Neelin Views — Health care, space industries will need helium in future years

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/04/2012 (5006 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The element, helium, is commonly used in balloons to allow them to float. These balloons are then used at parties, memorials and other events. In addition to its well-known uses, helium is used in a number of very important capacities.

Unfortunately, the world’s reserve of helium is fast depleting and most experts are predicting that we will run out of the element within the next 25 to 40 years.

When helium is used in a balloon, the balloon will pop and the helium will float up, never to return. Eventually it will go all the way into outer space, where ironically, it is the second most common element!

Today, helium is extremely important within the health-care system. Helium is essential in the operation of MRI machinery. If we run out of helium, we run out of MRIs. MRIs can be used to determine whether someone has a tumour in a non-invasive way. By detecting tumours early, MRIs significantly increase the patient’s chance of survival.

MRIs are a vital aspect of our health-care system. It is not fair to prevent future generations (or my generation in a few decades!) from using them simply because we would like some floating balloons at our party or event.

Helium also plays an imperative role within scientific research. It is used by scientists at CERN’s particle accelerator (yes, from Angels and Demons). To bash the atoms together, they need to use helium.

When cooled, helium becomes what’s known as a “super fluid” in its liquid form and is used as a cooling agent within a variety of research projects.

Helium is also important within space exploration as it is used to stabilize and clean fuel tanks. It has become a necessity in scientific research. By continuing to abuse it, we are creating detrimental effects for those who will follow in our footsteps.

While helium is already used in many fields, there is no way to know what sort of uses there will be for it in the future. After all, 200 years ago no one would have thought it a big deal if we were almost out of uranium or colton, but now they are both heavily used by society. I don’t want to be responsible for limiting the opportunities of future generations.

But with regards to helium and the broader issues of environmental sustainability, we are no longer talking about some abstract generation; the decisions that we make today will have serious ramifications for ourselves and our children.

To make significant strides toward conserving helium, government action would likely need to be taken. Nobel laureate Robert Richardson has proposed putting a tax on helium. This would force those who are choosing to consume helium to bear a financial burden more equivalent to the burden that they are placing on society.

He has suggested a tax of $100 for the amount of helium within one balloon. A hefty tax like that would hopefully encourage consumers to make more conscious choices and make it financially beneficial for the scientific community to recycle the helium that they use in their research.

If you’d like to see something done to reduce our consumption of helium, or are passionate about any other issue, you might consider writing to Merv Tweed, our local MP, or to any of the party leaders. Politicians are more likely to act on issues if they feel that they will receive support in doing so.

While I doubt that we’ll see any real action from the Harper government, as individuals, families and organizations, we can choose to make a positive difference in the world around us.

The next time that you’re thinking about putting helium balloons up at your kid’s birthday party or want to release one into the atmosphere to remember a lost loved one, please think about the environmental consequences of your decision.

Perhaps by not releasing that balloon, you will provide the helium needed to perform a lifesaving MRI scan. For many, this would be a better way to honour their memory.

So please, think about tomorrow and don’t use helium today.

» Nathan Grills is a Grade 12 student at Neelin High School.