IJMC - Would You Like To Buy Some Smog

Imagine the same tone used in the Animaniacs for, "Would you like to take 
a survey?" Or not, this one could be a lot more important. I make no 
claims about the legitimacy of this organization...but they are not 
currently on the Snopes "Urban Legend" or fraud list. Their website could 
use some help...take as you will, but if nothing else, smog awareness 
beyond what you see can be a good thing. I can personally speak to smog 
around the world...I could not even wear my contacts when I was in 
Cairo...go a couple miles off into the desert...ahhh.               -dave



Hello.  Most of you will not remember me, but your email address is in my
book for some reason or another, and for the sake of this cause I am
willing to email people right out of the blue.  This is the one and only
time I will contact you for this cause; there is no need to request
removal from this "mailing list".

[ed. note - Well...this was resent over the IJMC mailing list...so the 
above paragraph is not entirely correct... -dave]

My name is Jessica, I am a senior at the School of Environmental
Studies, and at my school we are required to design and implement a
community service project our senior year.  For my senior project, my
partner and I started PIQUE (People for Improving the Quality
of our Ubiquitous Earth), and are collecting funds to buy sulfur
dioxide allowances.  Sulfur Dioxide is emitted mostly by industry, but
also by your personal vehicle.  It causes acid rain, destroying countless
ecosystems, and it also converts into sulfur aerosols.  Sulfur aerosols
account for 25% of all inhalable particulates, impairing lung function,
provoking asthma, causing chest pain, and leading to premature death.
Smog is responsible for 10-20% of all respiratory hospitalizations in the
NorthEast.

So this is a problem.  What can we do?  The 1990 Clean Air Act
established a system by which companies can buy and sell their alloted
sulfur dioxide to other companies, and to conservation groups.  As such a
group, our goal is to buy as many allowances as possible, both cleaning
up the air one ton at a time, and also increasing demand, forcing the
price of allowances up, and eventually making it more expensive for
companies to pollute than to clean up.  In last year's auction, one ton
of sulfur dioxide went for an average of $130, and the highest buying
conservation group spent a little under $2000.  PIQUE has set their goal
at $3000.  If you would like to help, or would like more information,
please contact us: pique@ureach.com

We also have a web site with more information:
http://www.pclink.com/jbh/buysmog
And a free phone number: (877)526-0346

Also, feel free to forward this message.

Thanks for your help,
[]Jess