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Land Is Crucial For Renewable Energy

Posted by Average Voter on Friday, November 28, 2008 5:08:00 PM
   Here is another story about land grabbing for renewable energy; this time in Wyoming.
 
 The man who came to Elsie Bacon’s ranch house door in July asked the 71-year-old widow to grant access to a right of way across the dry hills and short grasses of her land here. Ms. Bacon remembered his insistence on a quick, secret deal.
The man, a representative of the Little Rose Wind Farm of Boulder, Colo., sought an easement for a transmission line to carry his company’s wind-generated electricity to market. His offer: a fraction of the value of similar deals in the area. As Ms. Bacon, 71, recalled it: “He said, ‘You sure I can’t write you out a check?’ He was really pushy.”
 
    
 
I was told years ago to never trust a environmentalists from the Independent Republic of Boulder.
 
Ms. Bacon did not agree to the deal from the Little Rose representative, Ed Ahlstrand Jr. Instead, she joined her neighbors in forming the Bordeaux Wind Energy Association — among the new cooperative associations whose members, in a departure from the local culture of privacy and self-reliance, are pooling their wind-rich land.
 
   Good for them!
 
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Green Old Party

Posted by Average Voter on Friday, November 28, 2008 4:44:12 PM
   Good artilce on turing the GOP green. There are actually some good ideas here.
 
Don't cap, don't trade—tax. No joke. John McCain advocated a cap-and-trade system on the campaign trail—even if he didn't fully understand it. But most Republican aren't likely to embrace it any time soon. Instead, Frum proposes taxing energy and using all the revenue to eliminate other taxes. Republicans might retch at the idea of a gas tax, but not if it means killing the corporate and capital gains taxes. Plus, once Republicans see the horror show that is cap and trade under Obama, says Frum, they'll come around. Another enviro-friendly Frum proposal: Build more toll roads. That way, there's less incentive to drive and more money to stimulate business.
 
   Hate toll roads though...
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Hoffa Sees Wirting On The Wall

Posted by Average Voter on Friday, November 28, 2008 3:56:07 PM
   The Teamsters, lead by James Hoffa Jr., are abandoning their long push for drilling in Alaska for a more green approach.
 
Environmental activists and union bosses are known for their rancor. They have historically held opposite positions on key issues -- drilling in fragile environments, nuclear power, logging ancient forests -- pitting jobs against the environment.

But that was before the values of the environmental movement were adopted by mainstream society, before union membership began to plunge and manufacturing jobs were exported overseas.
 
This is all part of the California ports new regulations on diesel emissions.
 
The Clean Trucks program, which went into effect last month, will reduce cancer-causing diesel pollution by banning older trucks. In five years diesel trucks must meet 2007 clean-air standards to pick up cargo at both ports. And in 2012, trucking companies will be required, through concessionaire agreements, to employ all of their truckers to work at the port of Los Angeles.
 
   Whether or not diesel emissions cause cancer is still up for debate, but that doesn't stop the state of California.
 
   This whole thing is really just the unions way of getting their paws around another industry, while also getting in good with some green groups. This also gets their foot in the door if/when large scale production of solar and wind energy come to pass.
 

 
 
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Need A Job?

Posted by Average Voter on Friday, November 28, 2008 11:47:31 AM
   Looking for a Job? Do you love the Earth?  Do you think CO2 is a pollutant? Do you think the U.N. a great organization?
Then this job may be for you.
 
The secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Bonn is looking for an enthusiastic professional to manage and guide the Clean Development Mechanism's (CDM) Quality and Information Systems Unit in Bonn.

The CDM overall quality system ensures the professional design, implementation and maintenance of an overall quality management as well as control measures; the CDM Information System provides design, development, programming and maintenance support to the CDM web-based public and restricted information IT applications and to the CDM Registry.  

In addition to relevant work experience, we require an advanced university degree in economics or international affairs, preferably including development economics or environmental economics, environmental science or a related discipline.

Full details downloadable in PDF

Deadline for application: 19 December 2008
 
   Actually, green jobs are going to be the hot jobs in the coming years.

 
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Black Friday-Green Monday

Posted by Average Voter on Friday, November 28, 2008 11:33:00 AM
   If it boosts retail sales, then I am all for it!
   This year, even the Wall Street Journal is touting the cultural currency in Black Friday's alternative, Cyber Monday -- or, as it's being re-branded, "Green Monday." This Monday, workers across the country are expecting to power-up their computers and use an hour or two on the company's dime for personal Web shopping. (Online shopping demands less energy for the likes of shipping, heating and lighting warehouses and operating retail stores.)
 
Just don't get caught!
 
 
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Solar Grave Yard

Posted by Average Voter on Friday, November 28, 2008 11:25:42 AM
   Here is a good example how the dead can still be useful.
 
The 462 panels produce 124,374 kilowatts of electricity, enough to supply 60 homes for a year in Santa Coloma de Gramenet, near Barcelona. The exorbitant price of land in the densely populated satellite city inspired a solar energy company to propose using one of the last remaining available plots of land - the cemetery.
 
   It is a good idea, but land is expensive and you need alot of it to power a small city with solar panels. (Let's not forget they also need sunshine!)
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Global Warming Talks May Be Dead On Arrival

Posted by Average Voter on Friday, November 28, 2008 11:01:46 AM
   Next week new talks start in Poland on climate change.
 
"Climate change is an environmental problem looking for an economic answer," Yvo de Boer said at a news conference in Warsaw. "The challenge...is to achieve green economic growth."
 
"I hope the financial crisis will not lead to a choice for cheap and dirty technologies because in both the energy sector and in industry those technologies have a lifetime of 30 to 50 years," de Boer said.
 
   Good luck...
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Chicago's Blind Anti-Gun Mayor

Posted by Average Voter on Friday, November 28, 2008 10:46:11 AM
   Got this from Instapundit.
 
   When it comes to firearms, Mayor Richard Daley is no slave to rationality. “Does this lead to everyone having a gun in our society?” he asked after the ruling came down. “Then why don’t we do away with the court system and go back to the Old West, where you have a gun and I have a gun and we’ll settle it in the streets?”
 
At least in the old west, things got settled. Today, most criminals get released from prisoin early or don't go at all because of overcrowding.
 
   On the lighter side, you can always get a gun for hire to do the dirty work for you.
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Green Christmas Gifts

Posted by Average Voter on Wednesday, November 26, 2008 7:05:29 PM
   Here are a few "green" Christmas gift options for you this year.
 
How about an Al Gore mouse pad?
 
Speaking of Al, I wonder if he has one of these...
 
 
   Gives a whole new meaning to being on the green.
 
   How about this...
 
 
   A reusable lunch bag. Can't see anyone disappointed with that gift!
Anyway, hope this helps you keep green this holiday season!
 
 
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Electric Cars To Be The New San Fancisco Treat

Posted by Average Voter on Wednesday, November 26, 2008 6:53:54 PM
   Govenor Swarzenegger has unveiled a plan to make San Francisco the electric car capitol of the world. Partnering with company Better Place, they will set up needed car charging ports all over the city.
 
Better Place will invest an initial $250 million by 2012, rising to $1 billion eventually, on a network of charging points across the San Francisco Bay Area, which includes San Jose, Oakland and Silicon Valley. This will allow drivers of any make of electric car to recharge the vehicle’s battery at locations including public and office car parks, government buildings, on the street and in their own home. 

   Oh, and by the way...

Schwarzenegger also announced that California would lift its renewable energy target to 33 per cent by 2020.
 
   Wow! That's going to hurt!
 
 
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Q & A With George Soros

Posted by Average Voter on Monday, November 24, 2008 12:59:44 PM
   With the financial situation the way it is and Mr. Soros's backing of Barck Obama, who better to have a sit down chat with than the one who helped purchase this years election. 
 
   Will Obama do what George Soros is saying here?

Soros: I think we need a large stimulus package which will provide funds for state and local government to maintain their budgets -- because they are not allowed by the constitution to run a deficit. For such a program to be successful, the federal government would need to provide hundreds of billions of dollars. In addition, another infrastructure program is necessary. In total, the cost would be in the 300 to 600 billion dollar range.

SPIEGEL: In addition to the $700 billion bailout for the financial industry?
 
Soros: Definitely. I think this is a great opportunity to finally deal with global warming and energy dependence. The US needs a cap and trade system with auctioning of licenses for emissions rights. I would use the revenues from these auctions to launch a new, environmentally friendly energy policy. That would be yet another federal program that could help us to overcome the current stagnation.
 
   My question is, how will creating a carbon trading system help with the economy? A new layer of government is not going to help, as a matter of fact, it will require more from taxpayers to fund it. Helping to fund a new energy grid that is more green is one thing, starting a cap and trade system that requires more government oversite and money seems, well, stupid.
 
  But hey, what do I know?
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A "CleanTake" On Disney's Wall-E

Posted by Average Voter on Monday, November 24, 2008 11:52:28 AM
Even though I have not actually seen the animated Disney movie Wall-E, heard enough about it, I feel as though I have. Mostly it's the environmental aspect of the movie that got most people unnerved. Earth is a trash heap in the future and everybody is overweight. So most people, including me, assumed it was Disney's attempt at pushing an agenda driven story line. (Nothing really new there, so I simply don't watch.)

Over at Leaning Straight Up, he posts a different take on the film, one that is even more scary if you think about it because it is happening.

This (movie) is more about what happens when our culture allows the government to become its convenience store.  As I see it, the left is more determined to turn Uncle Sam into Uncle Sugar who provides all your needs and wants, just as the Ship provided all the people’s daily needs.  If anything the corporate aspect of it is also an indictment on reliance on any government to provide *all* our needs, and is a reminder to engage in self reliance and self restraint.  Sorry, that to me points just as heavily to the socialism friendly left as it does to the mythical corporation loving right.  The recent bailout package is exhibit A in the case of how our Government is seeking to become all things to all people.
   
   And now that we have started, it will be that much harder to stop.
 
   So, what are we doing? We are establishing a precedent that will ring loud and clear in the corporate world; "Don't worry, the government will bail us out". There has so far been no responsibility placed on any of these companies for their part in their own failure. When are we going to see some heads roll? Are there going to be any consequences handed down? 
I will answer my own question...never.
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NBC Cancels Global Warming?

Posted by Average Voter on Sunday, November 23, 2008 10:09:00 AM
I guess shows on global warming just aren't cutting it any longer.

NBC Universal made the first of potentially several rounds of staffing cuts at The Weather Channel (TWC) on Wednesday, axing the entire staff of the “Forecast Earth” environmental program during the middle of NBC’s “Green Week,” as well as several on-camera meteorologists.



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The Hyprocritical Eu Says They Must Drill For Oil...In Arctic

Posted by Average Voter on Friday, November 21, 2008 12:40:27 PM
   All the global warming alarmism coming out of the European Union and the need to get everybody to stop using that evil product called oil, they come out with this today:
 
   Drilling for oil in the fragile northern environment must go ahead with European financial and political support for the sake of EU energy security, energy commissioner Andris Piebalgs declared on Friday (19 September) at a debate on the subject in Brussels.
 
"You cannot say [the Arctic] is a sanctuary," said the commissioner "... otherwise, where will will we get our energy from?"
 
   That is quite a statement coming from a group that is upset with the U.S. for not sighning the Kyoto Protocol. What they seem to have forgotten is the U.S. has so far prevented any drilling in the Alaskan Arctic because we think it is a sanctuary. 
 
   Several nations are "land grabbing" in the arctic, trying to lay claim to oil deposits that will help them with their energy needs in the future.
 
   Last year, Russia sent a submarine under the icecap to plant a national flag on the seabed to underline its territorial claims. Denmark has planted a flag on Hans island, a territory Canada also has claims on and has announced plans to set up a military training base and a deep sea port in the disputed region.
 
   The problem for us is the fact that the Democratic controled congress will probably roll back the ban on off-shore drilling, and couple that with our no-drill policy in the arctic, and the U.S. will be forced in the future to buy oil from those that took it right out from under us.
The simple fact is nobody really wants to give up on oil.
 
   
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Change Is Coming Waxman Unseats Dingell

Posted by Average Voter on Thursday, November 20, 2008 11:39:34 AM
   Half measures on global warming are no longer going to be acceptable. That is why moderate Rep. John Dingell (D) was unseated today by Rep. Henry Waxman (D) for the powerful House Energy and Commerce Commitee Chair.
 
The 255-House Democratic conference voted 137 to 122 to accept the recommendation of its steering committee and agreed to replace Dingell, 82 years old, a long-time friend of the auto industry, with Waxman, a 69-year-old Californian anxious to ease global warming, a top concern of president-elect Barack Obama.
 
Dingell is the second-longest serving House member in history, having been elected 53 years ago, and he has either been chairman of the committee or its top Democrat since 1981. Waxman has complained that the committee has been too slow to address environmental issues.
   Change is coming.
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