OXYGEN IS A POLLUTANT

There is much talk about the recent classification of carbon dioxide as a pollutant. But did you know that oxygen is also a pollutant? Oh yes, it is. The Bench calls on Congress to classify oxygen as a dangerous pollutant and to implement measures to curb the production of waste oxygen. Oxygen credits could be put into place, and oxygen producing plants could be culled. Look at that rusty metal over there. Know what caused it? That's right, oxygen. They call it "oxidation" for a reason. Plants emit oxygen as a waste gas. It destroys metal and causes your apple slices to turn that icky brown color. Vitamins and health foods tout the benefits of "anti-oxidants," all to fight the lethal effects of - yep - oxygen. Oxygen, friends, can kill you. Too much and your brain fries. Too little and your brain dies. Carbon dioxide makes up only 0.036 percent of the Earth's atmosphere. But oxygen makes up 20.916 percent! And you're worried about carbon dioxide? Oxygen once killed over 90 percent of all the life on Earth. "Throughout the Archean there was little to no free oxygen in the atmosphere (<1%>source], "What little was produced by cyanobacteria, was probably consumed by the weathering process." All those poor little cyanobacteria died because of oxygen pollution. In fact, the first "pollution crisis" on Earth happened about 2.2 billion years ago. According to the University of California Museum of Paleontology, "Oxygen levels in the Archaean had been less that 1% of present levels in the atmosphere, but by about 1.8 billion years ago, oxygen levels were greater than 15% of present levels and rising. (Holland, 1994) It may seem strange to call this a 'pollution crisis,' since most of the organisms that we are familiar with not only tolerate but require oxygen to live. However, oxygen is a powerful degrader of organic compounds. Even today, many bacteria and protists are killed by oxygen. Organisms had to evolve biochemical methods for rendering oxygen harmless; one of these methods, oxidative respiration, had the advantage of producing large amounts of energy for the cell, and is now found in most eukaryotes." We hope Congress acts quickly to help the United States take the lead in fighting the dangers of oxygen. RELATED: How Bacteria Nearly Destroyed All Life