Why would we not be pushing forward for expanded solar energy?
Think about it — something that can provide an increasing amount of energy independence from foreign nations — measures of electrical (and fuel) independence from big business — an industrial base that we can actually build within the US — something that avoids the environmental hazards (even excluding carbon) of existing fossil fuel extraction.
Why would we not do something like this if it was reasonably in the same economic ballpark (esp. if you factor in government subsidies). The only losers are … well, coincidentally, the petrochemical industrial interests that profit from the current system. Imagine that.
(h/t +George Wiman)
Reshared post from +David Brin
This is why I emphasize TWODA – Things We Ought to be Doing Anyway. It's fine to ask questions – yes, skeptical ones(!) – about climate change consensus. But only a fool would refuse to do basic, prudent and sensible precautionary measures, just in case scientists and experts turn out to be right.
And no, the agenda of (nearly all ) science-friendly folk is NOT to "ruin the economy" or to "shiver and starve in the dark." TWODA is about investing prudently in energy efficiency — and after 25 years of delay, the new car mileage standards are working brilliantly. Efficiency that would save us all money, create energy independence and have scores of other benefits…
…hence the acronym TWODA… Things We Ought to be Doing Anyway… even if climate change were completely wrong!
It is the utter refusal to negotiate even mild versions of TWODA that belies every denialist claim of reasonableness, and exposes it as a raving, anti-science cult.
On Radio 4 currently there is a show by comedian Simon Evans about Economics (because 6×30 mins of stand up and interviews on economics as entertainment is a thing if you have the BBC!)
Last week he did Oil. An interesting theory, that some economists don’t really rely on, but have noted.
Why did the US invade Iraq. More to the point why at that particular moment? Nothing had actually changed.
Iraq had just started selling its oil in Euros, not dollars. The reason the dollar is the world’s reserve currency is because oil is priced in dollars. If there was a wide-scale shift to Euros, then it would harm the dollar – no special reason to hold it.
What would happen if there was wide scale adoption of green energy? (4% of the world’s population use 20-25% of the world’s energy. Can you guess what we call those people?)