Guest for the full program, Pres. of the Natl. Wildlife Federation, Larry Schweiger, discussed the impact of the Gulf oil disaster, as well as other pending environmental issues that threaten the planet. Having made several visits to the Gulf since the disaster began, Schweiger detailed his first-hand observations of the situation. He noted that a blanket of raw, untreated oil coated the water, making it "black as night" and dampening the waves. He recalled that there were no birds in the area and that the oil was so thick that no fish were visible below because "you couldn't even see half an inch into the water." He also said that, on a different trip into the waters, the dispersing chemicals used by BP were so strong that they took the color out of the shirt he was wearing.
In examining how to address the crisis, he was critical of the use of chemical dispersants on the oil, noting that BP's chemical is "more toxic than the oil itself." Particularly problematic, Schweiger said, was that these dispersants were allowing the oil to sink underwater, slip under protective barriers, and enter the marshes, which could have long-term negative environmental effects. While he described the concept of creating relief wells to intercept the oil as the "greatest hope that we have," he chillingly warned that the "chances of that working are not great."
Beyond the Gulf oil disaster, Schweiger talked about how the ongoing addition of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is driving a dramatic increase in temperature, which could have profound impacts. So dire is the situation, he said, that scientists estimate that "we're headed to lose 30 to 39% of the species on our planet, if we don't change our behavior." To elucidate the effect of Earth's rising temperature, he discussed the tremendous amount of ice melting in Greenland and revealed that it has resulted in the formation of two new Nile-sized rivers flowing into the ocean. Musing that "what happens in Greenland will not stay in Greenland," he explained that raising the sea level by merely one meter would result in the displacement of about 100 million people.