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There is indeed dire need to decrease pollution - to our air, water, and land.
The US already has some of the strictest pollution controls on the planet, you have to keep CO2 in context. Lumping it into the common category "pollutant" is what the environmentalist want you to do. The six most common air pollutants have decresed by 54% since 1980 according to the EPA.
Actually, I think we should be moving towards nuclear power + electric cars, but not because of the scare tactics religion of the AGW crowd. I think it should be done so we aren't dependent upon foreign oil.
Not that I'm suggesting it shouldn;t be used if it's economical but nuclear power wouldn't address a pressing need for resources because there is enough coal inside the borders of this country to last 2 centuries, even that could be used to curtail the needs of imported oil. There's a process to convert coal to liquid fuel suitable for jet fuel and other diesel powered vehicles. The reason this process has not been exploited is because of the volatile oil market, it's same thing with other processes like oil shale. If it were guranteed the price of oil was going to stay around $40 to $50 a barrel then it would feasible. It's actually quite efficnet process because they need to make a lot of heat to convert it to oil they then use that excess heat for power generation, you're killing two birds with one stone producing fuel and electricity.
Benefit: Cleaner Energy. CTLs are less polluting than traditional fossil fuels. According to the University of Kentucky:
Compared to ultra-low sulfur diesel as a transportation fuel, liquefied coal emits 60 percent fewer hydrocarbons per gallon,
10 percent less nitrous oxides, and
55 percent less particulate matter.
In short, increased CTL use can reduce the health effects and premature mortality from air pollution and help reduce smog in big cities.
People have the perception we are dependent on outside sources for oil but that is not the case. Right now this process would be cheaper source but who knows what if it will be in 1 year, that's why there is no investment in it.
Ok... let's accept for a minute that you are correct... so what! That is no way for an advanced civilization to think and it is a good thing that our scientists do not believe as you do. Maybe we should close all the Universities and just go back to Hunter Gatherer pre-technical existence. Cripes, a lot of things aren't humanities fault but we don't accept them. We haven't licked the common cold or AIDS or Cancer or a number of NATURAL things yet but we keep trying. Now, your minute is up. You are wrong to be so emphatic that Climate Change is entirely natural. There is nothing natural about 6 Billion humans, several billion of which have developed industrial nations that emit megatons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. We have altered the natural reflectivity of the earth and changed the composition of oceans and rivers in such profound ways that it is impossible to smugly stand apart from the looming disaster and say "it isn't my fault". I also don't see how the "it isn't our fault" argument holds up when those who advocate action suggest things like alternative energy and conservation of resources. What is wrong with getting off of fossil fuel technology? What is wrong about being responsible stewards of forests? What is so wrong with curbing our runaway energy consumption profile? Humanity might well be on the ropes in 100 years. That sits well with you? You are cool with that? Ok, I get that you don't plan to be around but do you get that others around you aren't so short sighted. They may have children... they may have grandchildren... they may care about something bigger than themselves. If you can take comfort in the knowledge that warming is inevitable and may or may not turn around on its own, rock on. I and others, however, don't. We believe that we are mandated to try something to at least blunt the sharp edges of what might be and, in so doing, do a measure of good for our environment which is a good thing, period.
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Maybe we should close all the Universities and just go back to Hunter Gatherer pre-technical existence.
Wow don't say that too loud, that is exactly what the environmental wackos want.
Maybe we should close all the Universities and just go back to Hunter Gatherer pre-technical existence.
Wow don't say that too loud, that is exactly what the environmental wackos want.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Clarks
When we drop the population down to a reasonable 10 to 15 million we return to our ranching agrarian heritage, hereford cattle grazing amongst the abandoned freeways, watched over by men, another group sadly lacking in modern California, men, as opposed to old male children, far too common in this once great state.
Newsflash: Neither side of the political debate has their hands clean when it comes to name calling. Instead of continuing the name calling ("childish"), try ignoring it and debating about the topic itself. All your doing with posts like the one above is perpetuating exactly what you're complaining about.
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