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Our rate of consumption is growing as fast!
Efficiency offset: energy consumption keeps pace with energy-saving devices - Builder Magazine (http://www.builderonline.com/builder-pulse/efficiency-offset--energy-consumption-keeps-pace-with-energy-saving-devices.aspx?cid=NWBD110330002 - broken link)
Location: Visitation between Wal-Mart & Home Depot
8,309 posts, read 38,776,945 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by K'ledgeBldr
Our rate of consumption is growing as fast!
Efficiency offset: energy consumption keeps pace with energy-saving devices - Builder Magazine (http://www.builderonline.com/builder-pulse/efficiency-offset--energy-consumption-keeps-pace-with-energy-saving-devices.aspx?cid=NWBD110330002 - broken link)
An old, crotchety civil engineer (Brown & Root guy) that I grew up hunting with and absorbed a lot of editorial from has the following to say about our energy predicament:
"We're going to wind up f***ing ourselves off of this rock."
Meaning, of course, that unrestricted procreation in concert with more and better bicycle helmets, seat belts, airbags, medicine, etc. etc. is inevitably leading humans to a situation in which demand (for everything) impossibly exceeds supply and that this will be our eventual undoing.
Pretty cynical and politically incorrect viewpoint that implies many unacceptable things, but he's correct that the "80/20" goal championed by some of our legislators is utter folly.
We have to saturate the States with nuclear power or we're hosed in the shorter term.
Alternative energy is going to be, at best, a major disappointment for the next 100 to 200 years and something needs to bridge that gap.
There is some truth to this. Before electricity homes were very dark at night. When electric light drastically reduced the cost of illumination, the lighting levels went up. And didn't people start making more phone calls when rates went down?
we've lost our way and become to dependent on Machines and inventions while losing our connection with nature and each other.
limited energy is better than being able to consume all the energy we want. For years we did fine without without electricity...now we can't live without it.
We should use solar power in combination with clever techniques.
"If our dishwashers are 25 percent more efficient, but we have 25 percent more of them, that about cancels out."
Well at least it just cancels out and doesn't add to energy consumption. However, it is true that the increasing population will demand more energy. Which is why aside from the supply side of energy, we should also look at consumption.
I use to be very green. Now not so much. Until people stop breeding like crazy and exercise restraint, it will just get worse. Why it is socially acceptable in the USA for a middle class family to have 4 or 5 kids is beyond me. So they can feed them - and then when they are teens you will have 6 or seven cars, mounds of old PC's and waste.
Why it is socially acceptable in the USA for a middle class family to have 4 or 5 kids is beyond me. So they can feed them - and then when they are teens you will have 6 or seven cars, mounds of old PC's and waste.
Last time I looked the worldwide average was 3.0 children per family and in America it's 3.18 per family.
Location: Visitation between Wal-Mart & Home Depot
8,309 posts, read 38,776,945 times
Reputation: 7185
Quote:
Originally Posted by Philip T
So what do you figure?
Nukes will poison the States and cut down on population?
Guess that would do something.
If you're all done mumbling to yourself, you may want to consider that every technology we have on hand, on deck or in the batter's box is woefully inadequate to even begin to replace fossil fuels for power generation with the very notable exception of fission reactor power.
About 100 reactors, most of which operate on outdated technology, provide about 20% of our power. Are you aware of something else (that doesn't require living in fantasy land, I mean) that could feasibly provide 100% of America's power? Hmm? Well, I'm not surprised.
Worried about earthquakes? The Fukushima #1, for example, was almost exactly 40 years old when the largest earthquake (and it's associated "harbor wave") that humans have ever recorded managed to overwhelm the best redundant safety systems available in the late 1960's.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Philip T
In 100 or more years -- alternate is ALL there will be left.
Seems like we could maybe be smart enough to just go there, now?
But maybe not. [mumbles under breath . . . Nuke Saturation. ]
Yes, I suppose we should be focused on a sustainable, clean, reliable, economic source of power for the entire nation to become energy independent. I wonder what that may be?
Yes, I suppose we should be focused on a sustainable, clean, reliable, economic source of power for the entire nation to become energy independent. I wonder what that may be?
I think fuel cells for commercial and residential power have real potential. I have to wonder why the current price point is so expensive as to make them even more out of reach than renewables for the individual consumer.
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I am a family of one and at this point in my life have a mound of 4 PC's.... 
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