Applied Ecotechnics’s Recent Comments

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  Actually we agree on a great deal.

  I'm not saying that suffering by any living thing is less valid than it is for any other creature, regardless of size, appearance, or what kingdom, phylum, genus or species it belongs.

  The important point to bear in mind is that no matter what food lifestyle choices you make something alive is going to die.

  A plant is no less alive than an animal and the distinction of placing it in another kingdom is completely arbitrary, because all taxonomy is purely a human consideration, not anything imposed by nature.

  Vegetarianism kills as many living things as does eating meat, and in some cases even more.

  Then there are the environmental issues. To eat a balanced vegetarian diet requires, in most cases, importing material from a much wider area, increasing the environmental damage caused per pound of food used.

  Consider also that in the case of hunting, it is very necessary to control certain populations not only for the good of the local crops and vegetation but for the health of the species itself, at least until, and if ever, the proper predator balance can be reestablished in that area.

  Further, is it any more humane to kill something that you cannot hear or see the suffering of? In this regard a plant is much the same as a fish or a clam or many others species.

  I live by a native American philosophy in this regard and that means I respect the sacrifice that is made by the consumption of any living thing, be it plant, animal, or some other arbitrary human classification. It is still a living thing and it gives it's life so yours can continue, and deserves to be treated as humanely as possible in doing so, including doing all you can to help perpetuate it's species and offspring.

  There is not ethical superiority to vegetarianism in this regard, you kill a plant, or you eat it's seeds or fruits and those are not returned to the earth in any way that perpetuates that species or the cycle of life and is just as effectively killing it as if you were to shoot a deer.

  I also have to say I find the PETA stance against pet ownership distressing and hypocritical in light of the many donations accepted from pet owners, though I dislike the term, my cats own me more than I do them and they made the choice to adopt me when they invaded my house.

  The policy position that bee keeping is slavery is yet another absurd and ethically dubious position that has been promoted by PETA.

  Add to this the killing of animals in their shelters as well as the unethical clandestine obtaining and killing of animals from other no kill shelters and there are many, many reasons to be seriously dubious about just how much the organization is sticking to its original intended purpose.

  National claims these are aberrations caused by overzealous people, yet we see it time and time again and when overzealous is more the rule than the exception you have to start asking just how much is independent and how much is actually instigated then simply denied after the fact.

  So while some of the goals may still be quite worthy, the tactics and other agendas of the organization are offensive and the ethical claims are extremely dubious at best.
  

  Visit our website or email us for more information as we are actively looking for people to work with to help improve the future of our civilization.

  On Animal rights group called out for repeatedly exploiting women posted 1 year, 3 months ago 38 Responses

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  Thanks Jon

  Okay, that is much more sensible and I agree.

  Meanwhile, there are some very nice hybrid tractors coming along and those are of course and excellent path toward fully electrical tractors.

  I also agree that smaller scale farming and local energy production with microgrids is an important part of the energy infrastructure, and will be more reliable, cost effective and efficient.
  

  Visit our website or email us for more information as we are actively looking for people to work with to help improve the future of our civilization.

  On From fossil fuels to manufacturing for wind and solar energy posted 1 year, 3 months ago 19 Responses

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  Replacing oil with renewables.

  Well, yes and no, some renewables will help replace oil more than others.

  For example, methane can be liquefied and used in much the same way as ethanol.

  Likewise methane can be used to make production of both ethanol and biodiesel more efficient and thereby more ecofriendly.
  

  Visit our website or email us for more information as we are actively looking for people to work with to help improve the future of our civilization.

  On Blogosphere responds reservedly to Gore's call for 100 percent renewable electricity posted 1 year, 3 months ago 14 Responses

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  On a further practical note

  Consider also that farm equipment lasts decades and that the average farmer won't be buying a new tractor, harvester or whatever for a very long time.

  Right now we can greatly reduce the use of dino-diesel by using the residue left over from methane disgestion applied on old strip mine land and have a workable alternative without taking away any farm or forest land.

  There are also the benefits to the watershed that will occur from these lands being properly managed and their erosion and saturated runoff being reduced.

  So that said, I would appreciate it if people, such as you Drx, would stop lumping all biofuels and all biofuel farming approaches together, because it is simply not valid to make such gross over generalizations.
  

  Visit our website or email us for more information as we are actively looking for people to work with to help improve the future of our civilization.

  On From fossil fuels to manufacturing for wind and solar energy posted 1 year, 3 months ago 19 Responses

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  Prove it.

  Show me one workable electric tractor that can actually handle the workload.

  Also a hybrid still needs fuel.

  As you also well know, there are more ways to grow biodiesel crops than to use land that is already a farm or forest. There are more than enough acres of damaged industrial grounds which will benefit environmentally from being used to grow biodiesel crops.

  While you are at it find me good solid proof that you can make a clothes dryer and water heater that operates more efficiently with electricity than natural gas.

  Sure, there are alternatives, clothes lines, but some days it is rainy, and you can use other ways to heat water but in many applications natural gas or some similar form of gaseous fuel is still more efficient and efficiency is key factor in cutting waste and thus demand and environmental damage.

  Visit our website or email us for more information as we are actively looking for people to work with to help improve the future of our civilization.

  On From fossil fuels to manufacturing for wind and solar energy posted 1 year, 3 months ago 19 Responses