<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for On thin ice with the billionaire]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by jestbill http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-14-pbs-now-thin-ice-billionaire/ Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:46:15 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-14-pbs-now-thin-ice-billionaire/1 The billionaire thinks that global warming is a temporary problem that will be solved by a few engineers and a few billion dollars.

If he's wrong and GW begins to affect mere millionaires, public opinion will be decisive in choosing how many engineers and how many t(T)rillion dollars get spent.

]]> The billionaire thinks that global warming is a temporary problem that will be solved by a few engineers and a few billion dollars.

If he's wrong and GW begins to affect mere millionaires, public opinion will be decisive in choosing how many engineers and how many t(T)rillion dollars get spent.

]]> Comment #2 by ParisT http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-14-pbs-now-thin-ice-billionaire/ Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:17:42 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-14-pbs-now-thin-ice-billionaire/2 It's definitely something to think about - but Im wondering which point of view is more accurate?!

]]> It's definitely something to think about - but Im wondering which point of view is more accurate?!

]]> Comment #3 by featherfish81 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-14-pbs-now-thin-ice-billionaire/ Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:37:07 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-14-pbs-now-thin-ice-billionaire/3 It's true that people want the cheap, convenient alternative.  What education does is show people that what seems to be cheap actually isn't, and that the future costs outweigh the benefits.  Most people are willing to make small sacrifices now in order to have larger benefits in the future.  If not, we wouldn't have such things as insurance or savings accounts.  We just have to convince people that their choices now do matter.

]]> It's true that people want the cheap, convenient alternative.  What education does is show people that what seems to be cheap actually isn't, and that the future costs outweigh the benefits.  Most people are willing to make small sacrifices now in order to have larger benefits in the future.  If not, we wouldn't have such things as insurance or savings accounts.  We just have to convince people that their choices now do matter.

]]> Comment #4 by Delay And Deny http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-14-pbs-now-thin-ice-billionaire/ Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:54:02 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-14-pbs-now-thin-ice-billionaire/4  

When you think about it, probably 90 percent of technology is here because it's too cold in most places most of the time.

 

Global Warming upsets the apple cart of billionaires who want you to stay in your home, with the heat turned up, watching his gizmos.

 

A warm climate year round, would put you out in a Hooptie, chasing honeys...instead of playing Halo 2200.

 

 

]]>  

When you think about it, probably 90 percent of technology is here because it's too cold in most places most of the time.

 

Global Warming upsets the apple cart of billionaires who want you to stay in your home, with the heat turned up, watching his gizmos.

 

A warm climate year round, would put you out in a Hooptie, chasing honeys...instead of playing Halo 2200.

 

 

]]> Comment #5 by Pangolin http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-14-pbs-now-thin-ice-billionaire/ Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:12:17 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-14-pbs-now-thin-ice-billionaire/5 I don't know if the billionaire is missing a few neurons or this author is but there are most certainly "free lunch" solutions waiting out there to be picked up.

On deforestation; rocket stoves take far less time to construct than the saved time spent hunting for fuel in just a week or two. With proper firing they can produce small amounts of biochar which improve crop production sufficient to supplement the soil in kitchen gardens. Less fuel used, less wood cut, more free time, more food produced from one item that can literally be made from clay. A free lunch.

Ground source heat pumps cost less than a car for most households and pay for themselves in under ten years. After the payoff period energy cost saving go into the pocket of the utility user. Less heating oil used, less coal and natural gas burned, reduced electric loads for cooling; a free lunch.

Wind power produces up to 40x the energy cost of building and installing the wind turbine when properly sited. That's 39 sandwiches free for the cost of that one sandwich investment.

Spend a day digging biochar into your food garden and somebody down the road is going to reap the benefits of the soil improvements you made after you die. Improvements that have been shown to last for thousands of years in the case of amazonian Terra Preta soils. That's quite literally a free lunch for somebody.

Those are four examples where initial investments yield more energy or financial yields than the investment made. While we have to make some initial investment in time and energy we have to do that every day just to raise our children or maintain the status quo. Admittedly it's not sitting on the corner with a begging bowl but even that requires that you sit patiently and wait for the free lunch rather than do anything else. As much as anything is ever free in life climate change solutions are certainly that.











]]> I don't know if the billionaire is missing a few neurons or this author is but there are most certainly "free lunch" solutions waiting out there to be picked up.

On deforestation; rocket stoves take far less time to construct than the saved time spent hunting for fuel in just a week or two. With proper firing they can produce small amounts of biochar which improve crop production sufficient to supplement the soil in kitchen gardens. Less fuel used, less wood cut, more free time, more food produced from one item that can literally be made from clay. A free lunch.

Ground source heat pumps cost less than a car for most households and pay for themselves in under ten years. After the payoff period energy cost saving go into the pocket of the utility user. Less heating oil used, less coal and natural gas burned, reduced electric loads for cooling; a free lunch.

Wind power produces up to 40x the energy cost of building and installing the wind turbine when properly sited. That's 39 sandwiches free for the cost of that one sandwich investment.

Spend a day digging biochar into your food garden and somebody down the road is going to reap the benefits of the soil improvements you made after you die. Improvements that have been shown to last for thousands of years in the case of amazonian Terra Preta soils. That's quite literally a free lunch for somebody.

Those are four examples where initial investments yield more energy or financial yields than the investment made. While we have to make some initial investment in time and energy we have to do that every day just to raise our children or maintain the status quo. Admittedly it's not sitting on the corner with a begging bowl but even that requires that you sit patiently and wait for the free lunch rather than do anything else. As much as anything is ever free in life climate change solutions are certainly that.











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