Only You Can Prevent the Coming Green Backlash (solar, global warming, buy)
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I still don't use compact fluorescent light bulbs. Why would I put something in my house that requires a hazmat team to clean it up if it breaks? Hopefully, LED bulbs for residences will be cheap enough by the time my supply of incandescent bulbs runs out.
I still don't use compact fluorescent light bulbs. Why would I put something in my house that requires a hazmat team to clean it up if it breaks? Hopefully, LED bulbs for residences will be cheap enough by the time my supply of incandescent bulbs runs out.
This is a concern but I don't think it's that great, when is the last time you broke one? We've been using them for many years and haven't had one break yet. If you broke a lot of them in an unventilated room you might have a problem. If you break one ventilate the room very well and use tape to clean it up. Put the contents in a sealed bag. They suggest using a vacuum cleaner for rugs and then throwing away the dirt bag within the sealed plastic bag but I wouldn't be doing that for some time. Mercury evaporates and breathing the vapors is what is harmful.
You need the whole cost breakdown don't you? If we're going to say the plant cost $1billion but was only possible because of $1 billion in government subsidies then we don't know the true cost do we?
Sure we do, it's $1B if first solar receive $5B to build it they're not going to say it's going to make them $4B that's absurd. Not good business there would be a public outcry, you say it costs what it costs, then hide the subsidies in the balance sheet. I'm not even arguing that it's not subsidized, but there is absolutely no rational reason not to publish the true cost. Now from the article you linked "The U.S. government has been generous, too, with a 30% investment tax credit for solar installations." Ok so if I understand what you're saying is that perhaps they included this 30% tax credit in the overall price...? Nope in fact it's in their best interests to overstate the cost since they'll get a higher return from that tax credit.
People aren't stupid, some can work things out for themselves. Solar panels, $0.76/watt production cost (Q2 2010 figures), 550MW peak = 550 Million * $0.76 or $418M at cost, which is not unreasonable to expect this is what they pay since they're the manufacturers. Add in land, power storage (if any), infrastructure and $1B is looking on the very conservatively high side. $836M is looking about right, since on average 50% of the Cap investment in Solar is for panels, the remainder goes on everything else, although as the technologies improve then this percentage will begin to decrease. One other point is time to installation, the Blythe plant they have in California 21MW was installed in 13 weeks. This will also drives down costs due to reduced installation labor.
One final point I'd like to mention, that mercury you mentioned in the CFL, the highest air polluter of mercury in the US today is that coal you support. We emit 25% of between the estimated 750 tons and 1500 tons of mercury every year from global coal fired plants. The cost internationally is estimated at $8.7B in health costs, and removal costs anywhere between $2500/kg to $1.1M/kg. Hey but that's ok, we'll just sweep that under the rug, since it's not really a subsidy.
These days the term Green has many meanings and many differing attitudes toward it I may or may not be living a green lifestyle depending on who you talk to.
I drive an economical car that gets 40mpg
I turn all the lights off when not in use and use all low energy bulbs
Keep the thermostat at 60 all winter and dont use air conditioner in summer.
Water heater is turned down to 100 degrees
Try to recycle everything and try to buy products with a minimum amount of packaging.
No electric Dishwasher,no cloths dryer
Large vegetable garden and much composting.
Tend to buy local products and produce where/when possible.
Use public transit often or bike or walk.
etc, etc,
Would i be considered living a green lifestyle? and if so how will it contribute to any negative backlash?
If not what would be considered a green lifestyle?
[b][i]How many more burning Moscows, flooded Pakistans and flooded U.S. Midwests, blizzard-buried U.S. Northeasts and oiled-soiled-ruined Gulfs will it take for this devastation to sink in to our consciousness??
I just love this one. As though it hasn't been happening cyclically since time began. For the Northeast, getting back to "blizzard-buried" is getting back to normal.
For eons it was called weather....now it's devastation!. Lol!
I still don't use compact fluorescent light bulbs. Why would I put something in my house that requires a hazmat team to clean it up if it breaks? Hopefully, LED bulbs for residences will be cheap enough by the time my supply of incandescent bulbs runs out.
I don't like them because of the electromagnetic field they generate.
"The U.S. government has been generous, too, with a 30% investment tax credit for solar installations." Ok so if I understand what you're saying is that perhaps they included this 30% tax credit in the overall price...? Nope in fact it's in their best interests to overstate the cost since they'll get a higher return from that tax credit.
There is a variety of credits available they can take advantage of, One of them pays about 2 cents per kilowatt of production. Don't quote me on that, might be fraction involved.
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Solar panels, $0.76/watt production cost (Q2 2010 figures),
Source for that number? Last I looked they were still up around $4. I understand First solar has different production technique but wasn't aware they had gone so far and actually demonstrated such a cheap panel.
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One final point I'd like to mention, that mercury you mentioned in the CFL, the highest air polluter of mercury in the US today is that coal you support. We emit 25% of between the estimated 750 tons and 1500 tons of mercury every year from global coal fired plants. The cost internationally is estimated at $8.7B in health costs, and removal costs anywhere between $2500/kg to $1.1M/kg. Hey but that's ok, we'll just sweep that under the rug, since it's not really a subsidy.
According to the EPA the US accounts for about 3% of the global pool and US coal plants 1%. The issue is the 50% coming form Asia. Also keep in mind globally there is about equal amount coming from natural sources.
I turn all the lights off when not in use and use all low energy bulbs
Check.
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Keep the thermostat at 60 all winter and dont use air conditioner in summer.
I'd actually keep it at this temperature myself because I like it that cold but that doesn't work with the rest of the household so it stays at 70.
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Water heater is turned down to 100 degrees
I make hot water with my coal boiler, we need to run it trough a tank just to cool it down a little. It's pretty much free because the furnace needs to run 24/7. The heat consumed would be wasted anyway.
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Try to recycle everything and try to buy products with a minimum amount of packaging.
I recycle what I can but as I already mentioned I have an issue with paying to do it. This is a resource with value, at the very least it shouldn't cost me anything. Packaging of product is irrelevant to my purchases, if I need it I buy it. I'd agree many things are way over packaged. I do decline the bag when making small purchases though.
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No electric Dishwasher,no cloths dryer
Use the dishwasher all the time, the clothes dryer not so much.
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Large vegetable garden and much composting.
Just moved into house where this will possible, can't wait after struggling with little patch to grow tomatoes each year.
Anything I do to conserve is because it will save me money or because I want too.
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Would i be considered living a green lifestyle? and if so how will it contribute to any negative backlash?
Sounds to me like your "Green", the backlash is going to come about because people are getting a little sick of it. Some people, especially wealthy people, will flaunt their "Greeness" because they can afford the excessive and sometimes unnecessary costs involved. I think probably the biggest problem with the green movement is that it's gone mainstream and it's hip to be green. It's marketable and a lot of people will buy into the hype without actually being anymore "green", they just think they are.
For example a lot of people would look down their noses at me for using coal to heat, what they don't know is I have less of an environmental impact than people using either oil or electric for heat. I try and explain it to them but it's like talking to a wall because they already have the mindset coal is dirty.
I already see a backlash against this. Numerous people I've met are sick of hearing about green-this and green-that. This is now becoming marketing hype more than anything. I see this as another way for some businesses to get deeper in your wallet.
And I would agree that there is a degree of elitism to this green movement. Whenever I see a celebrity or politician embracing a green lifestyle or talking about sacrifices to be made and additional costs to be borne by us, I ask myself the following questions:
* are they personally making sacrifices and what are they? Please quantify.
* how many houses do they own, how large are they and how much energy does it take to keep them running (heating, cooling, etc.).
* what types of cars do they drive and how many do they own?
* how much travel is done on personal/private jets vs using standard commercial service?
* are you using mass transit if available and how about biking and walking to reduce your carbon footprint.
This is why I'm very skeptical of all this green hoopla. Those that want to force it on us will usually never answer questions like this or think sacrifices don't apply to them. That's elitist in my book!
Sounds to me like your "Green", the backlash is going to come about because people are getting a little sick of it.
If people are getting a "sick of it" attitude toward people who are trying to live environmentally frugal or as sustainable as possible thats their choice if they want to stress themselves about the issue, i dont see what this has to do with us so called Greenies
I've seen pics of various rich people making a token effort at being green as they may buy a prius or some other useless gesture,which is more about them being hypocrites than us greenies expecting some form of backlash,if some dont like the way i live its their problem not mine.
I'm getting the feeling theres a hidden agenda to this whole topic or maybe i'm missing a vital part of some underlying meaning.
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Nope in fact it's in their best interests to overstate the cost since they'll get a higher return from that tax credit.
