The Big Picture

Narrated by Conor Flynn

Planetary Boundaries: “Safe Operating Space”

Rockström, et al. 2009. Ecology and Society 14(2): 32

86 tonnes VOC/completion, 1-10 tonnes VOC annually

Conor’s Model

SOURCE

POOL

SINK

Deepwater Horizon: The Straw that Broke the Camel’s Back?

DH: 172,000,000 Gallons

Global Spills

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

in M

illions o

f B

arr

els

Acute vs Chronic

DH: 410 thousand tonnes

DH: 410 thousand tonnes

DH: 4.1 thousand tonnes PAH

US Consumers: 10.0 thousand tonnes PAH

Conor’s Model

SOURCE

POOL

SINK

Discussion

Oil is Natural The Dose is the Poison The Ocean is Really, Really Big The Solution for Pollution is Dilution

Exceptions: Systemic accumulation Bioaccumulation

SOURCE:

Natural,Anthropogenic

:Extraction

TransportationConsumption

OILSPILL

BIOTA: Bioaccumulat

e,Biodegrade

Physically Protected: Slick, Mousse, Tar balls

SINK:

Degraded,Evaporate

d,DissolvedDispersed

Conor’s Refined Model

Jones HP, Schmitz OJ (2009) Rapid Recovery of Damaged Ecosystems. PLoS ONE 4(5): e5653. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0005653