Comments jimandre has made

  • Missing from this story, and not discussed by the NGOs (who, like the solar industry are in love only with the word "green"), is that solar development in the SW deserts, as fast-tracked by Obama and Salazar, is anything but GREEN, it's GREED. More than 50% of the native plant species in the U.S. occur in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts.  Today permits are out to bulldoze more than 4 million acres of pristine desert landscape including more than 40 projects placed right up to National Park boundaries.  Industrialization of our last remaining wildlands as a first alternative, when rooftops, parking lots, degraded ag. lands are viable and often cheaper alternatives shows a disdain for the values of our American natural heritage, and ownership each of us has in our public lands system. Thermal solar plants use tremendous amounts of water and fossil fuels to run. Green? Photovoltaics solar and wind power should be pursued and ASAP, but to devastate the desert southwest, one of the last large viable ecosystems in the world as a first option? This is more than bad planning, it is insanity. We must educate, if not embarrass Obama the Sierra Club, for they apparently know not what they do.

    On GOP: Solar powered jobs can go to hell (or at least limbo) posted 4 months, 4 weeks ago 2 Responses

  • freedom2

    It is definitely his right, and a vital cog of democracy that we all should hold dear.  Rather than placing blame on one minority candidate who exercises his right, or even the electoral process, maybe the real issue we're dealing with here is inappropriate powers of the president over the voters. If a president can override popular sentiment by making decisions like occupying another country without just cause, corporate govt handouts, war on biodiversity, etc..and deny the popular public voice to the contrary, then maybe the power of the president is a bigger issue that who the president is.  Whether it's Bush, Gore or Nader in office, idiotic decisions against the wisdom and desires of the populus should not be allowed to happen. And I say this fully aware of the enormous problem of public apathy when it comes active voice in govt, for example, the nearly complete lack of public review in the NEPA process.

    James M. Andre

    On Ralph Nader might jump into the presidential race posted 1 year, 9 months ago 129 Responses

  • Not THIS discussion again

    This happens every time Nader runs.  It brings up the very interesting issue of costs versus benefits.  By running, Nader dilutes the democratic candidates chances against a solidified conservative vote.  On the other hand, to not run says something serious about choice (or lack of) and the ills of a 2 party system.  

    The planet needs more voices/representation out there in the electoral process, and Nader has stood for principles most readers in here align with - more so than most liberal (yes I love that word!) candidates, but if Nader's running helps put a republican in office, then it's the worst case scenario (as we have seen).  This is a major predicament and it might not change anytime soon. Nader's running only reminds us how few choices we really have.

    Maybe all we can hope for at this point is that someone like Ted Savage or Russ Limbaugh runs and takes a percentage of the red vote.

    James M. Andre

    On Ralph Nader might jump into the presidential race posted 1 year, 9 months ago 129 Responses

  • Chose solar over wilderness?

    What the article unfortunately fails to mention is that the planned monster solar developments in "The Mojave Desert" will utilize as their footprint thousands of acres of pristine desert habitat that home to thousands of species of plants and animals, including the desert tortoise.  The Mojave Desert remains one of last great wild areas in the U.S. These would be scenic and wild public lands (BLM) transferred to private industry.  The folly of these plans is that solar development can occur anywhere there is sun, including the rooftops of urban environments as found in L.A. and San Diego.  But in this corporate plan, the "desert wasteland" is instead sacrificed, ensuring higher profits for corporations and a higher cost to the consumer.  But more importantly, the sacrifice of native plant/animal biodiversity is yet another example  of man's way of doing things....a la clearcutting, strip mining, leap-frogging....to maximize profit over wise earth stewardship.  I'm against this kind of solar power.  

    James M. Andre

    On Solar has arrived posted 2 years, 4 months ago 16 Responses