Rob Rogers for October 06, 2021

  1. Brain guy dancing hg clr
    Concretionist  over 2 years ago

    It’s not as easy doing it as saying it. What does an electric vehicle cost? How much time are you willing to (ahem) invest in riding the (diesel powered) bus to all your stops for the day? My pickup is about due to be traded in (a little over 200K miles, and some of the dash lights (which aren’t individual, but part of the wiring harness) have died. Among other things. We’re looking at about $20K or so to get it into “I want to drive it” shape. So instead, I’ll be downsizing to a smaller vehicle, probably not a pickup (sigh: Very inconvenient, but not very OFTEN inconvenient) that can tow my utility trailer. But I don’t expect anybody else to do that unti they’re ready to swap vehicles anyway.

    PS: How many amortized miles of long- and short-haul trucking have your online purchases racked up this year?

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    Terdarian  over 2 years ago

    Despite our 1st world issues…

    The U.S. State Department and the World Economic Forum are teaming up to persuade global titans to commit to buying low-carbon products by 2030 or sooner in a bid to accelerate the push to meet climate goals and help develop greener supply chains. The full list of coalition members will be announced.

    They will target four sectors initially: aviation, shipping, steel and trucking. Technologies to cut pollution from them exists, such as sustainable jet fuel, ships running on methanol, steel made from green hydrogen and electric trucks. But those solutions are a lot more expensive than fossil fuel-reliant routes, and the product supply isn’t always available at scale.

    “These are the most difficult industry sectors for anybody dealing with the climate challenge,” Kerry said  “Not because it’s inherently impossible, but mostly because it hasn’t had a lot of focus.” At a meeting in Geneva last week, Kerry met chief executive officers of 30 companies that he hopes to convince to join the FMC.

    New technologies follow a learning curve. As engineers build more solar panels or lithium-ion batteries, they learn how to make them better and cheaper. While government policies have helped some high-profile solutions like EVs ride that curve quickly, many of the most-polluting businesses haven’t received that kind of support.

    Emerging technologies are forecast to account for 50% of the reductions in emissions in 2050, when the world should hit net zero to keep warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius relative to pre-industrial times. Increasing demand for greener alternatives will lower their price tag and help decarbonize the supply chains of the four segments cited by the coalition.

    India and China and many other countries will be importing coal for decades just so their citizens can cook and keep warm. If I had time to invest I would bet on "greener fission ".

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  3. Atheism 007
    Michael G.  over 2 years ago

    >Sigh!<

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  4. Avt freyjaw winter48
    FreyjaRN Premium Member over 2 years ago

    Too right.

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    FrankErnesto  over 2 years ago

    Now get taxpayers to pay for the cleanup.

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    William Bednar Premium Member over 2 years ago

    Too late to switch. The damage is already done.

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    Flatworm  over 2 years ago

    I lived in Los Angeles for five years in the early ’80s. Once, after driving down to San Diego, I decided on the way back to go swimming at the beautiful beach in Huntington Beach, where you can see the wells offshore.

    When I got back into my car, my bare feet had these gummy, smelly black spots all over them where I had walked in the sand. It was almost impossible to get them off — it required scrubbing with steel wool followed by rubbing with lighter fluid.

    And now they want to build those rigs off the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay? Please, I beg of you, don’t do it.

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    randolini Premium Member over 2 years ago

    If they sue the oil company to clean it up, will they end up in prison if they win like Steve Donziger?

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    "It's the End of the World!!!" Premium Member over 2 years ago

    I love the green energy. BUT, the issue is that it will take years to get us there, and until then there must be a viable and reliable energy source. Can’t just cut the lines to coal, gas, oil.

    And not every place is conducive to solar and/or wind.

    But I’d love for us to get there. Got my solar system. Pay less than $15 a month for my electricity because I have to be connected to the grid – can’t swing the batteries to be completely off the grid.

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    NatureBatsLast  over 2 years ago

    Just add all the cost of these spills to the price of fuel.

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  11. Straycat 1
    MFRXIM Premium Member over 2 years ago

    Imagine off-shore windmills, is easy if you can, no more tar balls polluting the sand.

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  12. Curious cat
    Curiosity Premium Member over 2 years ago

    And that’s only the beginning. Petroleum products are central in medications, construction materials, fertilizers and a whole lot more. Is there a problem, absolutely. Do we need to find a way to move on at least for energy, yes. Can Any of the current alternatives provide what is needed without adding more to the overall pollution budget, unfortunately no. The only one that comes close is nuclear. Energy isn’t free, except naturally occurring sunlight you soak in to warm up.

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  13. Toughcat
    bakana  over 2 years ago

    This was a waste of many Truckloads of Gas.

    And, even more will be burned by the Volunteers who will end up doing the Cleanup when the Oil Company runs away from responsibility, just like they always have.

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