31 replies to this topic

[Shortpoet-GTD]

It's a long piece, but informative.
Several contributors including Paul Krugman, with a paper from American Economic Review,
from conservative economists; Nicholas Muller, Robert Mendelsoh, and William Norhaus.

Climate change, health issues and many more are discussed in this piece.
Source

[Spock1]

It is a terrible thing to know the adverse effects of the use of coal. But what can we do, really. Green energy just can't deliver enough power for today's energy needs.

We can't let people freeze either. We're just gonna have to deal with the effects of global warming. The best that we can do is to incrementally phase in green tech where we can.
It's not a pleasant thought but it is the reality.

Don't get that beach house just yet!

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Spock1, on 24 October 2012 - 06:38 PM, said:

It is a terrible thing to know the adverse effects of the use of coal. But what can we do, really.

On a personal level; we can make every effort to reduce those emissions by using less. Insulation, better windows,
upgrade our appliances, installing solar panels when possible are the larger things to do but smaller things add up too.

Finding and filling nooks and crannies that waste a lot of energy, cleaning or replacing filters on our central
heating/cooling units, vacuuming the refrigerator coils so it runs more efficiently, painting our roof's white
so they hold less heat, installing a solar attic vent, lowering our thermostats in the winter and raising them
in the summer, installing and using power switches to power down equipment.

We can also check with our local utility companies; more and more are now offering alternative energy
sources but people don't know that until they check. Many are now offering wind or solar energy along
with power from coal.

Also very important, imo, is to stay active in telling the powers that be via e-mails, letters, phone calls that
you want clean energies vs dirty fossil fuels.

And more broadly, we are making good progress.
Article

(Edit-text/link added)

[Spock1]

it is important to stay positive and proactive.


the reality is that fossil fuels are way too entreched to make much of a dent in global warming before the effects hit.

they've already hit. hottest summers on record this year.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

I'm too much of a hippie to throw my hands up.
I may not have much power to change things, except through posting awareness; but awareness is power,
so here I am; b*tching about coal.

[E3 wise]

Unlike most of Europe, Australia, and many other countries the United States is in denial as to the true cost of coal.  it's not just emissions, health, acidification, mercury and water pollution , no that does not seem to be enough, it's also the lack of a cohesive governmental policies that leave the average American in limbo when it comes to where they get their energy and shape decisions on what future their energy comes from. Other countries move to decrease coal because they add all these factors together to make a responsible change to alternative sources because they feel they owe it to future generations, but here we just drag our heals.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Illinois; coal $$ contributions to republicans in office and democrats. (r's got more)
http://www.followthe...=0&incy=0&so2=Y

Pennsylvania (r's got more)
http://www.followthe...efdcfcd9fbbbd47

Ohio (r's got WAY more)
http://www.followthe...=0&incy=0&so2=T

Coal contribution's 2007-2012
http://www.followthe...07&Years[]=1991

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Mountain top removal mines in Appalachia have demolished an estimated 1.4 million acres of forested hills,
buried an estimated 2,000 miles of streams,
poisoned drinking water,
and wiped whole towns off the map.
Photos/Story here.

[Spock1]

i don't mean to discouage but prepare to meet thy maker, the end is near!

Just kidding, I hope.


The ecologic cards are heavily stacked due to the entrenched economic interests.

But if enough people click their heels together three times and say- 'there's no place like green energy, there's no place like green energy.' all will be well.

sort of...

[StevesWeb]

Spock1, on 31 October 2012 - 06:32 PM, said:

But if enough people click their heels together three times and say- 'there's no place like green energy, there's no place like green energy.' all will be well.

We have to be the change we want to see.

if you want less coal to be burnt to produce electricity for your home consider making your own electricity using solar or wind power.  Not everyone can do that, of course.

People can seek employment in green energy businesses, or start one.  Academics can seek funding for climate research.  Everybody can reduce their own energy consumption.  Everybody can advocate for respecting scientific facts and accepting the reality of our situation.

Change rules the universe, but we can influence change.

[Earthling]

I'd love to see the end of coal use, but we must never lose sight of what our society has gained from it and where we'd be without it.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Earthling, on 15 December 2012 - 01:52 AM, said:

I'd love to see the end of coal use, but we must never lose sight of what our society has gained from it and where we'd be without it.

Cleaner and cooler.

[Earthling]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 15 December 2012 - 02:59 AM, said:

Cleaner and cooler.

Are you sure about that?
Some scientists believe that clean air is conducive to warming, but I evidently don't have enough posts to provide you with a link to those studies, so paste clean air causes global warming into your search engine and you'll see.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

If you think that emissions from coal plants and old cars is ok to breathe, I won't argue the point.

[Earthling]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 15 December 2012 - 03:08 AM, said:

If you think that emissions from coal plants and old cars is ok to breathe, I won't argue the point.

Please point out where I suggested anything like that here:

Quote

Are you sure about that?
Some scientists believe that clean air is conducive to warming, but I evidently don't have enough posts to provide you with a link to those studies, so paste clean air causes global warming into your search engine and you'll see.

[Earthling]

Spock1, on 25 October 2012 - 10:08 AM, said:

hottest summers on record this year.

Globally, I think not?

[E3 wise]

Until the passage of the clean air act in 1972, coal plants were almost completely unregulated. What we had was significant pollution, smog, and soot over many American cities, the sulpher dioxide was causing acid rain, the National health academy estimated almost 50,000 related deaths from emissions in heart attacks, respiratory disorders, COPD, and the areas around these plants were filthy with layers of coal dust coating everything.

with that legislation, acid rain was reduced significantly meaning water sources receiving rain water stopped seeing mass fish die offs, health related issues dropped along with deaths. You have provided suggestions of website earthling here is one for you the beyond coal project, check it out.

A new report which I will be posting later today shows that renewables with integrated storage could reduce fossil fuel use significantly with a stronger grid and much cleaner air and water, to argue coal is a good thing is forgetting that without regulation coal was literally poisoning our planet, and those were just base regulations as the EPA increased emissions standards the coal industry has fought it every step of the way.

My sister had significant asthma as a pchild and we lived thirty miles downwind from a coal plant, at least 5 times a year my parents would have to take here to the hospital for a sever attack.  When she was 8 we moved to an area that had no coal plant within 100 miles. Know what happened, she never had to go to the hospital again for an asthma emergency.

coal is dirty and polluting to the earth with the tag Earthling, I would think you would appreciate this concept more.

[Earthling]

E3 wise, a Garden of Eden Earth is about as attainable as Heaven on Earth, both are fictional.

[E3 wise]

Who said anything about the garden of Eden.

[Earthling]

E3 wise, on 15 December 2012 - 08:32 AM, said:

Who in holy fu&&ing hell said anything about the garden of Eden ...

I gather that '&&' makes writing foul language acceptable here at AltEnergyShift, but I'm not impressed.

I'm not "wasting your time" at all, you're at liberty to ignore my posts.

The whole content of your post is despicable and you should be ashamed of yourself.