Would it make you feel better to use "green" sources of energy or would the cost deter you from doing so?

Question

Everyone's talking about what and what not to do to go green: carpooling, buying solar panels, even hypermilling, but to the average American, (or anyone else for that matter), would the cost and investment in going green make you feel any better for "pitching in", or would the very limited supply and knowledge make you feel indifferent?

Answer 1

yes....if we all did work a litle harder for things naturally the US wouldn't all be obese! It's sickening! We were meant to have it a little hard, it also feels good to accomplish something and we are not polluting the world! We have it too easy and people are still depressed!

Answer 2

if a person cared for the enviroment they would become a vegetarian. the meat industry is producing alot more waste and pollutants then any othe rindusty, including automobiles.

but yeah, using compact fluorescent bulbs, recycling, and following a vegetarian diet makes me feel like i am pitching in to help our planet

Answer 3

I (and many others, see link below as an example) don't mind paying a bit more to make this a cleaner, safer world, especially for our children. And despite the evidence in YA, I suspect that a lot of Americans would feel the same (we seem to have attracted a substantial percentage of the ranting minority to this forum).

I also just wanted to say to komair that although he seems to have some interesting points and good links, a rambling response of this length, especially one that is only marginally related to the question, is not going to help the debate and is generally a waste of time...

Answer 4

There is just one problem with green energy, it's called physics. There is no alternative to produce enough energy to run the air conditioner in your home on a hot summer day, other than boiling water to make steam to turn a turbine. Wind will never be more than 20% (and it will take decades) of the grid, so that leaves fire and nuclear. Fire needs fuel, there currently is no green solution to making electricity on the scale required for western civilization. There is hope that photovoltaics will one day be effecient enough to be cost effective, but the sun doesnt shine 24 hours a day, so your back to boiling water at night.

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Answer 5

Environment is the surround where we live:

All of living humans & animal ; inhale oxygen & exhale carban dioxide.

For the earth’s environment plant inhale carban dioxide  & exhale oxygen.

For Eco. Balance oxygen = carban dioxide

but by burning the energy resources to Generate the Power, release  the excess carban dioxide , which is causing the green house effect – due to this Global warming is taking place.

Energy resources are mainly – Conventional  & Non conventional

Conventional such as – Coal , Fossil fuel ( Diesel, Petrol, LPG,CNG, etc.) & Nuclear etc.

Non conventional -  Solar, Wind, Hydro & Bio diesel etc.

These are mainly for used generating power, using Thermal/Gas/ Nuclear Power Plants. Which is turn used for Domestic use, Industrial & Commercial purposes such as running Factories & Transportation, running Agricultural Infrastructures etc.  Obliviously with Industrial revolution energy requirement is tremendously increasing. However it leads to releasing of harmful gases and solid waste such as fly ash etc. which is causing Green house effect & Nuclear plant has risk of harmful radiations which is dangers to human life & animal kingdom.

Diesel, Petrol, ATF & Gas is being used in big way for IC& Jet engines which in turn used for transportation (LMV, LCV, HCV etc.) and Generators etc. Which in turn leading to Global warming, melting of polar ice & climate change etc.

We are still running plants based on old technologies, warn out & completed it’s full life may be 40 – 50 years old or more. In India we have seen the fiasco such as Enron Power, a new plant but due to red- tapism  couldn’t  be operated as per initial agreement & many more cases. ,  

Use of Freon in Air conditioners is also causing to damage to environment. By developing the alternative to Freon & curbing the use of it.

Where new alternatives are under Research & development such as Bio diesel using Jetropha seeds (Ratan Jot)etc. so can we plant the Jetropha, this can give us Alternative Fuel for future and stopping the deforestation? and Non conventional sources are still not economical compared to conventional ones except hydro in some cases.

so keeping  watch of electricity consumed, Airconditioners and  SUV's & no. of Vehicles used by us...

As a social cause it’s the duty of all citizen, Govt. & Industry to conserve the energy recourse, by not exploiting them and Make our planet Greener & safer for all.

• The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) headed by the Nobel laureate R.K. Pachauri. some of this contributions as reported by various news agenies;

Saving Planet Earth

Pachauri, R K, 2 June 2008

The Times of India, Education Times

Climate change and the threat that it poses to human existence is a major concern today. Even the youth have an important role to play to save planet earth

There are many lessons in human history which provide adequate warning about the chaos and destruction that could take place if we remain guilty of myopic indifference to the progressive erosion and decline of nature's resources. Much has been written, for instance, about the Maya civilization, which flourished during 250-950 AD, but collapsed largely as a result of serious and prolonged drought. Even earlier, some 4,000 years ago a number of well-known Bronze Age cultures also crumbled extending from the Mediterranean to the Indus Valley, including the civilizations, which had blossomed in Mesopotamia. More recent examples of societies that collapsed or faced chaos on account of depletion or degradation of natural resources include the Khmer Empire in South East Asia, Eastern Island, and several others. Changes in climate have historically determined periods of peace as well as conflict. </P< span>

Atoms for peace

Pachauri, R K, 19 June 2008

The Indian Express

Democracy in India has taken firm roots, and earlier misgivings about coalition governments at the Centre have proved largely unjustified, as recent experience has shown. However, in one respect, Indian democracy, with and without coalition politics, has not served the interests of Indian society adequately. In mature democracies, even when there are deep divisions on crucial issues of national interest, opposing parties drop their differences to coalesce around what is perceived as common national interest. One wonders when Indian politics would reach such a stage of maturity.

Greenhouse gases: the developed world

Pachauri, R K, 14 March 2008

Time

Most references to the role of China and India in global mitigation of emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are generally simplistic. The typical argument put forward highlights the fact that these countries would continue increasing their emissions substantially, and, therefore, any efforts at reduction in the developed world would be more than neutralized by increases in the former. The reality is in fact much more complex. It is important to remember that the problem of human induced climate change has been caused by the cumulative emissions of GHGs with concentration levels at 280 parts per million of CO2 in pre-industrial times growing to around 380 parts per million currently. This increase is largely the result of substantial increase in use of fossil fuels in the industrialized world. For this reason, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) included the principle of "common but differentiated responsibility", requiring the developed countries to take the first steps in mitigating emissions of GHGs. However, the record of the developed world has been less than satisfactory in this regard.

National debt vs natural debt

Pachauri, R K, 24 February 2008

The Times of India

The Annual Budget is, undoubtedly, an important exercise in charting out the direction of government revenues and expenditures, but it also meets a much larger objective in signalling priorities for growth and development. Based on an assessment of long term trends the Budget must clearly indicate structural changes that could be brought about through a mix of fiscal measures.

Will the Rs 1 lakh car be an environmental nightmare

Pachauri, R K, 26 December 2007

Business Standard

The recently concluded Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change came up with a final declaration that highlighted the need for "deep cuts" in emissions of greenhouse gases to combat the problem of global climate change. The tone and content of the Bali Conference represented a perceptible departure from previous such meetings, in view of the major impacts of climate change assessed in great detail in the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (lPCC).

Essentially, the problem of climate change, which is the result of cumulative emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) since the beginning of industrialisation, represents only a part of the-much larger problem of unsustainable development. While the world has achieved remarkable success through innovation in providing the means for satisfying the needs of the human race, there are also several distortions which have taken place and grown as a result.

Caring for an angry earth

Pachauri, R K, 30 August 2007

DNA

The answers to the perils of climate change will come from intellectual innovation.

The environmental problems facing the world and the depletion of natural resources in different regions of the planet require solutions with a strong intellectual content. A good example of this is the fact that it took the world at least a century-and-a-half to realise the effects of emissions of greenhouse gases, most notably carbon dioxide, and to accept its influence on climate.

This delay was in spite of the fact that scientists as far back as the end of the 19th century highlighted the danger of increasing emissions of carbon dioxide on the earth's climate. The reason for this enormous delay lies in a lack of scientific analysis of the problem as well as gaps that existed earlier in the dissemination of information of a scientific nature.

Caring for an angry earth

Pachauri, R K, 30 August 2007

DNA

The answers to the perils of climate change will come from intellectual innovation.

The environmental problems facing the world and the depletion of natural resources in different regions of the planet require solutions with a strong intellectual content. A good example of this is the fact that it took the world at least a century-and-a-half to realise the effects of emissions of greenhouse gases, most notably carbon dioxide, and to accept its influence on climate.

This delay was in spite of the fact that scientists as far back as the end of the 19th century highlighted the danger of increasing emissions of carbon dioxide on the earth's climate. The reason for this enormous delay lies in a lack of scientific analysis of the problem as well as gaps that existed earlier in the dissemination of information of a scientific nature.

Future power

Pachauri, R K, 9 June 2007

The Indian Express

The search for clean fuels is taking the political centre-stage. Recently, the Indian government announced that 2020 would be the target year to have 1 million carbon-free hydrogen vehicles on the road. So is hydrogen the favoured green technology of the future? Do we have a plan for producing hydrogen from renewable sources in cost effective ways? Or is this all a shot in the dark? R.K. Pachauri, director-general TERI, and chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, has the answers

Future shocks

Pachauri, R K, 7 January 2007

Business World

Living in this world would get much more difficult if climate change continued unmitigated in the future. Already, average Arctic temperatures increased at almost twice the global average rate in the past 100years. Contraction of snow covered area, increases in the depth of thaw over most permafrost regions  

Answer 6

No--the "cost" wouldn't deter me at all--but then, I  looked at the facts, instead of the hype from the special interests and the right-wing.

Look at the existing technology, genius--large scale implementation of alternative energy means LOWER energy costs in the long run.

And investing in new technology is a pus--that's how you make money, create jobs, and promote economic growth.

You don't do any of those things by sticking with 19th century technologies like coal and oil because some people ho never took Economics 101 have a fetish about burning fossil fuels.

Answer 7

1) Stop burning Fossile Fuels in fact Immediatly

2) All Energy will be made from Water

3) Foodproduction Everywhere in the World will be Organic

4) We overproduce Organic Food so all Food will be Free

5) A Global Ban on Weapons (starting with WMA)

6) 3 months Holiday each year

7) We use Solar powered pumps to pump Seawater into the desserts. There we let it sink and evaporate. This raises the Groundwater levels and initiates the broken Water Cicle.

8) We regrow the Forest

9) We regrow the Desserts

10) We teach everyone to be self sustainable

11) We make everyhing out of Hemp

12) We eliminate money

The "Freemasons" The "Brotherhood of Death"

It is a secret society, because you do not know who members are and what they plan to do. They do not give much to charity because their charity is their own members.

They look after their own, any child needs life saving surgery the fraternity pays for it.

It is corrupt they own the federal bank and the bank of England, they print money out of nothing and it is not regulated. They include the Rothschild’s, Morgan’s and the Rockefellers. Blair and bush are high ranking masons; Blair is a 7th degree mason. There are two factions of the free masons originating in the UK the York right and the Scottish right. Masons from York went and build major buildings in New York including the statue of Liberty, the moved from York England and build a city in America and called it the New York. Washington including the Whitehouse was build by freemasons from Edinburgh Scotland.

The free masons control the economic order of the world and it is they who are creating the economic fall at present. Money means nothing to them as they have too much; it’s about power for them and the games they play with us. We are their monopoly board and we are expendable. Their plan is to reduce the population by 85% through war disease and ill health

Dr Gallo (Go to you tube and type in his name) was funded in the 1960's by the US government to produce a deadly virus to reduce the black population in America. All the vaccines for Aids contain the aids virus and mercury. All vaccines for children and the flu bug contain the 2d most deadly poison on earth MERCURY. They put fluoride in our water which destroys the thyroid gland and leads to cancer. They put cancerous chemicals in our processed foods and poison the air over our cities. There is a cure for cancer but they will not tell you because the pharmaceutical companies are owned by them, they and cancer are the biggest money making rackets after war and oil. All cancer is, is a vitamin deficiency of B17 and vitamin D which creates a strong immune system fighting cancer.

The Rothschild’s were the largest and richest land owners in the UK during the Napoleonic war. When Britain defeated France at Waterloo Rothschild was the first person to be informed. So he went to the stock market and sold all his property. Other wealthy owns watched Rothschild selling all that he owned so the quickly followed suit thinking that they had lost the war to France. When they did Rothschild bought everything back and more and huge discounts. Forget the wealthy Arab prince's the Rockefellers and Rothschild’s have far more wealth and one time they owned two thirds of the world!

Masonic Entered Apprentice Oath.  Entered Apprentice is the first of the three basic degrees of Masonry.

To all of which I do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, without any hesitation, mental reservation, or secret evasion of mind in me whatsoever; binding myself under no less a penalty than that of having my throat cut across, my tongue torn out, and with my body buried in the sands of the sea at low-water mark, where the tide ebbs and flows twice in twenty-four hours, should I ever knowingly or willfully violate this, my solemn Obligation of an Entered Apprentice.  So help me God and make me steadfast to keep and perform the same.

Masonic FellowCraft Oath.  FellowCraft is the second of the three basic degrees of Masonry.

To all of which I do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, without any hesitation, mental reservation, or secret evasion of mind in me whatsoever; binding myself under no less a penalty than that of having my left breast torn open, my heart and vitals taken thence, and with my body given as a prey to the vultures of the air, should I ever knowingly or willfully violate this, my solemn Obligation of a Fellow Craft. So help me God and make me steadfast to keep and perform the same.

Masonic Master Mason’s Oath.  Master Mason is the third of the three basic degrees of Masonry.

To all of which I do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, without any hesitation, mental reservation, or secret evasion of mind in me whatsoever; binding myself under no less a penalty than that of having my body severed in twain, my bowels taken thence, and with my body burned to ashes, and the ashes thereof scattered to the four winds of Heaven, that there might remain neither track, trace nor remembrance among man or Masons of so vile and perjured a wretch as I should be, should I ever knowingly or willfully violate this, my solemn Obligation of a Master Mason. So help me God and make me steadfast to keep and perform the same.

NOBODY WHO MAKES AN OATH LIKE THAT IS FIT TO SERVE THE PUBLIC!