Pollution in the 21st Century

So it was reported today that Mt. Saint Helens is Washington state's largest polluter, and if it was a factory, it couldn't get a permit. Apparently, at least according to Washington state officials, you can fine a company to reduce toxic emissions, but not a volcano. "You can't put a cork in it," said Greg Nothstein of the Washington Energy Policy Office. I kid you not.

Mt. Saint Helens is producing about 50 to 250 tons of sulfur dioxide and 500 to 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide each day. To put that in perspective, all of Washington's industries combined produce about 120 tons a day of sulfur dioxide.

Before the volcano began erupting a few months ago, the state's #1 polluter was a coal-fired power plant near Centralia owned by the Canadian firm TransAlta. My condolences go out to the fine employees and shareholders of TransAlta for loosing that prestigious distinction.

The despicable amount of pollution originating from Mt. Saint Helens and the criminally negligent action of Mother Nature in allowing this pollution to be released gives me a great opportunity to discuss the Bush administration "environmental record." Check back tomorrow for the Slingshizzle take on the "Clean Skies" Initiative.