maybe they're on to something, or maybe someone else can build on it.
I don't completely understand how they do it, but I guess they get out more energy than what they put in.
scientists have accomplished so much, esp in my lifetime - I would guess that if humans survive long enough, they'll figure it out.
Quote by Chryses
That has always always been true, but someday in the future, once the Science is in place, designing and building an economical fusion-powered electrical generation facility will occur.
But why can't it just be instant?
You know why? Because green energy is a woke leftist scam.
Electric vehicles require mass amounts of lithium, cobalt, and nickel to be mined from the earth. Is this 'green'? He'll fucking NO!
The massive amount of mining: stripping and digging into the earth's surface to supply the quantities of lithium, cobalt, and nickel for electric vehicles is mind boggling. And to top that off, these heavy metals are highly destructive pollutant waste after their use in automobile batteries..
The batteries to run these vehicles only last 7 to 20 years and are NOT renewable after that. They are very expensive to replace.
Also, more electricity must be produced to power these battery powered vehicles. Producing electricity is not as environmentally friendly as you think. To do so, old plluting ways of production will stay in place, if only for the massive demand. For wind powered electricity to be produced on the scale needed, we'll need those wind mill turbines built on every available piece of land we can find.
Hydroelectric power requires more damns, more rivers turned into massuve lakes, which already are stressing the earth's tectonic plates.
Again people on the bottom of the economic scale will suffer the most financially trying to own EVs.
If you think we've found the answer to replace petroleum vehicles with something better for the environment, think again! Old batteries are highly corrosive and huge polluters, which creates a massive problem for storing as waste.
So dar, l believe nuclear energy still is our best bet, though, it is dangerous and brings dangerous waste storage problems.
We still have a long way to go to truly get green enery to supply human life on this planet. Research into a new technology must make new discoveries.
Our number one problem is human overpopulation. And just what do we do about that?
Quote by ElCoco
Make the world's population wealthier. Rich nations have lower reproductive rates.
Cheap energy's an important part of wealth since it helps you do what you want.
A universal basic income for all? Or redistributing wealth from the rich to the poor? There are many more poor people than rich, so if the poor would get half as much children after redistribution, and the rich would get twice as much, then the end result would still be less children.
=== Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER ===
Quote by Buz
Electric vehicles require mass amounts of lithium, cobalt, and nickel to be mined from the earth. Is this 'green'? He'll fucking NO!
The massive amount of mining: stripping and digging into the earth's surface to supply the quantities of lithium, cobalt, and nickel for electric vehicles is mind boggling. And to top that off, these heavy metals are highly destructive pollutant waste after their use in automobile batteries..
Yeah, but most of that is going on in poor, vulnerable, and easily exploitable countries in Africa, so who cares? Out of sight, out of mind, right? (Until it's not). Colonization through military conquest may not be overtly on any Western country's national agenda anymore, but corporate colonization through economic power is still very much a destructive force globally.
Don't believe everything that you read.
*Mod note: I renamed this thread to reduce the forum clutter that results from starting a new thread for every single twitter post that certain individuals feel like sharing in the The Think Tank (barely elaborating on them, if at all - just reposting). If you've got an issue with global warming and energy, post it here instead of starting the 100th thread on the same topic.*
Don't believe everything that you read.
Quote by Chryses
Swedish parliament passes new energy target, easing way for new nuclear power.
Sweden’s parliament on Tuesday adopted a new energy target, giving the right-wing government the green light to push forward with plans to build new nuclear plants in a country that voted 40 years ago to phase out atomic power.
Changing the target to “100% fossil-free” electricity, from “100% renewable” is key to the government’s plan to meet an expected doubling of electricity demand to around 300 TwH by 2040 and reach net zero emissions by 2045.
There is no rational objection to nuclear energy if the concern is carbon dioxide emissions. And, unlike wind and solar, nuclear power actually works.
Quote by Ironic
Instead of "nuclear power actually works", try "nuclear power works reliably".
Quote by Ironic
100% Fossil-free electricity won't happen without 100% participation, and that's not going to happen.
Without China's participation 1.5⁰C isn't going to happen.
Don't believe everything that you read.
Quote by Chryses
Sweden is making a major move into nuclear energy:
Uranium mining is set to return to mainland Europe as the region seeks alternatives to Russian nuclear fuel and Sweden pushes to treble its atomic energy capacity, the country’s climate minister has said.
Sweden has lots of uranium:
Romina Pourmokhtari, who last year became the youngest cabinet minister in Swedish history at the age of 26, said there was a parliamentary majority behind lifting Sweden’s ban on uranium extraction and opening up by far the largest deposits in the European Union.
If you are serious about considering carbon dioxide a threat, the only alternative is nuclear energy.
Quote by Buz
Nuclear energy is extremely efficient. Disposing of the waste is tricky, but not any more so than disposing of all the dangerous materials necessary for making batteries, especially batteries needed for electric vehicles.
A fortune can be made from anyone improving of disposal storage of such. I am researching possible investment opportunities of such.
Quote by Seeker4
As a longtime beneficiary of nuclear power (it is the largest source of electricity in Ontario, with hydroelectric second), I am actually largely pro-nuclear. Nuclear waste is easier to sequester than a gas like CO2 and a well-designed and managed reactor can be quite safe. That said, Fukushima demonstrated that it is not the right solution for everyone. Geological and meteorological stability, for instance, matters. You don't want to stick one on a significant fault line or near a volcano, for instance.
Quote by Chryses
Although nuclear powered electrical generation facilities are great for providing base line power, they should be located in stable locations.
Don't believe everything that you read.
The fundamental truth about climate change is we cannot sustain our current lifestyle and prevent further catastrophic results. That time has come and gone.
As important as finding different forms of energy is, we need to make our communities local and livable. You should not expect to buy an imported Italian tomato in a Seattle winter.
Personal cars need to go, and the lifestyle that comes with them. Cities in the current scope are unsustainable.
And last, and by far most important, is the elimination of corporations and the billionaire class. One of Musk’s little 3 minute space trips generates more pollution and damage than thousands of us will ever make in a lifetime. The production of a luxury yacht is equivalent to dropping a bomb in the middle of the rain forest.
Frankly I feel as though my only option as a parent currently is to weave in lessons that will help my children during a full and complete infrastructure collapse. I teach them about foraging and living off the land.
Quote by Chryses
Even with all the best efforts of those who would do away with fossil fuels, as the energy demands are expected to exceed supply, oil prices are expected to remain high. Oil cartel leader warns of prolonged high prices
Good news for the electric car owners – if the cost of electricity does not increase.
How are prolonged high oil prices good news to electric car owners?
=== Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER ===
Quote by Chryses
Because any price increase at the pump will not cost them extra - if the cost of electricity does not increase.
Let's try again: how is something that does not affect them good news to them?
=== Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER ===
Quote by Chryses
Because if the change is bad - an increase in the pump price - and it does not affect them, it is good news for them.
By that logic it's good news if your best friend dies, because it's not my best friend, and it doesn't affect me. Well, let's all (except for you then) hope your best friend dies. I'm sure we can all use some good news.
=== Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER ===
The trouble with all green energy alternatives (much like fossil fuels) is there are limited resources available to make them. Mining the minerals needed to make the batteries is absolutely terrible for the environment and can wreck the water tables.
The real solution is rolling back on power consumption. Less cars on roads, periods of rolling blackouts or minimal power distribution. Need to use less heating/cooling for buildings. Wind and tidal energy is really looking like the way to do it, but until we develop a storage method that’s not mineral based batteries it’s not something we can do in the quantities people want.
Quote by MsStep
I’ve read criticisms about the environmental impact of the mining needed to go all electric. Is there any way to reduce power consumption without lowering the standard of living? Like you say less heating and cooling for buildings.
What we need to explore is what is a standard of living. We work too much, a household shouldn’t need multiple people working. This creates the need for fast foods, appliances for laundry and dish washing, buying new clothes instead of repairing old… ect.
We haven’t built our society around quality of life, we based it around capitalism and consumption. That needs to change, and it’s going to be a change that will be forced on the younger generations for sheer survival.
Quote by MsStep
One of the reasons for the development of gender roles was because during the hunter/gatherer phase, while the male went hunting the female did a lot of other things, like wild fruit and wild grain gathering, food prep, child rearing, right? After it changed to an agrarian culture, the male pushed the plow and the female did a lot of other things, like spinning, weaving, food prep, child rearing, right? Put that muscle mass to good use, chasing or running away from prey, and plowing the field.
You did say less heating and cooling. Are you sure that’s necessary? That’s a hit to anybody’s standard of living I’d think. Moms don’t take kindly to their children not having a a warm home in the winter
I’m not saying we need to freeze the place, but blankets and warm clothing in your home and having the temp at like 60 during nighttime plummets power consumption. Less cooling for more extreme temps and relying more on keeping breezes going while having temp set to around 75-80 makes cooling in many places completely unnecessary. That’s how my family does it currently.
Unfortunately I don’t think these sort of mass changes will happen fast enough to stop climate chaos from happening. My whole family is slowly weening ourselves off grid. I hope to get to a power optional state of living over the next two decades.
Quote by RowanThorn
The trouble with all green energy alternatives (much like fossil fuels) is there are limited resources available to make them. Mining the minerals needed to make the batteries is absolutely terrible for the environment and can wreck the water tables.
The real solution is rolling back on power consumption. Less cars on roads, periods of rolling blackouts or minimal power distribution. Need to use less heating/cooling for buildings. Wind and tidal energy is really looking like the way to do it, but until we develop a storage method that’s not mineral based batteries it’s not something we can do in the quantities people want.
More (and better) public transportation options coupled with urban design that favors walkable communities and public spaces over roads and parking. I lived in Toronto for several years as an adult and had no use for a car when I was there. Now, I'm in a smaller city in the US and it's pretty much impossible to live without one here with so much misused and wasted space.
Don't believe everything that you read.
Quote by MsStep
One other thought. It’s easy for us to talk about what changes need to be made because we’re already rich. I doubt people in poor countries will pay much attention to best practices until they’re rich too.
Check out those carbon emissions from poorer countries. It’s literally a fraction of the problem. Also many smaller countries’ carbon footprint is being generated by foreign companies operating for exports to private Western countries. Example here would be the largest chunk of African pollution is caused by Canadian mineral companies and Scandinavian oil drilling.
Further breaking down the rich countries, individuals are generally making incredibly little difference compared to corporations and the billionaire class. Elon Musk’s little 3 minute joy ride into space has a larger carbon footprint than tens of thousands of the lower classes will generate in their entire lifetime.
Quote by MsStep
Every country’s carbon emissions are a fraction of the total. Every country owns its carbon footprint. All of those African countries could stop the pollution you’re blaming on Canadian and Scandinavian companies if they wanted to.
I’ll agree with you that each individual makes a negligible contribution to climate warming when compared to what the corporations make, but I’ll remind you that people create the corporations and buy what the corporations make while they’re polluting.
Saying “they all are fractions” vastly disregards the overwhelmingly high percentage a few countries. It’s unreasonable to demand a reduction from a country who’s population barely makes any pollution as opposed to Western nations that are actually able to change.
Unfortunately it’s not true, saying the African nations have the autonomy to rid itself of foreign corporations. These mining areas are very much supported by military defenses from both private contractors and Western armed forces. And if a country does fight back? The CIA has had a hand in about 350 regime changes that we know of in the last 100 years, generally replacing popular and socialist leaders with violent right wing factions. That’s the price you pay for fighting imperialism.
As for consumer options, this is largely unrealistic as an option for many. Corporations are able to keep much lower prices than small businesses. It’s impossible for many Americans to reasonably live without consuming from them. Looking at my personal budget I pay an additional 60% markup for ethically sourced food. I check this number occasionly for when it gets financially tight and my morals can’t be supported because my family needs to live.
Instead of pointing fingers at others, everyone should take their own responsibility. Yes, it sucks if someone else doesn't do that, but it'll suck even more if no one does.
=== Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER ===
Quote by noll
Instead of pointing fingers at others, everyone should take their own responsibility. Yes, it sucks if someone else doesn't do that, but it'll suck even more if no one does.
Sucks most that 90% of the population could drop to zero emissions today but so long as the rich are not forced to change it will still get worse.
Your right, correcting the problem will correct the problem. Therefor I’m sure voting for politicians that don’t take corporate money and focus on changing the American power grid and transportation structure is your top priority.
I’m sure I’ll see you out at the protests too. And you’ll support pulling American manufacturing from China and you’re willing to pay more for goods and services for this? You’ll do your part?
Quote by Chryses
If it makes you feel better to blame some but not others for what is a planetary problem, by all means, do so, but limiting the action to casting blame will change nothing.
Precisely! So pointing at China, or other nations, for not taking their responsibility (or not to the same level as others) will change nothing. It's merely distraction from our own responsibility.
=== Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER ===
Quote by Chryses
And if all the commitments are met - and there is no reason to think they will be - the 1.5C goal will not be met.
As I have already brought to everyone's attention, the 1.5C is already being exceeded. On about a third of days in 2023, the average global temperature was at least 1.5C higher than pre-industrial levels.
None of the exercises in futility presented as possible fixes will prevent the inevitable.
If we can make it stop at 2.5˚C instead of 3.5˚C then that's a win. The extend of the climate change we'll see is only inevitable if we don't do anything.
=== Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER ===
Quote by Chryses
When is this new goal to be achieved?
The goal is to reduce climate change as much as we can.
=== Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER ===
Quote by ElCoco
Automakers Have Big Hopes for EVs; Buyers Aren’t Cooperating
https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/electric-vehicle-buyer-interest-67b407cb?mod=hp_lead_pos1
.
The cost is still too high for some people. Unsold EV inventory is starting to pile up for some brands.
Dirty secret about EV’s are the horrendous environmental affects of mining lithium and other metals/minerals for batteries. It straight up poisons the land and water around the mines, it’s a very limited resource, and they need to be replaced. Lastly the electricity itself is still often being generated by fossil fuels.
A better public transportation network and walkable communities to eliminate the need for individual vehicles is really the step we need.
Quote by RowanThorn
Dirty secret about EV’s are the horrendous environmental affects of mining lithium and other metals/minerals for batteries. It straight up poisons the land and water around the mines, it’s a very limited resource, and they need to be replaced. Lastly the electricity itself is still often being generated by fossil fuels.
A better public transportation network and walkable communities to eliminate the need for individual vehicles is really the step we need.
Bike lanes.
The Netherlands have been covered by bicycle lanes for decades, but a relatively new phenomenon is the bicycle highway.
=== Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER ===
Quote by noll
Bike lanes.
The Netherlands have been covered by bicycle lanes for decades, but a relatively new phenomenon is the bicycle highway.
Go to a mall or an amusement park in America then tell me if you think more bike lanes or a bicycle highway would work here.
Be serious.
Quote by Magical_felix
Go to a mall or an amusement park in America then tell me if you think more bike lanes or a bicycle highway would work here.
Be serious.
Congrats, you’ve discovered where public transportation could massively improve your life! And why would a bike make getting to the mall hard? There are bike racks everywhere. Failing that just park it in one of the many empty locations in the failed capitalist monolith.
Quote by RowanThorn
Congrats, you’ve discovered where public transportation could massively improve your life! And why would a bike make getting to the mall hard? There are bike racks everywhere. Failing that just park it in one of the many empty locations in the failed capitalist monolith.
I'm saying look at the American people as a whole. They aren't going to ride a bike, anywhere.
Fucking guy thinks Americans are going to take a bike on a Costco run and haul back a gallon sized jar of mayonnaise.
This is true. We also frame public transportation like you are losing at life if you use it. It’s just one of the best investments we can make on fighting climate change but there been nearly a century of a propaganda campaign against it.
