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by TedShiller 1488 days ago
Funny how tech people (like me) care about pollution from emissions and plastic unless it’s related to rocket launches or huge plastic cables on the ocean floors. Then, nobody mentions it.
2 comments

Benefits vs cost.

Rocket launches typically develop and support bleeding edge technology. And are relatively infrequent compared to regular travel flights.

The "huge" plastic cables are 7-8cm (~3 inches) diameter. So big, but not gas pipeline big. And because of THEIR existence many people are NOT taking those regular travel flights they otherwise might.

Not saying we can't do better. But people closer to it and smarter than me would know.

Do rocket launches or cables on the ocean actually contribute a significant percentage to world pollution? I would imagine it's insignificant.
Rocket launches definitely do.
Do you have any numbers on that?
Do you have numbers that it doesn’t pollute?