Billions and billions...

[Enzo]

Up front I'll say I am all for saving our wildlife and their habitat, but this struck me as odd somehow. A National Geographic article says North America has lost 3 billion birds since 1970. Well that is a large number. Sounds scary.

And we DO have a problem, some breeds are disappearing. On the other hand we have seagulls everywhere now, even here in the midwest. They cruise parking lots around shopping areas, looking for lost french fries.

But at a third of a billion population, three for each of us makes a billion, so nine for each of us makes three billion. But that was since 1970 - 50 years ago. SO we have lost nine birds apiece over the last 50 years. That works out to about one bird every five years or so. That is about the rate at which I smack birds with the windshield of my car on the highway.

Am I calculating that right, or am I having a senior moment?

If I am correct, it is just another large sounding number to make a point, but the number really doesn't express the problem.

I recall the argument for eliminating the paper one dollar bill, forcing the use of dollar coins instead. They said 4.4 billion dollars could be saved over 30 years. OK, so that is $13.20 for my personal share. Divide by 30 years, and... I get 44 cents per year. I speak only for myself, but for 44 cents, I think I'd pay that to keep my paper dollars and not have a pile of heavy coins in my pocket. Add it to my income tax bill.

[Мастер]

I believe the three billion is a net loss, rather than a gross number of deaths.