# A little conversion error **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [November 20, 2004, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-conversion-error/275808 "2004-11-20T06:41:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![radiosonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@radiosonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/radiosonde)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2004, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-conversion-error/275808/1 "2004-11-20T06:41:09Z")
The article converts around 800,000 pellets per hectare to a little over 2 million per acre, where it would be the other way around, I think. A hectare is a little over twice the size of an acre. 🙂 Come see other science and weather facts at [http://www.stuffintheair.com/](http://www.stuffintheair.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2004, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-conversion-error/275808/2 "2004-11-20T07:11:56Z")
> [@radiosonde](#): > > The article converts around 800,000 pellets per hectare to a little over 2 million per acre, where it would be the other way around, I think. > > A hectare is a little over twice the size of an acre. 🙂 Try “:(” WHAT ARTICLE? ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2004, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-conversion-error/275808/3 "2004-11-20T14:11:04Z")
Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Board, **radiosonde** , we’re glad to have you with us. When you start a new thread, it’s helpful to others if you provide a link to the Column or Staff Report. Saves search time and keeps us all on the same page. **Mathochist** ’s complaint is that he couldn’t figure out what you were talking about, because he couldn’t find the Staff Report. I think it’s the one that will be officially posted next week: [Straight Dope Staff Report: Do lead fishing sinkers threaten the environment?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mfishsinkers.html) No biggie, **radiosonde** , you’ll know for next time. And, as I say, welcome! ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-conversion-error/275808/4 "2004-11-20T14:26:32Z")
Hmm…I checked the original source, and the error is in the original, on Page 40, Paragraph 6. You are correct. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2004, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-conversion-error/275808/5 "2004-11-21T01:30:35Z")
A few years ago, when awareness of this problem was first rising, I noticed that several outfitters were selling tin sinkers. That seemed crazy to me. You see, boat bottom paints containing tin were outlawed because of some environmental nastiness. (Boat bottom paints contain metals, now copper, to discourage plant and animal life from clinging to the boat.) In Una’s list of subsitutes, there’s bismuth. That should ward off upset stomachs in waterfowl, I guess. Maybe we’ll even see wild ducks and geese doing the Pepto-Bismol dance. 😉