Comments Gary Gifford has made

Practical Application

This may not be the solution to our energy needs,  but its part of the solution and certainly more than just wishful thinking.  Here's an article about research into trying create an automobile alternator using heat from the exhaust.  Getting rid of the drag of a mechanical alternator would certainly save fuel.  Put it in a hybrid and this could be a source of free electricity.  Every little bit is a wedge...

http://www.physorg.com/news131711988.html

Cheers, Gary Gifford

Get real

Sunflower

I don't know where you live and it doesn't matter, but if voters face the prospect, or the PERCEIVED prospect of unemployment ( due to Coal Industry sponsored propaganda) or a significant disruption of their local economy, they will not support any politician who supports policies that do not support their cause, and, as a result, those politicians will not support policies that will cause their constituents to perceive that they will be unemployed or have their local economies disrupted.

It's just simple politics.

Cheers, Gary Gifford

Contribute!

Thanks for posting the link to Rice's site.   Andrew Rice is running against whacko denialist Senator Jim Inhofe of Oaklahoma.

I just made a donation to Rice's campaign, and I don't live in Oaklahoma.  I encourage all Grist readers to do the same.  It may be the most effective "carbon offset" you can make.

Cheers, Gary Gifford

Exactly!

The big problem with progressives (democrats) is that getting us to agree on anything is like herding cats.  The Republicans don't have this problem.  They are organized and support all conservative causes.  We shoot ourselves in the foot when we criticize democratic candidates and limit ourselves to our own progressive causes.

Everyone here supports stronger environmental regulation, but we should also be supporting freedom of choice, the rights of ethnic minorities, universal health care, public education, unions and all of the other progressive causes out there.  When we unite, we become stronger.

I caught the tail end of a former democratic political strategist on the tube the other day.  I didn't catch his name.  When he was asked by the interviewer who he liked as a democratic candidate, he said this:  "I like all of the Democrats and none of the Republicans".  That is the best response to that question that I have ever heard.

Cheers, Gary Gifford

Money could be spent better...

Its been said that only the rich buy offsets.  I believe a more accurate description of the offset purchasing demographic would be folks with some discretionary income who are really up on the climate change problem and concerned about it. (i.e. 100% of everyone on this site, but less than .2% of the general US population).  So it really is a small contribution to a huge problem.

I myself offset my emissions. That is, the ones remaining after having purchased a Prius, a new fridge, changing out all my incandescents to CFLs and some other energy saving devices and changes in habits.

I've also contributed to John Edwards campaign, Environmental Defense and others, and I can't help but think that if I took those dollars that I've put into offsets and put them into more PAC fundraising efforts that they would have more of an effect on the climate by way of improving our leadership in Washington.

I'm only personally able to afford so much to improve our global situation, and I want to make sure my dollars are being put to their most effective use.  So I might just start offsetting my emissions by making more political contributions....  

Cheers, Gary Gifford

Where's the pyrotechnics?

For the finale, I was expecting a pyrotechnics display with a large Swastika rising up behind the band.  I'm kinda disappointed..

Cheers, Gary Gifford

Pretty cool

I thought of this about 3 years ago and a scientist told me I was out of my mind.  There would be some energy lost via heat during compression, but the cooling on the flipside during operation could be harnesses to create the most awesome automotive air conditioner on the planet.  You could make popsicles in that thing.

I wonder if the engine is designed to run in reverse and operate in a regenerative (compressing) mode during braking.

In any case, whether compressed air or batteries, plug in hybrids are the wave of the future.  An internal stand alone liquid fueled generator or compressor designed to come on only when needed and able to operate at its most efficient speed is much more efficient than something that comes on more often and that has to respond to varying loads and speeds.

Cheers, Gary Gifford

Kosher solution to nuclear waste?

Check this out.  Apparently an Israeli company has figured out a way to turn nuclear waste into harmless glass by annihilating it with plasma.  At about 1/10th the cost of burying it and instant neutralization of radiation, it sounds too good to be true.

Cheers, Gary Gifford

Pay at the pump influences habits

Most Americans fuel by putting an atm or credit card in the pump, not by emptying out their wallet of all their spending cash.  This cushions the effect as the fuel expenses get lumped with groceries, movies, vacations, clothing and everything else we buy on credit.

So the credit card is high this month  $4000 rather than the usual $3600 or so...oh yeah, we went to that bed a breakfast.  Or it must be the new TV and eating out a bit more.  

Only in the longterm will people notice that its a bit harder to pay the bills.  Most Americans don't understand their finances and have no idea how to place a value on the hours they work and how to best spend the fruits of their labors to get the best value and most enjoyment/security from their earnings.

Gas will need to hit at least $5 per gallon before folks really change their ways.

Cheers, Gary Gifford

Who is this jackass?

I found this video on the computer model myth.  Does anyone know who the jackass at the end is?  I've seen him before, but I can't place it.

Cheers, Gary Gifford

sun and CO2 to ethanol?

This article is interesting.  It's either a scam, overly optimistic or the solution to all of our energy needs.  Sun and bottled CO2 into liquid fuel....what could be better?

Cheers, Gary Gifford

maybe not

I checked my and my wife's chargers (different types) with a Kill a Watt meter with no phones plugged in and each showed energy usage of zero.  One charger is a Motorola and one an LG.  So this claim is either not true, or is true for only certain phones.

In playing with my Kill a Watt meter I did learn something:  If an AC/DC transformer stays warm when the device is off it's using energy.  If it is cool, it's not.  The worst energy vampires are chargers for cordless products such as drill batteries, mini vacuums, etc.  13w for my drill charger, 4w for the dust buster....24 hrs a day.  Both are now unplugged.

Cheers, Gary Gifford

All hat, no cattle..

I was initially enamoured with Obama's Kennedyesque style, but when I looked further, he really doesn't have many ideas.  He showed up to a democratic candidate's debate specifically on the subject of healthcare with no specific ideas about healthcare!

All hat and no cattle.  I think Edwards has the best environmental ideas (next to Gore) of anyone running.

Cheers, Gary Gifford

Awesome news

I'm glad a policy maker has the balls to propose the Carbon tax.  Isn't he the one who was brave enough recently to admit to being an athiest as well?

If this bill has any prayer of ever coming to fruition, we need to quit calling it a "Carbon Tax".  It needs to be framed not as a new tax but as a different way of paying taxes we are already paying.  Rewarding work and punishing polluters, and revenue neutrality need to be emphasized in talking points....And we must quit using the term "carbon tax".

Cheers, Gary Gifford

Fewer than you think

So why are there so many deniers on environmental blogs?  Doesn't this seem a bit counter intuitive?  I'm not interested in punk rock, and so you wont catch me on a punk rock site.  

These deniers, who appear in Grist and other blogs EVERYDAY multiple times throughout the day are being paid to be there.  Their employers hope that their regular appearances will give the impression that the actual world population views of the realities of global warming with a skeptical eye.

Engage them and refute them because the corporate greed that they represent wont go away.  This is the only way to maintain a true picture of what the worldview is.  

If I were a religious man, I'd be sure that there was a special place in hell reserved for these bastards.

Cheers, Gary Gifford

Optimist

Such end scenarios are not realistic.  Humanity will solve the issue.  I am an optimist.

Tax it now with a revenue neutral tax, and vilify all carbon fuel.  A tax will make the marketplace work.  If it isn't doing what its supposed to in 3 years, get rid of the "neutral" part of the tax, and invest in alternatives.

Pessimists will not save the planet.

Cheers, Gary Gifford

I'm hurt...

I tried to sign up as a 42 yr old college graduate, but there was no category.  I guess it's time to crawl off and die...

This is a great idea.  I hope folks would ask a response question to candidates about their position on a carbon tax. (and basically all of Al's 10 point plan).  Cap and trade seems to be taking root, but I really think  a carbon tax is the more pragmatic and sensible approach.

I really hope Al decides to run.  

The guys at the  Carbon Tax Center at www.carbontax.org  have the right idea with regards to some serious policy discussion.

Cheers, Gary Gifford

It is simple...

Without a credit to a power-company for installing carbon-sequestration technology, there would be no incentive to install such technologies.

The power company doesn't neet a credit to invest in green energy or carbon sequestration.  The market will take care of that.  Say I, as a consumer, am tired of paying $.37 per KWH to my utility for electricity.

Due to the taxes, it now will actually save me money if I install solar panels on my roof.  

As a private investor, I can invest in a new CGCS plant, and this would be a good investment, as the plant operators would have tax revenues (credits) returned to them for the coal they used, thus making the plant more profitable.

Or as a small operator I could expand my windfarm and make a bigger profit than before, because of the high wholesale price of electricity due to the taxes.

Cheers, Gary Gifford

Plug ins are the solution

A plug in hybrid also can provide a backup source of household electricity, as well as a source during ourdoor activities such as camping.

Chargers in cars could be programmed to charge only during off peak hours to make the full use of clean off peak energy.  

Parking lots operated by employers or public agencies could contract with small solar energy providers who provide credit card operated charging stations in each stall for recharging during the day.

Cheers, Gary Gifford

Methane missing

The issue of methane reductions via livestock was conspicuously absent in the presentation.  Its my understanding that ruminants produce huge amounts of methane and that even minor reductions through the use of food additives/enzymes would have a huge net greenhouse gas emissions reduction.

Anyone here more up to speed on this than I?

Cheers, Gary Gifford

Not overstating, but Selling

The disagreements among legitimate scientists in the area of anthropogenic global warming are ones of degrees.  How much is man contributing? How much is nature contributing? When will the sea levels rise and will it be 2 feet or 20 feet?  Will catastrophic effects be seen in 10 years or 150 years?  The legitimate scientists out there all have disagreements among each other on the details.  There is very little disagreement about the big picture among legitimate scientists:  

Global Warming is caused by human activity, the effects will be catastrophic, and mankind may be able to stave off the most catastrophic of these effects if we act now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

There has been some "hype" regarding the Global Warming issue.  This does not make the facts of the "big picture" untrue.  Most people will not be  swayed by facts and science alone.  They need an emotional appeal.  As George Bush used "fear of terrorism" as a main theme of the 2004 election, Al Gore and others  appeal to the future of species, our children and the planet as a whole.  These are the tactics of successful politicians.  It will be politicians, not scientists, who are able to bring about change among the populations of the world.  

Cheers, Gary Gifford

Sequester Requester

I think sequestration is just a deperate attempt by Big Coal to continue operations.  These are the problems I have with sequestration:

1.  Wherever you bury it, there is no guarantee it will stay there forever.  After going to the big expense of gasification and sequestration, and it leaks, you are right back where you started.  Coal in the ground is safely sequestered CO2.  Leave it there!

2.  When the gas leaks, it will not be apparent.  It will be in the form of seepage...seepage with no wind  will kill wildlife and livestock,  seepage into basements or valley communities:  death by suffocation.