If no meeting were held, then the footprint would be notionally zero. Presumably, the actual footprint is rather large. Is this justified? Perhaps it is not.

If the purpose of the meeting is to exchange information, then ACS is expert at techniques for exchanging information that do not require live meetings with all participants physically present. In my view, it is time to back up the rhetoric with action.

Michael Watkins
Cypress, Texas

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