Taran RampersadHelium. This I did not see coming.
Helium.
https://www.techspot.com/news/111683-critical-semiconductor-gas-lost-third-global-supply-drone.html
Chip Butty@knowprose I think that high gas/oil prices will also mean we are low on gasses to go into food packaging as well (crisps, lettuce, that kind of thing)
@otfrom yeah, I was looking at what we actually do with helium. This was a pretty big blindspot for me.
The universe, in it's infinite wonders, gave me a lesson in humility. Again. 🤣
Jochen Wettach 💙💛@knowprose @otfrom Although it is possible and permitted to use helium as a food packaging gas, it is way too expensive. Due to the small size oft helium atoms, it is also too volatile for most packaging purposes.
@jochenwettach @knowprose I was talking about co2 rather than helium https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-58626935
Cadbury Moose@otfrom @jochenwettach @knowprose
I haven't seen "Distillers" tanker trucks around for many years - one source of CO2 was the brewing industry (it's not that difficult to liquefy at atmospheric pressure). Later they got it (and industrial ethanol) from the petrochemical industry.
Helium is from radioactive decay in the earth, and separated out from natural gas wells. It's scarce and any leakage ends up in outer space.
@Cadbury_Moose @jochenwettach @knowprose interesting list of US based producers from the epa here https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-05/documents/co2_map_050120.pdf
Looks like most produce from ethanol
The Penguin of Evil@otfrom @knowprose most food gas is stuff like CO2. More of a problem unless they change stuff is the single use plastic garbage is essentially only near free because it's made from unwanted oil/gas production outputs.
Bigger problems are fertilizer but there are alternatives, and it's mostly going to burn giant unsustainable industrial farming operations where they put crap like plastic coated fertilizer balls into the soil.
Other big one is the other direction - fresh food into the gulf