Even ExxonMobil says anthropogenic global warming is real, but will the elephants admit they were wrong, terribly wrong? The humiliation of having to publicly admit to being so wrong is completely unacceptable to the GOP and its creepy supporters. (e. g. tRump, et al.) In fact, the GOP has painted itself into a corner of such profound stupid and wrong that, at this point, good luck getting them to change their position on ANYTHING.
As usual, I guess we have to wait until climate change causes problems for the majority of the population and then they will demand the president does something. Of course there won’t be much anyone will be able to do at that point. Extinction would solve the problem.
Actually, it will just mean that while the rest of the world moves to renewable power and adds great new green tech to the economy, we will be increasingly tethered to the Middle East and slavishly devoted to Saudi Arabia — as we are now — and with an economy crippled by an inability to compete.And the climate will continue to worsen, meaning we will not be able to keep up.
ONE SANE REPUBLICAN, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER,POSTED THIS ON FACEBOOK MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2015:I DON’T GIVE A **** IF WE AGREE ON CLIMATE CHANGE.I see your questions.Each and every time I post on my Facebook page or tweet about my crusade for a clean energy future, I see them.There are always a few of you, asking why we should care about the temperature rising, or questioning the science of climate change.I want you to know that I hear you. Even those of you who say renewable energy is a conspiracy. Even those who say climate change is a hoax. Even those of you who use four letter words.I’ve heard all of your questions, and now I have three questions for you.Let’s put climate change aside for a minute. In fact, let’s assume you’re right.First – do you believe it is acceptable that 7 million people die every year from pollution? That’s more than murders, suicides, and car accidents – combined.Every day, 19,000 people die from pollution from fossil fuels. Do you accept those deaths? Do you accept that children all over the world have to grow up breathing with inhalers?Now, my second question: do you believe coal and oil will be the fuels of the future?Besides the fact that fossil fuels destroy our lungs, everyone agrees that eventually they will run out. What’s your plan then?I, personally, want a plan. I don’t want to be like the last horse and buggy salesman who was holding out as cars took over the roads. I don’t want to be the last investor in Blockbuster as Netflix emerged. That’s exactly what is going to happen to fossil fuels.A clean energy future is a wise investment, and anyone who tells you otherwise is either wrong, or lying. Either way, I wouldn’t take their investment advice.Renewable energy is great for the economy, and you don’t have to take my word for it. California has some of the most revolutionary environmental laws in the United States, we get 40% of our power from renewables, and we are 40% more energy efficient than the rest of the country. We were an early-adopter of a clean energy future.Our economy has not suffered. In fact, our economy in California is growing faster than the U.S. economy. We lead the nation in manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, entertainment, high tech, biotech, and, of course, green tech.I have a final question, and it will take some imagination.There are two doors. Behind Door Number One is a completely sealed room, with a regular, gasoline-fueled car. Behind Door Number Two is an identical, completely sealed room, with an electric car. Both engines are running full blast.I want you to pick a door to open, and enter the room and shut the door behind you. You have to stay in the room you choose for one hour. You cannot turn off the engine. You do not get a gas mask.I’m guessing you chose the Door Number Two, with the electric car, right? Door number one is a fatal choice – who would ever want to breathe those fumes?This is the choice the world is making right now.To use one of the four-letter words all of you commenters love, I don’t give a damn if you believe in climate change. I couldn’t care less if you’re concerned about temperatures rising or melting glaciers. It doesn’t matter to me which of us is right about the science.I just hope that you’ll join me in opening Door Number Two, to a smarter, cleaner, healthier, more profitable energy future.
Solar and wind have gotten cheaper and more efficient, and there are other sources (like tidal) that don’t require burning anything. Conservatives, unsurprisingly, are arguing from outdated facts, many of which *cough*EXXON*cough* were wrong at the time.
It’s a good thing utilities ignore politics when real money is at stake, and buy up all of the renewable power that comes on the market, all at prices below coal now. There are supposed to be 1,400 coal-fired plants on the drawing board worldwide, but few of them will ever be built. According to Goldman Sachs we passed Peak Coal in 2013, and it’s all downhill from the peak.
Conservative pundit David Brooks (channeling Alexander Hamilton), about climate change:First, he was struck by the fact that on this issue the G.O.P. has come to resemble a Soviet dictatorship — a vast majority of Republican politicians can’t publicly say what they know about the truth of climate change because they’re afraid the thought police will knock on their door and drag them off to an AM radio interrogation.
Baslim the beggarPhotovoltaic is minimized when pollution is so bad that cars need headlights at noon. China is leading the world in the manufacture of megawatt windmills. They have destroyed scenic treasures for hydro which will silt up in a couple centuries. Appropriate technology (to use a term banned by US corporate media since the ’70s) requires the application as well as the technology to be environmentally appropriate. However, fossil and fission sources are inappropriate because of the waste matter is produced faster than nature can deal with it.
No one allowed for the rare event, so it remains a design fault.Yeah, because why would an island nation subject to earthquakes, massive storms, and tsunamis, worry about siting a nuclear plant close to the shore?
No one allowed for the rare event, so it remains a design fault.
Mike: I still remember those days vividly. Before the accident GPU had open meetings with the public to assure them that “nothing can possibly go wrong. There are back up systems for back up systems etc.” Sitting in front of my TV on the Friday when the news broke, I can still remember the man from the NRC saying that a hydrogen bubble had formed at the top of the reactor and that they had not foreseen this and had no idea what to do. Also, two days before on the Wednesday, rumors were going around in the area that something had gone wrong but it wasn’t until 2 days later that the news officially broke. So without a doubt GPU and the NRC tried to do a cover up. I was there, I lived through it, we left our home on Friday afternoon and headed for Phllly not sure if we’d ever be able to return. So my distrust is rooted in those events and it’s going to be a hard sell to ever lead me to believe that the utilities or the government will deal off the top of the deck when it comes to nuclear power. At least with renewable sources there can be no catastrophe like the one we faced back then.
Dtroutma over 8 years ago
Elephants in “lock step”, locked in place, unwilling to take an actual step.
Alexander the Good Enough over 8 years ago
Even ExxonMobil says anthropogenic global warming is real, but will the elephants admit they were wrong, terribly wrong? The humiliation of having to publicly admit to being so wrong is completely unacceptable to the GOP and its creepy supporters. (e. g. tRump, et al.) In fact, the GOP has painted itself into a corner of such profound stupid and wrong that, at this point, good luck getting them to change their position on ANYTHING.
TomGn over 8 years ago
lets follow China.
Theodore E. Lind Premium Member over 8 years ago
As usual, I guess we have to wait until climate change causes problems for the majority of the population and then they will demand the president does something. Of course there won’t be much anyone will be able to do at that point. Extinction would solve the problem.
Motivemagus over 8 years ago
Actually, it will just mean that while the rest of the world moves to renewable power and adds great new green tech to the economy, we will be increasingly tethered to the Middle East and slavishly devoted to Saudi Arabia — as we are now — and with an economy crippled by an inability to compete.And the climate will continue to worsen, meaning we will not be able to keep up.
BaltoBill over 8 years ago
ONE SANE REPUBLICAN, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER,POSTED THIS ON FACEBOOK MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2015:I DON’T GIVE A **** IF WE AGREE ON CLIMATE CHANGE.I see your questions.Each and every time I post on my Facebook page or tweet about my crusade for a clean energy future, I see them.There are always a few of you, asking why we should care about the temperature rising, or questioning the science of climate change.I want you to know that I hear you. Even those of you who say renewable energy is a conspiracy. Even those who say climate change is a hoax. Even those of you who use four letter words.I’ve heard all of your questions, and now I have three questions for you.Let’s put climate change aside for a minute. In fact, let’s assume you’re right.First – do you believe it is acceptable that 7 million people die every year from pollution? That’s more than murders, suicides, and car accidents – combined.Every day, 19,000 people die from pollution from fossil fuels. Do you accept those deaths? Do you accept that children all over the world have to grow up breathing with inhalers?Now, my second question: do you believe coal and oil will be the fuels of the future?Besides the fact that fossil fuels destroy our lungs, everyone agrees that eventually they will run out. What’s your plan then?I, personally, want a plan. I don’t want to be like the last horse and buggy salesman who was holding out as cars took over the roads. I don’t want to be the last investor in Blockbuster as Netflix emerged. That’s exactly what is going to happen to fossil fuels.A clean energy future is a wise investment, and anyone who tells you otherwise is either wrong, or lying. Either way, I wouldn’t take their investment advice.Renewable energy is great for the economy, and you don’t have to take my word for it. California has some of the most revolutionary environmental laws in the United States, we get 40% of our power from renewables, and we are 40% more energy efficient than the rest of the country. We were an early-adopter of a clean energy future.Our economy has not suffered. In fact, our economy in California is growing faster than the U.S. economy. We lead the nation in manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, entertainment, high tech, biotech, and, of course, green tech.I have a final question, and it will take some imagination.There are two doors. Behind Door Number One is a completely sealed room, with a regular, gasoline-fueled car. Behind Door Number Two is an identical, completely sealed room, with an electric car. Both engines are running full blast.I want you to pick a door to open, and enter the room and shut the door behind you. You have to stay in the room you choose for one hour. You cannot turn off the engine. You do not get a gas mask.I’m guessing you chose the Door Number Two, with the electric car, right? Door number one is a fatal choice – who would ever want to breathe those fumes?This is the choice the world is making right now.To use one of the four-letter words all of you commenters love, I don’t give a damn if you believe in climate change. I couldn’t care less if you’re concerned about temperatures rising or melting glaciers. It doesn’t matter to me which of us is right about the science.I just hope that you’ll join me in opening Door Number Two, to a smarter, cleaner, healthier, more profitable energy future.
Kip W over 8 years ago
Solar and wind have gotten cheaper and more efficient, and there are other sources (like tidal) that don’t require burning anything. Conservatives, unsurprisingly, are arguing from outdated facts, many of which *cough*EXXON*cough* were wrong at the time.
Mokurai over 8 years ago
It’s a good thing utilities ignore politics when real money is at stake, and buy up all of the renewable power that comes on the market, all at prices below coal now. There are supposed to be 1,400 coal-fired plants on the drawing board worldwide, but few of them will ever be built. According to Goldman Sachs we passed Peak Coal in 2013, and it’s all downhill from the peak.
Godfreydaniel over 8 years ago
Conservative pundit David Brooks (channeling Alexander Hamilton), about climate change:First, he was struck by the fact that on this issue the G.O.P. has come to resemble a Soviet dictatorship — a vast majority of Republican politicians can’t publicly say what they know about the truth of climate change because they’re afraid the thought police will knock on their door and drag them off to an AM radio interrogation.
hippogriff over 8 years ago
Baslim the beggarPhotovoltaic is minimized when pollution is so bad that cars need headlights at noon. China is leading the world in the manufacture of megawatt windmills. They have destroyed scenic treasures for hydro which will silt up in a couple centuries. Appropriate technology (to use a term banned by US corporate media since the ’70s) requires the application as well as the technology to be environmentally appropriate. However, fossil and fission sources are inappropriate because of the waste matter is produced faster than nature can deal with it.
Cerabooge over 8 years ago
No one allowed for the rare event, so it remains a design fault.Yeah, because why would an island nation subject to earthquakes, massive storms, and tsunamis, worry about siting a nuclear plant close to the shore?
StCleve72 over 8 years ago
No one allowed for the rare event, so it remains a design fault.
Mike: I still remember those days vividly. Before the accident GPU had open meetings with the public to assure them that “nothing can possibly go wrong. There are back up systems for back up systems etc.” Sitting in front of my TV on the Friday when the news broke, I can still remember the man from the NRC saying that a hydrogen bubble had formed at the top of the reactor and that they had not foreseen this and had no idea what to do. Also, two days before on the Wednesday, rumors were going around in the area that something had gone wrong but it wasn’t until 2 days later that the news officially broke. So without a doubt GPU and the NRC tried to do a cover up. I was there, I lived through it, we left our home on Friday afternoon and headed for Phllly not sure if we’d ever be able to return. So my distrust is rooted in those events and it’s going to be a hard sell to ever lead me to believe that the utilities or the government will deal off the top of the deck when it comes to nuclear power. At least with renewable sources there can be no catastrophe like the one we faced back then.
moosemin over 8 years ago
It’s all about MONEY, folks, AMERICAN MONEY.