Study Indicates That Autos Are Only A Portion Of The Green House Gas Problem

BANGKOK, Thailand --As delegates to a climate conference here debate how to reduce greenhouse gases, one of the problems -- and a possible solution -- lies in the rice fields that cover much of Thailand, the rest of Asia and beyond.

Methane emissions from flooded rice paddies contribute to global warming just as coal-fired power plants, automobile exhausts and other sources do with the carbon dioxide they spew into the atmosphere.

In fact, the report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change meeting this week in Bangkok concludes that rice production was a main cause of rising methane emissions in the 20th century. It calls for better controls.

"There is no other crop that is emitting such a large amount of greenhouse gases," said Reiner Wassmann, a climate change specialist at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines.


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EnnNorak - 5/9/2007 5:30:34 PM

+1 Boost

The problem in the LA area is that when the wind blows from the ocean, all the smog that blew west earlier simply comes back to LA and builds on new smog generated every day. Even places like Santa Monica are not immune. I do not smoke but, in fairness to smokers, they are responsible for most of the indoor pollution and not 2% of all outdoor pollution.
I've said all along that cars are only fractionally responsible for greenhouse gasses and the money spent of trying to create almost totally pollution-free vehicles would be more effectively spent on attacking greater pollution sources.

1970toyotamarc - 5/9/2007 8:07:33 PM

+1 Boost

The fact is that cars are a large contributor. Companies such as Toyota, Honda, and some Euro brands have demonstrated that the technology to produce low emitting cars is here, available, not too expensive and getting better all the time. But why bother. Let's all just drive exotic sports cars and SUVs and then tell everyone else to clean up their act. I'm sure we're all a lot better at telling others what to do than making positive changes in our own lives.

S4cabriofoxone - 5/9/2007 10:15:17 PM

+2 Boost

They didn't really need to conduct a study to figure that out. Cars are only a "portion-" albeit a considerable one.