Climate Change Report

[Ashliana]

Wait, if we don't want to get rid of coal power plants then what is the big solution to save our planet?

Honestly? In the short term, the smartest answer is probably nuclear power, but there are other alternatives depending on how ambitious we are. The anti-scientific left (which does exist, it's just not as loud as the anti-scientific right--which is to say, almost all of the current GOP lawmakers)--hysterically opposes nuclear power, genetic modification of food (which is critical to averting widespread famine, especially in the increasingly warm climate), etc.

Before the financial crisis (and Egypt's implosion), the EU was seriously considering a continent-wide energy grid that would've been fed from huge solar farms in Egypt. http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2011/06...pagewanted=all The US could conceivably do something similar in Arizona/etc, but there are logistical difficulties in terms of energy loss transmitting power over a land mass as large as ours (and the high cost of the infrastructure).

Germany's proved that on a small scale, solar is viable even in their cloud-ridden climate that isn't particularly conducive to solar. In any case, nuclear would be the best short-term plan, but the scientific community has done a piss-poor job advocating the technology to environmentalists, who seem content to maintain the status quo until they get their precious 100% green options rather than accept a no-carbon alternative like nuclear.

[Tgo01]

Honestly? In the short term, the smartest answer is probably nuclear power

Oh geez, Ashliana and I agree on something. This surely is the end of days.

[cwolff]

What? I asked you a serious question. Cars and power plants account for over 90% of the air pollution in the US. Cars and power plants are about equal in terms of air pollution.

Since you would have to be an idiot to want to tackle the 10% from other sources you either need to do something about cars or energy sources. Since it would be near impossible to get 200 million plus drivers to either drive less or buy more fuel efficient vehicles or stop driving altogether the simpler solution would be to go after dirty power plants.

But you just said no one wants to force anyone to quit burning coal so...what's your solution? I can't help but notice you're acting like a wounded animal again; offering up no real solutions or even defending your own arguments, rather you're just attacking anyone who approaches.

You're not asking a serious question. You're phrasing a trolling question in the form of a False Dillema fallcy. "If we keep cars, we lose the planet". You're just a stupid little man who trolls the internet.

The first solution goes back to the OP which I posted BTW. That solution is to de-politicize and educate the public on this issue. The conservatives are actually re-gressing in their understanding of climate change. Short of that there are things to do and things that are being done. For example; Look at the Obama Administration regulations regarding coal fired power plants from just a few days ago! Seriously TG, Are you really this stupid? It was just this week and I already told you about it.

[Whirlin]

What? I asked you a serious question. Cars and power plants account for over 90% of the air pollution in the US. Cars and power plants are about equal in terms of air pollution.

Since you would have to be an idiot to want to tackle the 10% from other sources you either need to do something about cars or energy sources. Since it would be near impossible to get 200 million plus drivers to either drive less or buy more fuel efficient vehicles or stop driving altogether the simpler solution would be to go after dirty power plants.

But you just said no one wants to force anyone to quit burning coal so...what's your solution? I can't help but notice you're acting like a wounded animal again; offering up no real solutions or even defending your own arguments, rather you're just attacking anyone who approaches.

I have no clue what the solution is... But... at least we have something on the table now to act as a first talking point. As long as the republicans come back with some more than just "No". Provide a little insight into how they envision emission reduction, or what they'd want to see, or what they'd like to avoid. If we can at least facilitate a conversation, it'll be a successful gambit.

[Tgo01]

You're not asking a serious question. You're phrasing a trolling question in the form of a False Dillema fallcy. "If we keep cars, we lose the planet". You're just a stupid little man who trolls the internet.

Oh so your solution IS to do something about cars! Well I'd love to hear your solution to that as well.

The first solution goes back to the OP which I posted BTW. That solution is to de-politicize and educate the public on this issue.

That's the solution? To de-politicize this and educate the public? That will save the world? Not, like, doing something about those dirty power plants? All we need is education?

[Whirlin]

Power stuff

The French just started building the first Fusion power plant... France beat us.

[cwolff]

Oh so your solution IS to do something about cars! Well I'd love to hear your solution to that as well.

That's the solution? To de-politicize this and educate the public? That will save the world? Not, like, doing something about those dirty power plants? All we need is education?

derp derp derp derp.

[Johnny Five]

The French just started building the first Fusion power plant... France beat us.

Just because it's being built doesn't mean it will work. Plus as you stated it's the French. The first sign of trouble and they will wave the white flag.

[waywardgs]

Decentralization of the power grid. Widespread employment of all alternative energies including nuclear. The ability for any house to generate their own electricity with wind and solar and sell the excess back to the grid.

[Tgo01]

I have no clue what the solution is... But... at least we have something on the table now to act as a first talking point. As long as the republicans come back with some more than just "No". Provide a little insight into how they envision emission reduction, or what they'd want to see, or what they'd like to avoid. If we can at least facilitate a conversation, it'll be a successful gambit.

I think that pie graph is slightly misleading. Yes that's where our greenhouse gases are coming from but even according to the EPA most of the pollution from industry comes from burning fossil fuels for energy and most of the pollution from residential and commercial comes from burning fossil fuels for heat.

So, really, energy production and vehicles account for around 80% of the greenhouse gases in this country. I guess the figure I read earlier just referred to pollution in general.