I think this is the beginnings of an economy based on perpetual growth and fossil fuel energy running headlong into geological energy constraints. Basically I see an undulatory downward path for the rest of my life. From here out, I think any rallies in our economic condition are going to be met with spiking commodity prices that knock us right back down.
What should be our attitude towards new energy projects?
Oppose them all, let the die off begin
5%
[ 1 ]
Oppose all fossil fuel projects and force the use of wind, water and solar
38%
[ 7 ]
Project by project would be nice, but we cannot trust those making the decisons
44%
[ 8 ]
Trust those in authority to make decsions project by project
5%
[ 1 ]
Oppose all so-called renewables but lets exploit every fossil fuel we got
0%
[ 0 ]
Exploit it all, regardless of environmental impact
5%
[ 1 ]
Nuetron Bomb every other place in the world and take their fossil fuels and exploit it all
0%
[ 0 ]
Total Votes : 18
Author
Message
wisconsin_cur Moderator
Joined: May 10, 2007 Posts: 3213
Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 7:02 am Post subject: Environmental impact of new projects
Because of its mention in another thread I was doing some reading on the Grand Coulee dam. Which led to some learning on other projects and the manner in which our understanding of ecology has changed our perspective on such projects.
Given what we know of Jevon's Paradox, given the challenges that we face as depletion continues, should we try to squeeze every last drop of oil out of the ground, and worry about the environmental cost later or should we encourage our green friends to obstruct every new energy source just as to hurry up the inevitable decline in available energy?
Is there a middle ground? What is it?
_________________ “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.”
Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 7:26 am Post subject: Re: Environmental impact of new projects
We have an enormous amount of energy arriving to the Earth every day, why shouldn't we tap it as much as possible? Fossil fuels should be phased out as quickly as possible.
Put higher taxes on fossil fuels and use the money to scale up renewables, it's way better than getting caught later with one's pants down. Conservation should be done simultaneously in order to reduce the needed amount of renewables. In the meantime, use nuclear as needed to eliminate fossil fuels even faster.
Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 7:59 am Post subject: Re: Environmental impact of new projects
The cost of off shore drilling:
Rainforest Action Network wrote:
The Case against Offshore Oil
l A steady stream of pollution from offshore rigs causes a wide range of health and reproductive problems for fish and other marine life.
l Offshore drilling exposes wildlife to the threat of oil spills that would devastate their populations.
l Offshore drilling activities destroy kelp beds, reefs and coastal wetlands.
Over its lifetime, a single oil rig can:
l Dump more than 90,000 metric tons of drilling fluid and metal cuttings into the ocean;
l Drill between 50-100 wells, each dumping 25,000 pounds of toxic metals, such as lead, chromium and mercury, and potent carcinogens like toluene, benzene, and xylene into the ocean, and
l Pollute the air as much as 7,000 cars driving 50 miles a day.
CultureChange.org _________________ “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.”
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