Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 14:58:51 +1100
Subject: A Finite Resource? Uh oh!
From: "DON DIXON <dond@bizballoons.com.au>" <dond@bizballoons.com.au>
To: Mark Balzer <mbalzer@balloonhq.com>,


> However, this world has
> only a finite supply of helium and once it's gone, that's it.  For a great
> number of industrial, aerospace, and medical processes, there is simply no
> replacement for helium. Someday the human race is really going to regret
> squandering this resource.

G'Day from Downunder,
Mark, are you aware of any studies or forecasts that may have been done as
to how long the world supply of helium may last at our current and predicted
levels of consumption? Will we run out of helium about the same time as we
run out of oil?

Might it be possible now or in future to invisibly support/suspend/hover
balloons by applying or introducing an external force field, static
electricity, magnetic fields, laser light beams ??? Expensive???
Or I have I been watching too much Sci-Fi?
 
If the helium supply is finite .... doesn't the balloon industry have a
responsibility to look beyond helium and plan our future? To reduce helium
consumption in the short term, is it possible to mix hydrogen and helium
(10% / 90% mix) without the mixture being flammable? Just a thought.

High school science; "Matter can neither be created nor destroyed!"
As the helium we consume is not "burned" or reconfigured into another
substance, where does it go to when we release it into the inner atmosphere?
Continues into the outer atmosphere and then outer space?

Don & Dolly Dixon  CBAs
Business of Balloons Group of Companies.
Sydney - AUSTRALIA
http://www.bizballoons.com.au
http://www.celebrating.com.au
http://www.eballoons.com.au
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