Spectrumist’s Recent Comments

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  You nailed it Roger

  Wow...Right on the mark there Roger Brown.

  Excepting perhaps that last sentence; I would posit that a new regime of mandatory simplicity is about to be imposed worldwide by the current bust.  Each day of increasing global fiscal and social distress makes me more concerned that the time for   fundamental change based on wise hindsight is right now.  Still, the powerful entrenched interests hold sway.

  Roger and me and the powers-that-be all recognize that a new economic paradigm is about to emerge for the lower and middle classes of the OECD nations.  Of course TPTB can't admit this publicly.  Whether a global economic collapse will provide the political impetus for a global economic policy mode change remains to be seen, but the early signs are not promising.

  I'm not sure we will have the luxury of looking back upon a number of boom/bust cycles. I think this could be the bust that sets the stage for a lowering of the boom from which it will take a decade or two to recover.  

  What this outcome would mean for the environment is unclear to me, but I know from 15 years traveling the world as an environmental engineer that as wealth diminishes so does environmental protection.  Any new steady-state economic modality will have to reconcile environmental externalities to prevent an ongoing downward spiral of environmental degradation.  How capital will be created and directed towards environmental protection in an extended steady-state or contracting economic environment is a tremendous challenge for all to ponder.On Does economics even look at the real world? posted 11 months ago 25 Responses

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  Powered by Renewable Electricity?

  One issue that I would have with easterbunny's analysis is that his home is not actually powered by 100% renewable electricity.  His home is on the grid like everyone else; the $ he pays to Bullfrog go to support green renewable power production which is only 3% of the energy mix on the Ontario grid.  Not that this is a bad thing, we support the development of green renewable power here at my home in the US thru a similar outfit called People's Power and Light.

  Consider the either/or case where every household in Ontario either switches to CF's or stays with IC lighting. If all users switch to CF residential lighting, now you are talking about a significant drop in electricity demand during peak lighting hours.  A lot more than 3% for sure.  Under the current economic conditions, this would likely result in natural gas fired generation output reduction, with a commensurate reduction in CO2 emissions.  

  In many cases the economic and environmental benefits of new technology are raised above trivial levels only when the technology is widely deployed.  That is why, in my view, a command and control strategy often works better than the invisible hand in practice.  Mandatory efficiency standards will serve to expedite the changeover to  the new technologies.On Have you been naughty with your light bulbs? You need some good old command and control. posted 1 year, 9 months ago 33 Responses

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  Applicable to Energy

  I use this one often when discussing energy issues, even if the author did not have energy in mind when he said it:

  "Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing... after they have exhausted all other possibilities."  - Sir Winston ChurchillOn We've already collected nature quotes -- how about some quotes on energy posted 4 years, 3 months ago 8 Responses

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  Questionable Credentials

  I know determined environmental advocates who have impeccable credentials, who work in a professional capacity toward improving the environment, and who support the immediate development of distributed, renewable energy on a massive scale.  The fact that these individuals, myself included, think that nuclear energy will need (regretably) to be a part of the energy mix in order to facilitate the widespread development of renewable power does not in any way affect their credentials or imply any unseen agenda.  A reluctant argument for development of additional nuclear power capacity is not necessarily the same as an argument against clean energy; some people who have studied the matter have simply formed the opinion that nuclear power must be a part of the future energy mix, for a number of reasons that can be debated by reasonable people in another forum, another day.

  jdhlax says:
  ...without making horribly toxic compounds like plutonium

  I would be more inclined to question the technical credentials of someone who refers to plutonium as a compound when it is, in fact, an element; as opposed to questioning the environmental credentials or motives of everyone who has a differing opinion regarding the hazards versus benefits of nuclear power.  

  Environmental advocacy is a broad issue, fraught with contradictions and unfortunate compromises with the "devil" (and those pesky details where the devil resides).  The environmentalists I know who support nuclear power (under limits and conditions...again another forum) make real contributions to the cause on a daily basis; I for one can live with the knowledge that I do not meet the definition of environmentalist espoused by jdhlax.On Learn to identify certain common fallacies. posted 4 years, 6 months ago 6 Responses

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  Consider it done

  I just finished e-mailing Senator Chaffee to thank him for his vote before I read your post colinpeppard.  You can rest assured that many others in the RI environmental advocacy community will thanking Linc as well.  He currently is polling behind a potential democratic challenger; he can't afford to lose the support of the environmental voting block in deep blue RI.  So there is pressure from both sides, but as you noted Linc Chaffee is a strong environmental advocate with the integrity to stand up for what he (and his constituents) believe in.  This country could sure use more legislators like him and his late father former US Senator John Chaffee.   On Clear Skies takes a fat whack posted 4 years, 8 months ago 4 Responses