Fossil Fuels and Pollution for Dummies

Acid Rain Generation

The nice people at eHow.com (a subsidiary [perhaps the only one] of what is now known as Leaf Group) have long provided biographies for their contributors, ostensibly to demonstrate their qualifications. We had to wonder, however, what item in the bio of cleanup team member Melinda Hill Sineriz qualified her to write "How Fossil Fuels Create Pollution" for BizFluent.com. Was it her specialization in "business, personal finance, and career content"? we somehow doubt it, given some of her more egregious misstatements.

Quite possibly the most glaring error Sineriz made, one that rates a ten on the bogosity scale, was in her second paragraph. That's where she attempted to explain the relationship between fossil fuels and pollution:

"Fossil fuels are fuels created from organic materials. Fossil fuels include oil, natural gas and coal. When these fossil fuels are burned, they release carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen and particulates into the atmosphere."

When the staffer reading this tripe saw that she was heard to shout, "Wait, what???! Yes, dear reader, Melinda Hill did say that methane is a pollutant released by the burning of fossil fuels... clearly unaware that methane is not a byproduct of combustion because it is... wait for it... highly combustible. In fact, methane is a fossil fuel!

Sineriz, assigned to rewrite a reasonably accurate ten-year-old post by Chris Dinesen Rogers, did little more than spew out random factoids. In the process, Melinda Hill revealed that she was woefully unqualified to discuss the topic. Strangely, the post was reviewed by a Michelle Seidel, who claimed a BS in environmental studies (although she obviously never used it); but the inaccuracy was passed along. Besides the botched methane line, Sineriz made other questionable statements, such as:

• "Industrial operations and coal-burning power plants can also release pollutants into the environment." – Pollution related to "[industrial] operations" isn't the same thing as pollution related to fossil fuel usage, Mel.

"In Washington, for example, businesses are required to get air permits for burning and industrial emissions." – Hell, you need to get permits everywhere, Melinda! It's called the EPA! "You can also look into moving your business over to a sustainable energy source such as wind power. " – Uh, sure. We'll get right on that. "...carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen and particulates... upset the natural balance of nitrogen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which leads to smog, acid rain and a greenhouse effect." – Idiot. Burning fossil fuels does not release nitrogen. Impurities released from burning of fossil fuels, particularly coal, result in the release of oxides of nitrogen and sulfur; not elemental nitrogen. These oxides dissolve in rain, lowering the pH and creating acid rain. Acid rain is not a result of an "upset... natural balance of nitrogen"!

Those are just a sample of the weak arguments Sineriz made against burning fossil fuels. She failed, however, to mention such pollutants as mercury and other heavy metals; and her content made it clear that she understood next to nothing about atmospheric pollution or fossil fuels in general.

And this rewrite was considered an improvement, one reviewed by an "expert" in the field? We call bullshit, all the while awarding Sineriz another Dumbass of the Day plaque for her wall of honors. Maybe next time she should stick to subjects where she has at least some basic knowledge.

SI - ENVIRONMENT