The UV-B Equation

The UV-B equation is a mathematical equation for figuring out how to best mitigate increasing UV-B radiation that's coming through Earth's disappearing atmospheric ozone layer. Cannabis agriculture produces atmospheric aerosols that may have enormous potential in effecting radiative forcing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiative_forcing

"High levels of UV-B radiation are also impacting wide areas across the United States. This type of radiation can also impact tree health, growth rates, and stress tree in other ways. NOAA/National Weather Service puts current UV Index Forecasts on its websites. The UV exposure level is increasing throughout the United States. Could jet fuel emissions, which contain nitric acid that depletes beneficial ozone in our atmosphere, be one of the major culprits in this increase in UV radiation reaching the earth?

Mr. Buckman noted: “…UV Index Forecasts (NOAA Climate Prediction Center)…the data is quite shocking. We live in an area that regularly has Solar Noon Hour UV levels of 10 to 11 that are listed as “VERY HIGH” …Changes in UV light could easily trigger such a response, and in fact could cause major vegetation community shifts. Why are UV levels elevated?…”

from "Our dead and dying trees"
Rosalind Peterson, 2007
http://www.californiaskywatch.com/documents/htmldocs/pp_dead_and_dying_trees.htm

What's atmospherically true for the US is likely true for the rest of the world. We are One means a lot in climate science.

"We know that there are various causes for amphibian population declines, including UV-B light exposure, habitat loss, pesticide pollution, infections and other issues," said Andrew Blaustein, a professor of zoology at OSU and one of the world's leading experts on amphibian decline."

"Amphibians In Losing Race With Environmental Change"
May 1st, 2007
in General Science / Biology
http://www.physorg.com/news97214097.html

I see UV-B ("global broiling") as a greater threat than global warming because it's effects are immediate and more subtle than a melting ice cap. As the result of increasing UV-B, impaired immune systems, genetic mutation and stunted growth are occurring in trees, amphibians, bats, bees, and other species that indicate what may be happening to us. One person in three dies of cancer these days. That's not normal.

The Very Good News is that Cannabis agriculture produces an enormous quantity of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) called "monoterpenes" that vaporize off of the plants, rise into the atmosphere, reflect solar radiation away from the Earth and seed cloud formation, shielding the planet's surface. The VOCs dissipate, so theoretically, a constant stream may be needed to shield the Earth. Fortunately, organic Cannabis grows all over the world, and produces an essential food at the same time that it produces abundant biofuels, therapeutics, building materials, biodegradable plastics and paper, cloth...

Th rationale for ending Cannabis prohibition takes on a much different patina when considered in the context of the conditions we're in. There really isn't time left to argue. Every spring that passes is an opportunity that's gone forever.

Let the prohibitionists argue for a return to prohibition if they want, but the majority of the people in the world support an end to prohibition, so the "leaders" [sic] must be mandated to follow the common consciousness. It would be too sad to contemplate were it otherwise.

Here are some on-line references that may be of interest in making this argument for Cannabis agriculture as a proportionate, globally available action that people can take to heal the planet using Cannabis agriculture.


"High Natural Aerosol Loading over Boreal Forests"
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/312/5771/261

The International Conference of the European Industrial HempAssociation (EIHA) www.eiha.org/conf6th May 27 th –28 th , 2009Rheinforum, Wesseling / near Cologne (Germany)
http://www.eiha.org/conf6th/data/File/Programme/08-10-29_Einladungsflyer_EIHA.pdf