I was stationed on Guam not so long ago, and if I had my preferences I would be permanently settled there. We absolutely loved it and the people, though it is by no means perfect.
The problems listed here are very real, and very depressing. I've dived all over that island, and one of the most popular dives, Seabee Junkyard [0], is a very good reminder of just how the US Government, via the US Military, treats those islands.
Separately I spent some time on Tinian during that tour, on the runway that the Enola Gay launched from, and was stationed in both Iwakuni (near Hiroshima) and Sasebo (near Nagasaki) and got to see the memorials at those two locations. That was heartbreaking as well. Hopefully we don't see those events replayed.
Is it not good practice to scuttle equipment at sea to encourage the habitat for sealife? I thought we --countries who do this-- often do it to provide marine habitat.
No offense, but to me I interpret your perspective as: "People with stuff to get rid of tell me its good to dump it in the ocean. They said it's a good thing, so I take their word for it without critically analyzing its actual environmental impact-- plastics, metals, chemicals used in subway cars or vehicles... hey, they said it's ok, so it must be ok!"
I ain't buying it :D But then again I am an environmentalist & conservationist-- I am concerned about the apparently infinitely growing ubiquity of synthetic chemicals, due to aforementioned actions mentioned and the apparently common lack of objection (if people are even aware it is happening).
> On Guam there is no birdsong, you cannot imagine the trauma of a silent island
Welcome to the future.
War is good. Nobody cares about environment in a war. Nobody gave a damn about the environmental destruction in Vietnam or Irak.
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[ 0.20 ms ] story [ 31.7 ms ] threadAwful. I heard a video of what an Active Sonar Ping sounded like underwater, and I must say - It made me glad not to have the hearing of a whale.
The problems listed here are very real, and very depressing. I've dived all over that island, and one of the most popular dives, Seabee Junkyard [0], is a very good reminder of just how the US Government, via the US Military, treats those islands.
Separately I spent some time on Tinian during that tour, on the runway that the Enola Gay launched from, and was stationed in both Iwakuni (near Hiroshima) and Sasebo (near Nagasaki) and got to see the memorials at those two locations. That was heartbreaking as well. Hopefully we don't see those events replayed.
[0] https://www.mdaguam.com/destination/seabee-junkyard/
I can't imagine that all the oil, lubricants, fuel-residues, breakdown products and so on are any good for marine life at all.
The "for marine habitat" sounds like marketing.
The main concern being ship cargo and any potential for contaminants exceeding toxicity levels.
I ain't buying it :D But then again I am an environmentalist & conservationist-- I am concerned about the apparently infinitely growing ubiquity of synthetic chemicals, due to aforementioned actions mentioned and the apparently common lack of objection (if people are even aware it is happening).
It's not perfect like you have said and there are problems but that's the place I could totally live.
All islands still have fresh footprints of WW2 horrors.
Welcome to the future. War is good. Nobody cares about environment in a war. Nobody gave a damn about the environmental destruction in Vietnam or Irak.