Killing hurricanes??? (New Orleans, Washington: insurance, construction, living)

[MSvirgo]

This could be a blessing for the Gulf Coast....

This morning on the Today Show, there was a report that Bill Gates and several scientists have come up with an idea to stop hurricanes. They are proposing to place several thousand pumps throughout the Gulf of Mexico and in the Atlantic, that will pump cooler water from the lower sea levels and bring it to the surface to weaken hurricanes when they occur. Keep in mind, this is only an idea that they are testing in labortories. They did say that by doing this, there is a possibility that it could have an effect on the weather worldwide.

Who will fund this? They won't say, but some believe that the insurance companies will help fund this venture. Do you think that Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, etc.... state governements should chip in?

Do you think that this will be a good idea, or are they playing God as some would say?

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Seems too risky. Better the devil you know than the one you don't. I would be afraid of world-wide climate change for the worse.

[WestbankNOLA]

It's been on the local news all week. From what they're saying, the risks out weigh the benefits and the cost to build, move, and maintain the large tubs would be huge.

[Prytania]

It wouldn't stop the hurricanes as much as attempt to weaken the storms.

I say go for it....especially with a Cat 5 storm headed for a large population center.

[mgt04]

I would not mess with mother nature.

[MetroBTR]

It sounds all well and good. But I'm worried it would mess up the fragile eco-systems in the ocean.

We have already learned that controlling nature does not work well (Look at what putting levees everywhere has done to the delta). The smartest, cheapest thing we can do is to conform our lives so that we can accomadate nature. In New Orleans, newer construction needs to have a ground floor garage/storage area, and have living areas on upper floors.

The Corps of Engineers is never going to give Louisiana the protection it needs, and until they do, floodwalls and levees will continue to fail or be overtopped. We might as well be on our own because the Corps does not care, and Washington does not care.

[Prytania]

I don't think its messing with the eco-system as much as it displaces the heat in the SSTs opting to dredge cooler water just beneath the surface of the ocean.
SSTs feed storms but in many cases the water which is warmed by the weather in most cases, is only hot at the surface.

[Innotech]

This is a very bad idea. Hurricanes exist as a balancing force, displacing large quantities of heat. All that heat has to go somewhere. The coolr water will also kill off and relocate many species of fish and shellfish that the Gulf coast fisheries depend on. This is an all around stupid idea. Im surprised that supposedly intelligent people thought this up.

[MetroBTR]

Originally Posted by Prytania

I don't think its messing with the eco-system as much as it displaces the heat in the SSTs opting to dredge cooler water just beneath the surface of the ocean.
SSTs feed storms but in many cases the water which is warmed by the weather in most cases, is only hot at the surface.

Exactly, and you are pushing that hot water deep into the ocean. It is a very fragile eco-system.

[Prytania]

If it means knocking a Cat 5 down, I'm all for it.

Besides the Mississippi River creates a huge dead zone in the Gulf.
Clean that up and then I might be interested in a fragile eco system.