Green Living Q & A

Wave/ Tidal power debate ..need solid defense!!!?

My chemistry class is having a huge debate on the different types of power generation…which is the best most sustainable, enviro friendly etc… tommorow i present on my topic–wave/ tidal power..and basically i get a minute or two to present my case and then the class bombards me with questions trying to point out flaws..its RUTHLESS! …i need a rock solid defense and arguments to dispute the weak points of my proposal—i need to make the disadvantages look good, even!… i’d be grateful for your two cents worth on the subject, and possibly some debate tips 🙂 thanks!

Does it drive you batty when people say “Environmentalists won’t be happy until we are all living in caves.”

I know I’ve asked this before, but I keep seeing it over and over again! Even from Top Contributors to the environmental section!

Unreal!

In terms of embracing new technology, who is more for stagnation and regression? Environmentalists want to move forward to the next best thing, the next wave of technology.

Why is there still this idea that to be sustainable, you have to live in a cave? There was no electricity in the rennaissance, no oil or cars or TVs either, and yet look at what humanity was able to accomplish during that time period!

Do you think that people who say things that polarize technology and lack of technology are just throwing a huge insult at thousands of years of human development?

Is the U.S. Economy Far Worse than what the Media and Politiicans are Saying?

The daily bleeding of thousands of jobs will soon turn our economic crisis into a political crisis. The street protests, strikes and riots that have rattled France, Turkey, Greece, Ukraine, Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Iceland will descend on us. It is only a matter of time. And not much time. When things start to go sour, when Barack Obama is exposed as a mortal waving a sword at a tidal wave, the United States could plunge into a long period of precarious social instability.

At no period in American history has our democracy been in such peril or has the possibility of totalitarianism been as real. Our way of life is over. Our profligate consumption is finished. Our children will never have the standard of living we had. And poverty and despair will sweep across the landscape like a plague. This is the bleak future. There is nothing President Obama can do to stop it. It has been decades in the making. It cannot be undone with a trillion or two trillion dollars in bailout money. Our empire is dying. Our economy has collapsed.
(Chris Hedges)

http://www.alternet.org/module/printversion/125192

Over the last 20 years, America has degenerated into a nation of consumers, with 72 percent of Gross Domestic Product (sic) now being accounted for by consumer spending—most of it going for things that are produced overseas and shipped here.

That is not an economic model that is sustainable, and it is a model that has just suffered what is certainly a mortal blow.

What we are now seeing is the beginning of an inevitable downward adjustment in American living standards to conform with our actual place in the world. As a nation of consumers, and not producers, with little to offer to the rest of the world except raw materials, food crops, military hardware and bad films (none of which industries employ many people), we are headed to a recovery that will not feel like a recovery at all. Eventually, productive capacity will be restored, as lowered US wages make it again profitable for some things to be made here at home again, but like people in the 1930s looking back at the Roaring 20s of yore, we are going to look back at the last two decades as some kind of dream.
(Dave Lindorff)
http://www.counterpunch.org/lindorff01302009.html
“If news reports are right, the bank rescue plan will contain two main elements: government purchases of some troubled bank assets and guarantees against losses on other assets. The guarantees would represent a big gift to bank stockholders; the purchases might not, if the price was fair – but prices would, the Financial Times reports, probably be based on “valuation models” rather than market prices, suggesting that the government would be making a big gift here, too.

And in return for what is likely to be a huge subsidy to stockholders, taxpayers will get, well, nothing.”(Paul Krugman)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/03/EDDS15LDM1.DTL&hw=Krugman&sn=001&sc=1000

world issues economy. do you know anything about the following people?

•Karl Marx and Fredrick Engel’s Communist Manifesto (political / economic / social)
If (intellectually) communism makes sense whereby resources are distributed amongst the people somewhat equally, why does this system of government always seem to fall apart?
•The Club of Rome’s Limits to Growth and Beyond the Limits to Growth (resource use / future)
If there is no hope for the future, then why try to solve any of the problems at all?
•J. M. Keynes government role in the economy (economics)
Since governments have a tendency to be big and desirous of getting bigger, isn’t this system of economic intervention just playing into a bureaucracy’s hands?
•Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations (economic)
Everyone knows that if left alone, big companies will squash little companies and will dominate the economy so much that they can actually affect and dictate government policies and planning. Surely the national government must play some role in a country’s economy.
•Alvin Toffler’s Future Shock (future)
What do you think the Fourth Wave will be? Why?
•Gro Brundtland’s Our Common Future (economics / environmental)
Can we truly have ‘sustainable development ‘ or is it just a utopian dream?

Are these ideas for economic survival too radical?

The status quo is not sustainable. We’ve heard that often enough. So what? Some “brainstorming”, “outofthebox” thinking may be in order to meet a dramatically different future, than what we have enjoyed in the past. What do you think of these ideas? And I welcome yours (before I wave my magic wand)
1. All efforts, appropriate, to eliminate illegal immigrants from our jobs, our schools, emergency rooms, courts and jails. Secure the Southern border.
2. Women who have chosen to be Mothers and have a working spouse, go home. Your absence from the workplace and your presence at home with your children will be the greatest contribution to your community that you can make.
3. Social Security benefits paid only to those actually in need of it to prevent poverty. (This was its original intent anyway) Also, eliminate the cap on FICA taxes. Everybody pays on all income earned.
4. Police, firemen, teachers, union members and others on pensions and retirement programs agree to cuts in benefits appropriate to the crisis, until it is passed. Soc. Sec. too.
5. Abolish our present system of taxation. Adopt either a “fair tax” or a flat rate system. This would free up TRILLIONS of dollars presently in offshore taxhavens, which would return to the US. giving our economy the biggest possible shot in the arm.
6. Toss out ALL incumbents in Washington, elect new blood, not career politicians who are bought and paid for by special interests. Both parties have abandoned The People.

Any Eco or animal friendly Dresses or dress shoes?

I’m looking for Eco or animal friendly Dresses or dress shoes online, I’ve ad no luck so far.

what are some environmentally friendly shoes?

what are some cute, no more then (50.00) eco friendly shoes??
or just some shoes that are cute and in style. again, no more then 50 bucks please. (and by shoes, i mean sneakers..)

are vegan shoes eco friendly?

Are converses more eco friendly than regular sneaker?

Either converses or off-brand converses. Are they more eco–friendly than other shoes? Mine last an extremely long time and I wear them hard (through all weather and all kinds of house work like painting and sanding and such)
Mine last about three years even though I wear them all the time and such.

Whats a good slogan for my eco friendly shoe called the Earth Flights?

i need a really good slogan

Is it possible to run a car off of alternative energy other than ethanol and solar power?

Is it possible, or has there been a study done, on running a car off of alternative energy sources, besides solar and biofuels, such as Geothermal Energy; Tidal Energy; and Wind Energy?
Thanks.
That’s logical. Just had to check.

How to switch story over from biofuels to alternative energy?

In my story i have to talk about biofuels and alternative energy.. i already wrote about all the biofuels and about oil platforms and what are the largest oil platforms.

Now I need to switch over to alternative energy… how can I do that???? how should i start?

What are your views on alternative energy research?

I just want to know what you think about researching alternative ways for green energy.

Such as wind turbines and solar cells, and what not.

will alternative source of energy start being used effectively during the coming 15 years?

effectively meaning in houses & cars & factories
& what will happen to oil producing countries when the world starts to depend on alternative energy ?

how do alternative energy sources work?

this is a science hmw that is due on tuesday, and i need help plz!
the topic is Alternative Energy.

So I need to know how alternative energy sources work. that is the question i have the most problems on… if you wouldn’t mind I would appreciate a sentence or two on these two questions about alternative energy sources.

Can we use them to generate electricity?
and
How can we use them to generate electricity?

I need ideas for a term paper on global issues!?

My teacher has given us a term paper that needs to be 4-5 pages long, so i need an interesting topic!

Some of the possibilities he has given us include:

– Biological Weapons
– Al-Qaeda
– Infectious Diseases
– International Trade
– Environmental Issues
– Russian Organized Crimes
-Human Trafficking
– Drug Trade
– Indian Economy
– Theocratic Iran
– Role of Woman in Islam
– World Markets
-Tibet
– Africa
– Africa
– Abuse of Children
– Modern Communism
– Iraqi Democracy
– North Korean Nuclear Weapons Program

I think I could use a few of these, but he said we could choose other topics. It is my first term paper, but i want it to be interesting and pretty easy to write about! Thanks for the Ideas!

Geography (Africa) Help?

Well…

Can anyone help answer at least one of the following questions:

What challenges have African nations faced since independence?

In what ways did colonial rule cause problem for African countries after independence?

What economic, social, and environmental issues challenge Africans today?

How are Africans working to improve their economis and social conditions?

Re; How should Africans overcome the fierce Chinese vs Euro-American competition for their natural resources?

OVERCOMING SINO-AMERICAN RIVALRY IN AFRICA!
What does the future hold for Africans with the historic Sino-American [East-West] international rivalry and the most alarmingly competition not for the peoples’ welfare but the 1/3 of world resources in Africa?
A pointer to Africa‘s future is the Sino-American environmental issues on one hand and the ethnic minority relations of these countries on the other.
One is therefore moved to ask, would African aborigines be glorified economic slaves or be systematically DELETED to create unlimited access for new owners to resources?
Even if we can overcome these two challenges, the world would still need a Sino-American Peace?
Could Africa also possibly define their collective Manifest Destiny in the conscious efforts to address these issues?
What should Africans do?

What fate awaits the Africans in the fierce Chinese vs Euro-American economic war on their natural resources?

UNDERSTANDING SINO-AMERICAN RIVALRY IN AFRICA!
What does the future hold for Africans with the historic Sino-American [East-West] international rivalry and the most alarmingly competition not for the peoples’ welfare but the 1/3 of world resources in Africa?
A pointer to Africa‘s future is the Sino-American environmental issues on one hand and the ethnic minority relations of these countries on the other.
One is therefore moved to ask, would African aborigines be glorified economic slaves or be systematically DELETED to create unlimited access for new owners to resources?
Even if we can overcome these two challenges, the world would still need a Sino-American Peace?
Could Africa also possibly define their collective Manifest Destiny in the conscious efforts to address these issues?

Please Join the Discuss. Join, the omoluwabi yahoogroups at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/omoluwabi or mail to
atunbiomoluwabi@yahoo.com

Should religion be banned?

My parents were Christian missionaries. I spent the first seven years of my life in Zimbabwe where I grew up among people who sacrificed easy comfortable lives in their home country in order to help the poor in Africa: doctors, nurses, teachers and ministers who dedicated their lives to building hospitals and schools and supplying medical help and education to the people of Zimbabwe. You can imagine how it annoys me when I see questions posted by people in this forum pointing fingers to Christianity as the source of all evil and pleading for religion to be banned. To me they seem to believe a lie. That is why I did a search on the internet to find some proof of what Christians are doing worldwide. I found this and saved it on my laptop, but I know for certain that it is only the tip of an iceberg:

1. Last year alone, CBN Partners:
provided medical treatment to over 785,000 people;
drilled clean, fresh water wells and cisterns for over 425,000 thirsty people;
ended the suffering of over 625 children through cleft palate surgery;
provided hundreds of thousands of meals;
paid the school tuition and gave supplies to thousands of young students.

2. Emmanuel Activity Centre (EAC)
COH runs a day activity centre called Emmanuel Activity Centre (EAC), serving people who have:
Down’s syndrome
Intellectual disabilities
Autism spectrum disorder
Cerebral palsy
Multiple disabilities

3.We operate across the spectrum of violent conflict: from displacement to repatriation, from rehabilitation to the re-development of conflict-damaged communities. CORD’s key sectors are education and livelihoods. Our work also addresses cross-cutting issues: child protection, gender violence, trauma, HIV/AIDS, environmental issues and forgiveness and reconciliation.

And if you feel you could help instead of criticizing other people, here’s a useful website:
http://www.tearfund.org/

Now tell me: Do you honestly believe that religion should be banned?
My intention wasn’t to discuss the pro’s and cons of missionary work, but to point out how unfair people’s comments about religion are. However, Sharmel has brought up a valid point. I agree that there is the danger of Christians coming across as arrogant when they try to convert people from other religions. On the other hand, a lot of missionaries don’t force their faith onto people but simply offer their services and invite people to church. In my opinion there is nothing wrong with that. The missionaries who worked with my parents were humble, loving, non-judgmental people who were there to serve. They were greatly loved and respected by the Wakaranga, the group they befriended: people who were previously severely suppressed by another tribe in Zimababwe.

What companies are the best in supplying Alternative Energy Generators(Solar, Wind…)?

Hello,

I was wondering if one day I wanted to buy good products for generating energy from alternative resources like the Wind power and the Solar power, which companies are the best in supplying those kinds of generators?

I’m not just thinking of small generators for homes, I’m thinking of a bigger level too. Like for big industrial companies or even National level!

Thanks a lot for your expertise exchange 🙂

What have major oil and electricity companies been saying about alternative energy methods?

Because I’m sure that they would be advocating against having alternative energy methods replace oil and such as major resources in near future.

the top 10 biggest alternative energy companies?

solar, wind and wave energy producers,

Why can’t the government give tax breaks to companies transitioning to alternative energy?

Could it have something to do with oil company lobbyists in Washington and their billions of dollar profits?? Does America care enough to demand change???

Is it true that energy companies have been buying/repressing patents for alternative energy sources for years?

Is there a news letter to subscribe to that informs about solar credits, rebates, incentives ETC.?

Wondering if there is a news letter or subscription that keeps people abreast of current credits, incentives, rebates etc. for Solar and renewable energy products and installations nationally and/or State specific?

What are some of the things you do to lead a more sustainable lifestyle?

Many years ago, Kate and I developed a Stewardship Model for Tom’s of Maine in order to codify all of the natural, sustainable practices we were already following—such as only using natural ingredients and never testing on animals. The Stewardship Model sets out very specific standards for natural, sustainable, and responsible practices, and guides all of us every day in our decision making.

Kate and I also feel that a commitment to sustainability should be incorporated into all areas of the company—not just the product formulations. Let me share just two examples: our packaging designer, Jack, purchases only post-consumer-waste recycled and recyclable materials and soy-based inks; and my Director of Product Supply, Mark, had some great ideas about using renewable energy sources, so in 2006, we began purchasing wind energy credits to offset 100% of our factory’s electricity needs.

What is your opinion on the presidential debate between Obama and McCain?

Obama wants to tax big oil companies, find safer ways to store nuclear waste and generate nuclear power, help auto manufactures create hybrid cars and give tax credits to those who purchase hybrids. John McCain will not tax big oil companies, believes nuclear energy is already safe and that we should build 45 more nuclear reactors in the U.S. He is willing to give $300 million to auto manufactures to create different types of hybrid cars, and will give tax credits toward renewable energy, and wants to sit down with other political leaders to set limits on carbon emissions by corporations. WHAT DO YOU THINK??

Renewable energy. Why isn’t our government doing more to subsidize and encourage industry growth?

Set aside your biases about global warming for a second. America’s energy consumption is outgrowing it’s ability to produce said energy. Every summer, power grids around the country have experienced brown-outs and shutdowns to keep the energy grids running. This is only expected to increase as the population and dependence on coal based electricty increases.
The technology exists to lower fossil fuel consumption and augment it with renewable resources. Why not spend less money providing subsidies and tax breaks to oil and coal, and instead work to subsidize renewable energy into the market. For instance, invest in private companies to develop and sell solar technologies to businesses at a reduced rate. Or, give a tax credit to homeowners for investing in solar roofs or windmills on their property. Renewable energy may never replace traditional fuels, but there is a definite need to grow this industry and it seems like the government doesn’t care.

Can anyone translate this legal jargon for me?

trying to understand the rules for renewable energy credits in Utah. thanks
Large Commercial & Industrial Customers
Customers with demand charges that generate excess generation will be given a choice between valuing excess generation at an avoided-cost-based rate or at an alternative rate by dividing Rocky Mountain Power’s Utah revenue per schedule by the schedule’s corresponding kilowatt-hour usage data from the previous year’s FERC Form No. 1.

– Credit Details

Is sustainable food healthy?

please give reasoning

does sustinable food have to be healthy food? give examples

What kind of job can you get with a sustainble food and agriculture major?

I’m majoring in sustainable food and agriculture.. or sustainable food and bioenergy systems..what kind of jobs can you get with this major?

How do we design and plant sustainable environments for fish food so we don’t have to buy it?

Anyone know of a cool website with daily updates on culture, music, food, travel, sustainable living, Yoga?

Maybe also fitness, garden, permaculture, holistic health, organic products, books, animals, photography, adventure and even social or environmental issues. I’d like to make my internet browsing experience a little more earthy and not so based on news. Thanks

Will vertical farming provide a sustainable and independent food alternatives ? ?

Vertically growing crops today to provide safe/secure and local fresh foods for both rural and urban settings, in developed and developing countries.
Caroline Keddy, http://blog.valcent.net, www.valcent.net

What are some fashion forward, eco friendly clothing brands?

What is a good store that sells organic/eco-friendly clothing in Toronto?

Do you know of any eco-friendly clothing brand?

I am looking for a brand that sells products made of materials such as organic cotton, hemp, recycled polyester, jute, etc. Shoe brands would also be great!

PS- preferably brands whose products are made in the USA, CA, EU, anything not made in a sweatshop. Thanks!

Eco-friendly clothing company with love/inspiring messages?

I know of Blend Apparel which is my favorite and there is Live to Love but they are not eco friendly. Do you know of any others?

Where is there Eco Friendly clothing stores on Long Island or New York City?

What are possible positions (jobs) in solar energy?

I want to work in something that has to do with alternative energy sources such as solar energy hydroelectricity etc. To what type of program i would need to applay and what are the requirements?

What types of jobs are created and lost from the use of geothermal energy?

What types of jobs are created and lost from the use of geothermal energy as an alternative energy source?

What college major would be best for a future career in developing alternative energy sources?

Which major would be best for a job in cleantech companies or any other alternative energy businesses. I would guess some sort of engineering but I don’t specifically know which type of engineering. Thanks.

If i want to do something with developing alternative energy what job can i do? also what should i major in?

If pursuing alternative energy (solar, wind, etc) have a lot of benefits, why do some people still oppose it?

Wouldn’t it create more jobs and be better for the environment, and also reduce dependency on foreign oil?

What are some reasons why some people are against alternative energy?

can someone summarize this arcticle?

K i am not trying to give an excuse but my dad just pasted away from pacriatic cancer and my teacher wants this summary in so if someone can summarize this article to the best of there abiiltiesi really appreciate it

Long known for its coal-burning power plants and oil refineries, New Jersey is about to take a major step toward clean energy with offshore wind turbines that would generate enough electricity to power half of the houses in North Jersey.

A pilot project to install dozens of turbines off the coast is scheduled to be approved next week and will act as a cornerstone in Governor Corzine’s push for renewable energy.

Five companies have submitted proposals for a $19 million Board of Public Utilities grant that state officials say will boost the project. Plans range from 74 towering wind turbines a few miles off the coast of Atlantic City to 225 smaller ones off Seaside Park.

The 350 megawatts generated in this first wave will not make a huge dent in the amount of coal, natural gas or nuclear energy used to generate the almost 20,000 megawatts needed in New Jersey. But advocates hope this wind farm will lead to more.

“We need a new way to generate power, and offshore wind is essential to our future energy demands,” said Jeanne Fox, the BPU president.

The decision, expected on Oct. 3, could make New Jersey the first state to have an offshore wind farm, although Delaware officials approved a plan this summer.

Land-based wind turbines have been providing electricity everywhere from Atlantic City to West Texas in recent years. But even though the wind is strongest at sea, offshore wind farms have never been built in the U.S., largely because of the enormous construction costs, environmental concerns, and community objections that a 250-foot turbine would mar picturesque seaside views.

That is changing after the success of offshore wind farms in Europe that have shown minimal environmental impact. Some are built far enough off the coast that they are barely seen.

1,000 megawatts

Corzine wants more than just a pilot program. The proposed state Energy Master Plan calls for 1,000 megawatts to be generated by offshore wind. That may be increased to 3,000 when the plan is adopted this fall.

Environmentalists have long supported wind power, but they do have concerns. Some believe the construction will disrupt life on the ocean floor. There is fear that the 100- to 150-foot blades will chop up birds.

Another concern is how much this will eventually affect a consumer’s electric bill.

Constructing offshore turbines is expensive. One applicant, Garden State Offshore Energy, said it would cost about $1.1 billion to build its planned 96 turbines 16 to 21 miles off the coast of Atlantic City. In the long run, however, it may be less expensive than fossil fuels since wind is free and there is no need for expensive air filtering equipment like those required at coal plants.

“Whether wind will be more costly than other forms, we don’t know,” said Stefanie Brand, director of the state Division of Rate Counsel, which advocates on behalf of consumers. “Constructing a new generation of power sources is expensive. We want them to be as economical as they can be.”

Electricity from the turbines will flow from underwater cables to power stations onshore, where it will enter the power grid. If the turbines are built off Atlantic City, much of the power generated will be drawn into South Jersey. But more turbines would mean wind energy would eventually make it to North Jersey. Onshore wind farms located in sparsely populated areas in the U.S. have had trouble getting their power into the grid; that is not a problem in densely populated New Jersey.

Regulators and the applicants believe the BPU’s $19 million grant will fast track the project with permits needed from the state Department of Environmental Protection and the federal Minerals Management Service, which would lease portions of the ocean floor to builders.

“It’s very much a head start,” Fox said. “The permitting agencies should be more sensitive about moving this forward.”

Several plans are similar, but each applicant says they are the best for different reasons.

* Garden State Offshore Energy, a partnership of PSEG and Winergy Power LLC, said their technology allows them to build wind turbines farther offshore than their competitors. They also tout a plan to use wind turbines to store compressed air in tanks that could be used to generate electricity when there is no wind.

* Bluewater Wind, a Hoboken company, said its selection this summer to build Delaware’s first wind farm would allow it to develop in New Jersey at a lower cost.

* Fishermen’s Energy of New Jersey, a consortium of fishing companies in Cape May, said it would be the best steward of the oceans since its members know the Jersey coast better than anyone.

* Environmental Technologies of New York said its smaller vertical axis turbines will

79% of Obama’s stimulus money went overseas. Wasn’t this supposed to create American jobs? Dems?

Examples, you ask for….

*** “The largest grant made under the program so far, a $178 million payment on Dec. 29, went to Babcock & Brown, a bankrupt Australian company that built a Texas wind farm using turbines made by a Japanese company.”

*** “American and Chinese companies announced a deal to build a $1.5 billion wind farm in Texas, using imported Chinese turbines. Company officials said they planned to collect $450 million in stimulus grants for the project. The deal would create dozens of jobs in the U.S. and thousands in China.”

…keep in mind…. We had to borrow much of this stimulus money FROM CHINA. Now were are using the money we borrowed to pay for THEIR goods?!

And isn’t this yet ANOTHER example of how Obama can make an idea sound brilliant…then allow the application of the process to be a complete debacle? ….meanwhile the American taxpayer continues to suffer.

http://investigativereportingworkshop.org/investigations/wind-energy-funds-going-overseas/story/renewable–energy-money-still-going-abroad/
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/business/energy-environment/30wind.html?_r=2&sq=cielo&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=3&adxnnlx=1269442885-0hmRwBe38Zmqu9uIKpsiQA
LOL @ Sadcat: It’s no wonder you just don’t get it… ….sad indeed.
@ 1 eye dog: I’m hearing ya! I live in Cincinnati, so I know all too well what you’re talking about.

But the whole concept of giving our tax dollars to companies over seas to stimulate OUR economy is a fallacy. A complete misnomer. And it’s fooled the blind left once again.

WSW 2/19/09 HeLp AsAp HeLp AsAp?

CHICAGO — A landmark Energy Department project to bury carbon dioxide produced by humans has begun as workers sunk a huge drill bit into Illinois ground this week, signaling continued support for a climate change mitigation strategy that has fallen out of favor in many circles.

The start of drilling marks the launch a geological sequestration project that will deposit a million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the ground by 2012.

While that’s nothing compared to the several billion tons of CO2 that humans emit yearly, it’s the geology of the site that makes the development exciting. The CO2 will be piped into a geological formation that underlies parts of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky that could eventually hold more than 100 billion tons of CO2.

“This is going to be a large-scale injection of 1 million metric tons, one of the largest injections to date in the U.S.” project manager Robert Finley said here at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting Sunday.

While the Department of Energy and private industry have been pushing to create cheaper renewable energy and investigating increased nuclear-power options to reduce carbon emissions, carbon capture and sequestration remains an attractive idea. It would allow regions of the country like the southeast, which don’t have Texas or California-level wind or solar resources, to continue burning coal without contributing to climate change.

To do that, many technological issues will need to be solved. Last year, the Bush administration canceled the DOE’s most expensive carbon capture and sequestration project, FutureGen, and some utility executives have questioned whether storing CO2 will actually make sense. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimated that as much as 30 percent of the energy created by a coal plant would have to be spent on just pulling the CO2 out of its flue gas.

But new materials for more selectively capturing CO2 from gas mixes continue to be created in labs like Omar Yaghi’s at UCLA and at Georgia Tech under Chris Jones. Those innovations could make the capture part of “carbon capture and sequestration” easier than it currently is. Add in a carbon tax of some form and fossil-fuel power plant operators would have the incentive to start capturing a lot of carbon dioxide. Then, they’ll just need somewhere to put it.

The DOE thinks the United States has more than enough underground closet space.

Mt_simon_slide “What we found in the U.S. with the research that we’ve done over the last 10 years is that there is a significant potential to store CO2 … in these very large reservoirs that are underground,” said John Litynski, who works in the fossil-fuel-centered National Energy Technology Laboratory’s Sequestration Division.

But most current sequestration projects use the carbon dioxide to squeeze more oil and gas out of depleted fields. Those fields probably won’t cut it for much larger amounts of CO2. For that, we’ll have to turn to huge reservoirs deeper underground. That’s why the Illinois demonstration project is so important. It will test a formation called the Mt. Simon sandstone, allowing scientists to track in near real-time what happens when they start putting large amounts of compressed carbon dioxide 6,500 feet below the surface.

“We have numbers for what we think the capacity is in the U.S., but the only way to prove that is to actually drill a well,” said Litynski.

Drilling a 6,500-foot well doesn’t come cheap — the Illinois Basin project has an $84 million price tag. It’s a collaboration between the DOE and industrial partners including Archer Daniels Midland, which is providing the land for the test site and will serve up CO2 from its ethanol fermenters. A group of scientists centered at the Illinois State Geological Survey known as the Midwest Geological Carbon Sequestration Consortium are leading the research.

They’ll collect enormous amounts of data about how the CO2 plume moves through the pores in the sandstone. The Mt. Simon formation is particularly attractive because of a series of fortuitous events that have placed three layers of impermeable rock — known as “cap rock” — between the sandstone and the surface. Finley thinks that makes the project a very good bet to succeed in keeping CO2 buried away for what amounts to forever in human timescales.

But the audience at the AAAS meeting who watched the researchers present their sequestration evidence weren’t wholly convinced. They gave the presenters a rougher time than one normally sees at this meeting, where most questions are softballs. One audience member noted that the Mt. Simon project was sequestering 10,000 times less CO2 than we’d have to put into the ground each year to offset human emissions.

It’s the expense and time needed to scale up the tech that leads renewable energy advocates to complain that money used to make coal cleaner should instead be spent scaling up wind power or installing

Do any economists disagree that California’s economy will benefit from a carbon cap and trade system?

In 2006, California passed AB 32 which among other effects will soon lead to the creation of a carbon cap and trade system within the state. Some Texas oil companies have funded a proposition on this year’s ballot to delay implementation of the cap and trade system until the state’s unemployment rate remains below 5.5% for four consecutive quarters – a level rarely met even in strong economic conditions.

118 Ph.D. economists who live or work in California or who have expertise related to California issues or climate and energy issues have signed a letter in support of AB 32, against Proposition 23.

“Delaying action now and waiting for the future before initiating accelerated action to reduce global warming gases will be more costly than initiating action now. Acting now is more likely to limit further environmental degradation, lower the cost of mitigation, and spur innovation in renewable energy and conservation technologies. Furthermore, policies that reduce global warming pollution are likely to provide immediate benefits to the health and welfare of residents by reducing local pollutants.

For these reasons we urge continued support for policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These policies can improve our energy security, create new business opportunities and more jobs,
and provide incentives for innovation.”
http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/global_warming/2010-CA-Economists-LTR.pdf

So I’m wondering, do you know of any economists who oppose California’s proposed carbon cap and trade system?
Since so many people seem to be misunderstanding the question, allow me to clarify. I’m not asking for your personal opinions, I’m asking if any economists disagree that a cap and trade system will be good for California’s economy.

Giving me your personal opinion, unless you’re an economist, does not answer the question.
Ottawa, almost every sentence in the quote I provided talks about ‘costs’ or something similar. I suggest you edit your response to actually attempt to answer the question.
jim, yes! Economists and climate scientists are all stupid! That’s got to be the answer – well done!
deano – please name one economist who has said cap and trade will cost thousands of jobs and thousands of dollars in higher energy bills. Hint – Glenn Beck is not an economist.

Has the Chamber of Commerce finally disproven the myth that free market advocates are shills for big business?

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columns/TimothyCarney/New-Chamber-index-shows-conservatives-arent-corporate-pawns-42379362.html

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., had the most conservative voting record in 2008 according to the American Conservative Union (ACU), and was a “taxpayer hero” according to the National Taxpayer’s Union (NTU), but the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says his 2008 record was less pro-business than Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton.
Similarly, Texas libertarian GOPer Rep. Ron Paul—the most steadfast congressional opponent of regulation, taxation, and any sort of government intervention in business—scored lower than 90% of Democrats last year on the Chamber’s scorecard.
Liberal Democrats often accuse conservative Republicans of being pawns for Big Business, but the 2008 scorecard for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce—the largest lobbying organization in the country and the official Washington voice of business—provides convincing evidence to the contrary. In fact, the policy agenda of big business can be very different from that of limited-government conservatives and libertarians.
Four Republican senators failed to earn the Chamber’s “Spirit of Enterprise Award” (earned for scoring 70% or above): DeMint, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, Jon Kyl of Arizona, and Jeff Sessions of Alabama.
These are among the most fiscally conservative, pro-limited government members of the upper chamber—which is precisely their error, in the eyes of the Chamber. The heroes of the small government cause are the goats of the big business cause.
DeMint, for instance, picked up the highest score last year from NTU, and Kyl and Inhofe were close behind—all three winning NTU’s “Taxpayer Friend” awards.
Similarly, DeMint picked up the only perfect Senate score from ACU, while Kyl and Inhofe tied for second with 96%.
With which votes did these GOP lawmakers earn Chamber scorn? Kyl, Inhofe, DeMint, and Sessions were four of the eight senators to vote Nay July 31 on the “College Opportunity and Affordability Act,” creating $34 million in new subsidies for colleges, probably driving up tuition at taxpayers’ expense rather than making college more affordable.
These four also voted against the Chamber’s position by opposing President George W. Bush’s February 2008 stimulus bill that sent checks to taxpayers. The “rebates” were one-time tax credits that excluded higher-income earners but included some people with no income tax liability.
Conservatives instead proposed long-term, broad-based tax cuts—for example, making permanent the 2001 tax cuts set to expire in 2011—as opposed to one-time stunts turning the IRS into a welfare agency.
And, of course, DeMint, Inhofe, and Sessions upset the Chamber by voting against the massive $700 billion Wall Street bailout—which has since grown into a Detroit bailout, and a tool which the Obama administration is using to tell banks and carmakers how to run their businesses.
The Great Wall Street Bailout will prove someday to be the crucial victory for government control over the economy, and for voting Nay on a rushed vote to pass this unprecedented measure, some conservative lawmakers were scorned by the business lobby.
Sessions, Inhofe, and Kyl also voted last April against a package of tax deductions for “renewable energy”—effectively corporate welfare for unprofitable technologies.
On the House side, it’s a similar picture. The Republican with the lowest Chamber score was Paul. Even Rep. Barney Frank, D-MA, who wants to regulate everything except Fannie Mae, scored 14 points higher than Paul on the Chamber’s scorecard.
Eleven House Republicans failed to win the Chamber’s award—a mixture of libertarian/conservative members like Paul and liberal members like then-Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, R-MD.
All but Gilchrest in this group of “business unfriendly” Republicans earned a black mark from the Chamber for voting against the Wall Street bailout twice. And conservative Republicans Paul, Ted Poe of Texas, Jeff Flake of Arizona, Jack Kingston of Georgia, Paul Broun of Georgia, and Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin voted against the college aid bill, while seven of the 11 voted against Bush’s stimulus.
In June, the House overwhelmingly passed a bill drafted by the Chamber in coordination with advocates for the disabled that expanded the definition of “disability.” At the time, the conservative Heritage Foundation wrote, “the House bill is supported by some business lobbies (representing mostly larger corporations), it is small businesses that are likely to suffer disproportionately.”
Two other House votes that pit conservatives against the Chamber: An authorization bill for NASA, outspending the Bush administration’s funding request by 15%,, and a bill to beef up copyright enforcement and create a copyright czar.
Advocates of bigger government like to assail their opponents as pawns of big business. The Chamber’s shunning of DeMint and Paul will hopefully help put that lie to rest.