In North America and throughout a great part of the world, governments are trying to find ways to stimulate their economies. We are hearing of tax rebates and spending programs to be initiated by governments to help get the economy back on track. Deficits seem to be in style again, especially in the US when over a trillion dollars of taxpayer's money are planned to be used to bail out big corporations that are failing. I am not going to go on about the politics behind bailouts and the reasons we are in this mess. I am going to suggest that if governments want to spend money, that they do so in a reasonable way. This is a once in a generation chance for governments, businesses and individuals to get on the green train.
We have environmental issues facing us. North Americans are dependant on oil and fossil fuels. These energy sources have a negative environmental impact. We have a decaying infrastructure, which includes roads and bridges. Imagine if the American government took the billion dollars that they plan to give to banks and other fallen corporations, to promote alternate energy sources. Do you think these greedy banks and other corporate CEOs care about going green? In fact they have been thinking green for years. Yes they think green day and night. Green as in money!! The majority of them care only about numbers (as in dollars) and power, not the rest of the country and the environment. We need to work together as a nation whether you are in the US, Canada or somewhere else in the world, and work towards a better society. Lets direct government stimulus packages to develop cleaner, green vehicles and mass transportation sources. Lets put money towards fixing our aging infrastructure. We need to direct government money into developing and promoting energy sources such as geothermal, solar power, wind power, and solar power. We can direct money into healthy lifestyles and researching cures for diseases such as cancer, heart disease and MS. Lets not waste this opportunity and throw this money on foolish schemes that benefit the rich. We need to stop bailing out the wealthy. Big oil companies have dictated way to long as well. Former President George Bush was a puppet for big oil and big banks. I see hope with Barack Obama. Lets hope that he makes the right decisions. He is not going to be perfect, nor can he change anything by himself. We all need to pitch in and do our part. We need to think a different way as people of a nation. This is our chance to make things right for future generations. We as citizens of our countries need to make our leaders accountable for the money they are going to spend the next few years. Our children and we will be faced with a huge bill after the economic cleanup. The question is will our planet and ideals be cleaned up?
Showing posts with label Tuesday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tuesday. Show all posts
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Pollution, Politics and Platform Promises...Tuesday, September 9. 2008
Currently in the United States, as well as my country of Canada, there is an election campaign going on. The word "recycle" comes to mind as I watch these politicians use the same old rhetoric to get votes. The word "pollution" also comes to mind when you hear of all the bickering, talk, and empty promises coming out of politicians. One key issue on both sides of the border is the environment and issues relating to global warming. Yes there are other issues, like the economy, wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the globe, and moral issues, but the environment is an issue that politicians can't ignore. The main hurdle is how to be environmentally friendly while making sure being environmentally friendly does not negatively hurt the already shaky economy.
In Canada, the Liberal Party's main platform is the carbon tax. A carbon tax is an environmental tax on emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. It is quite simply a pollution tax. The Canadian Liberal party proposes a tax on fossil fuels and an overhaul of Canada's tax regime in order to offset higher costs to individuals and businesses. In fact, in their election campaign they recently stated, "the greenhouse gas emissions generated by our campaign tour will be neutralized through the purchase of carbon offsets, provided by CarbonZero". This is a great idea in theory, however many of us here in Canada are already heavily taxed and we certainly don't want to pay more for gas and other types of fuel. There is a less known political party in Canada, as well, lnown as the Green Party. They are known for their environmental beliefs. The Conservative Party, who presently holds a minority government, does not want to tamper too much with the economy and under the Conservative Party we would probably not see much change in environmental policies.
In the United States the two main partys, the Democrats and the Republicans are going back and forth on issues relating to the environment and global warming. Which party can you trust? Which party will be more environmentally friendly? The Democratic Party has been the more environmentally friendly party recently. As you probably know, Al Gore, who has recently platformed for environmental issues and sent out alarms on global warming, was the Democratic Party leader eight years ago. Barrack Obama has promised to Promote green technologies and fuel efficiency standards, protect the Great Lakes and US National Parks and Forests, as well as other environmental promises. The Republican Party seems to be less sensitive to environmental issues and more concerned about assisting big business and oil companies. There are other independent parties in the US and some have environmentally friendly ideas as well.
So which political party is the most environmentally friendly? It is sometimes a monumental task to cut though a lot of talk and promises to decide just which political party will really do as they say. Before an election they all seem to say the right thing to get our votes. If we could fuel our vehicles with all the hot air and talk from all of our politicians before an election we would not have to rely on a drop of foreign oil!
I personally believe in a carbon tax in some form. In theory it is a good idea. Big oil companies, energy companies, manufacturers and other businesses should not be given a green light to pollute and harm the environment at will and not give something back. We need to make polluters more accountable if we are going to combat global warming. However, we can't blindly just throw in a carbon tax overnight. We need to phase it in taking in to account that we can't pay more for gas and energy to drive our vehicles and heat our homes. In Canada, especially, we live in a vast territory with an often-cruel climate and we simply need energy to survive. We need cleaner sources of energy, however. So we need to balance environmental policies with reality and make sure it does not cripple the lower and middle class.
Politicians should be doing more to promote clean sources of energy. Whether it is rebates or incentives that entice businesses and individuals to adopt more environmentally friendly practices, we need to move in that direction. We need more hybrid cars on the road now. Finding alternative energy sources for vehicles will eliminate the need to purchase oil from other countries. It is also a good way to be earth friendly because vehicles that use this technology will not emit pollutants into our atmosphere like gasoline powered vehicles do. We need to develop wind energy, tidal power and solar energy. We need to explore the uses of natural gas and nuclear energy where it is safe and practical. We need to move in a different direction in the twenty first century as far as environmental policies and practices are concerned.
So which party will get in this fall? What environment policies will be administered over the next four years? There is no question that global warming, climate change; pollution and human health issues due to environmental issues are issues that cannot be ignored by any party. We must as citizens vote with our conscience regarding these issues and demand action from our political leaders on combating pollution and climate change when they are in power. Talk is cheap. We need action.
In Canada, the Liberal Party's main platform is the carbon tax. A carbon tax is an environmental tax on emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. It is quite simply a pollution tax. The Canadian Liberal party proposes a tax on fossil fuels and an overhaul of Canada's tax regime in order to offset higher costs to individuals and businesses. In fact, in their election campaign they recently stated, "the greenhouse gas emissions generated by our campaign tour will be neutralized through the purchase of carbon offsets, provided by CarbonZero". This is a great idea in theory, however many of us here in Canada are already heavily taxed and we certainly don't want to pay more for gas and other types of fuel. There is a less known political party in Canada, as well, lnown as the Green Party. They are known for their environmental beliefs. The Conservative Party, who presently holds a minority government, does not want to tamper too much with the economy and under the Conservative Party we would probably not see much change in environmental policies.
In the United States the two main partys, the Democrats and the Republicans are going back and forth on issues relating to the environment and global warming. Which party can you trust? Which party will be more environmentally friendly? The Democratic Party has been the more environmentally friendly party recently. As you probably know, Al Gore, who has recently platformed for environmental issues and sent out alarms on global warming, was the Democratic Party leader eight years ago. Barrack Obama has promised to Promote green technologies and fuel efficiency standards, protect the Great Lakes and US National Parks and Forests, as well as other environmental promises. The Republican Party seems to be less sensitive to environmental issues and more concerned about assisting big business and oil companies. There are other independent parties in the US and some have environmentally friendly ideas as well.
So which political party is the most environmentally friendly? It is sometimes a monumental task to cut though a lot of talk and promises to decide just which political party will really do as they say. Before an election they all seem to say the right thing to get our votes. If we could fuel our vehicles with all the hot air and talk from all of our politicians before an election we would not have to rely on a drop of foreign oil!
I personally believe in a carbon tax in some form. In theory it is a good idea. Big oil companies, energy companies, manufacturers and other businesses should not be given a green light to pollute and harm the environment at will and not give something back. We need to make polluters more accountable if we are going to combat global warming. However, we can't blindly just throw in a carbon tax overnight. We need to phase it in taking in to account that we can't pay more for gas and energy to drive our vehicles and heat our homes. In Canada, especially, we live in a vast territory with an often-cruel climate and we simply need energy to survive. We need cleaner sources of energy, however. So we need to balance environmental policies with reality and make sure it does not cripple the lower and middle class.
Politicians should be doing more to promote clean sources of energy. Whether it is rebates or incentives that entice businesses and individuals to adopt more environmentally friendly practices, we need to move in that direction. We need more hybrid cars on the road now. Finding alternative energy sources for vehicles will eliminate the need to purchase oil from other countries. It is also a good way to be earth friendly because vehicles that use this technology will not emit pollutants into our atmosphere like gasoline powered vehicles do. We need to develop wind energy, tidal power and solar energy. We need to explore the uses of natural gas and nuclear energy where it is safe and practical. We need to move in a different direction in the twenty first century as far as environmental policies and practices are concerned.
So which party will get in this fall? What environment policies will be administered over the next four years? There is no question that global warming, climate change; pollution and human health issues due to environmental issues are issues that cannot be ignored by any party. We must as citizens vote with our conscience regarding these issues and demand action from our political leaders on combating pollution and climate change when they are in power. Talk is cheap. We need action.
Oil Slick or Oil Sick ?...Tuesday, July 1. 2008
Every time you turn on the news these days we are bombarded with reports of the ever-increasing price of oil. If you don't listen to the news, you certainly will notice it when you fill up your vehicle with gas or diesel fuel. Our leaders in North America are more focused on finding more sources of oil and getting the oil producing nations to produce more to fuel our addiction to it. North America and a large portion of the world are addicted to oil. If we don't change our way of thinking and find alternative energy sources we will have an economic catastrophe not seen since the great depression.
It is not just the personal use of cars that we have to worry about. If you think that you will be OK because you don't drive… think again!! The cost of transporting all the food we eat is escalating. The cost of operating a farm that produces our food is increasing steadily. The cost of transporting and producing other products we consume increase when the price of oil increases. One example recently is the Dow Chemical Company recently raising prices by as much as 40 percent. Dow Chemical makes everything from the propylene glycols used in antifreeze, coolants, solvents, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, to acrylic acid-based products used in detergents, wastewater-treatment and disposable diapers. The company's raw ingredient costs as well as transportation costs have increased drastically. Now may transportation companies including trucking businesses charge customers fuel surcharges. Airline companies are implementing fuel surcharges, cutting routes and cutting jobs.
The US government wants to overturn a 26-year ban on offshore oil drilling. As well, many now consider the Arctic as a hotbed for future oil production. The paradox here is that global warming is melting much of the ice in the arctic region. Melting ice means that drilling for this oil will be much easier. More human arctic activity could spell an environmental catastrophe killing off many species and further hastening the melting of the polar ice shelf. In addition to environmental concerns, getting oil in these regions is more expensive and the costs will certainly be passed on to the consumer.
Many people (even Americans) think that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are being fought over oil. There is a large pipeline that ships Saudi oil running through Afghanistan. This is oil that helps feed the North American hunger for fuel. Many lives have been lost due to the war in these countries. There are many other countries in the world with unstable, inhumane governments that US forces have not invaded. Ironically many of those countries do not have oil. Consider this: The US army and air force are perhaps the most powerful on the planet. Take away the oil to power these institutions and the US defence system becomes extremely weak.
Our dependence on oil leaves us very vulnerable as citizens. We are held hostage to forces that dictate the price of oil. Some say it is speculation on the markets. Others believe that there is a shortage and we are running out. What happens if we have major hurricanes in the oil refining regions of the US? What happens if there is an act of terrorism on an oil producing country? What happens if tensions escalate between the US and Iran? These scenarios will certainly push the price of oil even higher. Oil is the backbone of our modern civilization. Without it, the world as we know it ceases to exist. With expensive oil or scarcity of it, our standard of living declines. There is only one way to avoid an economic nightmare. We need to focus on implementing alternative sources of energy before it is too late. Let's not wait for this to happen. The time to act is now.
It is not just the personal use of cars that we have to worry about. If you think that you will be OK because you don't drive… think again!! The cost of transporting all the food we eat is escalating. The cost of operating a farm that produces our food is increasing steadily. The cost of transporting and producing other products we consume increase when the price of oil increases. One example recently is the Dow Chemical Company recently raising prices by as much as 40 percent. Dow Chemical makes everything from the propylene glycols used in antifreeze, coolants, solvents, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, to acrylic acid-based products used in detergents, wastewater-treatment and disposable diapers. The company's raw ingredient costs as well as transportation costs have increased drastically. Now may transportation companies including trucking businesses charge customers fuel surcharges. Airline companies are implementing fuel surcharges, cutting routes and cutting jobs.
The US government wants to overturn a 26-year ban on offshore oil drilling. As well, many now consider the Arctic as a hotbed for future oil production. The paradox here is that global warming is melting much of the ice in the arctic region. Melting ice means that drilling for this oil will be much easier. More human arctic activity could spell an environmental catastrophe killing off many species and further hastening the melting of the polar ice shelf. In addition to environmental concerns, getting oil in these regions is more expensive and the costs will certainly be passed on to the consumer.
Many people (even Americans) think that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are being fought over oil. There is a large pipeline that ships Saudi oil running through Afghanistan. This is oil that helps feed the North American hunger for fuel. Many lives have been lost due to the war in these countries. There are many other countries in the world with unstable, inhumane governments that US forces have not invaded. Ironically many of those countries do not have oil. Consider this: The US army and air force are perhaps the most powerful on the planet. Take away the oil to power these institutions and the US defence system becomes extremely weak.
Our dependence on oil leaves us very vulnerable as citizens. We are held hostage to forces that dictate the price of oil. Some say it is speculation on the markets. Others believe that there is a shortage and we are running out. What happens if we have major hurricanes in the oil refining regions of the US? What happens if there is an act of terrorism on an oil producing country? What happens if tensions escalate between the US and Iran? These scenarios will certainly push the price of oil even higher. Oil is the backbone of our modern civilization. Without it, the world as we know it ceases to exist. With expensive oil or scarcity of it, our standard of living declines. There is only one way to avoid an economic nightmare. We need to focus on implementing alternative sources of energy before it is too late. Let's not wait for this to happen. The time to act is now.
The Ethics of Ethanol...Tuesday, June 3. 2008
There has been much discussion lately on the use of ethanol as a fuel to replace gasoline to power our vehicles. I have many questions about the use of ethanol for automobiles.
How is ethanol made? Ethanol is a liquid alcohol made of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon and is obtained from the fermentation of sugar or converted starch contained in grains and other agricultural or agri-forest feedstock. In North America, ethanol is presently made primarily from corn and wheat. Ethanol can be produced for different applications, for example, industrial ethanol or fuel grade ethanol. There are different grades of ethanol used for fuel. E85 is a blend of gasoline and ethanol that is 85% ethanol by volume. E10 is a blend that is 10% ethanol by volume. In North America it is common to blend ethanol with gasoline at concentrations of 7 to 10 percent by volume. All cars built since the 1970s are fully compatible with up to 10 percent ethanol in the fuel mixture. From a vehicle performance and fuel consumption perspective, low-level ethanol fuel blends are equivalent to gasoline. Ethanol can be used in much higher proportions - up to 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline (E-85), however many cars in North America are not equipped to use this. Biofuels are considered by some as a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy security by providing an alternative to oil and gasoline.
In the United States and other countries farmers have been given grants to use their farmland to grow corn and grains used for ethanol. For some farmers it is more profitable for them to grow crops for ethanol than to grow crops for food. In the United States for example, the ethanol industry is supported by government incentives. A mandate that urges refiners to use an increasing amount of ethanol each year, and a 51-cent-per-gallon tax credit for refiners that add ethanol to gasoline are a few examples. Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute states that increased biofuel production is responsible for 30 percent of the higher cost of corn and other grains since 2000. How can we fuel our cars with an energy source made from crops that are normally used for food amidst a global food shortage? In North America most of us really don't know what starving is all about. So we think nothing of it. But stop and think, if you have an E-85 powered vehicle and fill it up to take a pleasure trip, a few children on the other side of the world just died of starvation while you had that nozzle in your car to fill it. Across the world today one billion people live below the international poverty line, earning less than a dollar per day. Every day, approximately 15,000 children die from hunger-related causes--one child every six seconds. They certainly are not concerned about what type of fuel should power their vehicles. They are struggling just to get a portion of food and water to stay alive for another day.
I think that production of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) should be more encouraged. However, North American governments don't seem to be doing enough to promote and encourage this. Currently, there is not much of a choice as the type of vehicles available to us in the North American market. The majority, whether fuel-efficient or not, are powered by gasoline. Without gasoline, billions of dollars would be lost in tax revenue. Both gasoline and ethanol are substances that can be easily measured and sold through authorized dealers only. That means they can easily be taxed. In Canada, for example, the government collects close to 8 billion dollars from gasoline taxes per year. The United Kingdom has a gasoline tax equivalent to $2.80 per gallon. Ethanol would probably be taxed in a similar way. It would be very hard for them to tax electric battery recharges. The government is afraid to lose a huge cash cow.
Newer technology converts biomass forestry by-products, such as wood chips and non-compostable trash such as municipal waste into ethanol. This type of cellostic ethanol is a promising development, as our food supplies are not used as fuel. A Canadian based company, has been working for a few decades on technology that can produce gas from heaps of trash. Canadian ethanol producers estimate that there is enough garbage, without the recyclable materials, to fuel three million cars a year. Ethanol will likely be widely used in one form or another as an energy source in the near future.
Ethanol should only be made from waste products and nothing else. I can see ethanol playing a part of our future energy sources in a minimal way. If we are diverting crops and farmland away from food sources we are heading down a dangerous and unethical path. Also we should not be chopping down trees to satisfy our hunger for fuel. Ultimately, human greed and profit motive will ultimately play a huge part in the future role of ethanol as a fuel source.
How is ethanol made? Ethanol is a liquid alcohol made of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon and is obtained from the fermentation of sugar or converted starch contained in grains and other agricultural or agri-forest feedstock. In North America, ethanol is presently made primarily from corn and wheat. Ethanol can be produced for different applications, for example, industrial ethanol or fuel grade ethanol. There are different grades of ethanol used for fuel. E85 is a blend of gasoline and ethanol that is 85% ethanol by volume. E10 is a blend that is 10% ethanol by volume. In North America it is common to blend ethanol with gasoline at concentrations of 7 to 10 percent by volume. All cars built since the 1970s are fully compatible with up to 10 percent ethanol in the fuel mixture. From a vehicle performance and fuel consumption perspective, low-level ethanol fuel blends are equivalent to gasoline. Ethanol can be used in much higher proportions - up to 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline (E-85), however many cars in North America are not equipped to use this. Biofuels are considered by some as a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy security by providing an alternative to oil and gasoline.
In the United States and other countries farmers have been given grants to use their farmland to grow corn and grains used for ethanol. For some farmers it is more profitable for them to grow crops for ethanol than to grow crops for food. In the United States for example, the ethanol industry is supported by government incentives. A mandate that urges refiners to use an increasing amount of ethanol each year, and a 51-cent-per-gallon tax credit for refiners that add ethanol to gasoline are a few examples. Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute states that increased biofuel production is responsible for 30 percent of the higher cost of corn and other grains since 2000. How can we fuel our cars with an energy source made from crops that are normally used for food amidst a global food shortage? In North America most of us really don't know what starving is all about. So we think nothing of it. But stop and think, if you have an E-85 powered vehicle and fill it up to take a pleasure trip, a few children on the other side of the world just died of starvation while you had that nozzle in your car to fill it. Across the world today one billion people live below the international poverty line, earning less than a dollar per day. Every day, approximately 15,000 children die from hunger-related causes--one child every six seconds. They certainly are not concerned about what type of fuel should power their vehicles. They are struggling just to get a portion of food and water to stay alive for another day.
I think that production of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) should be more encouraged. However, North American governments don't seem to be doing enough to promote and encourage this. Currently, there is not much of a choice as the type of vehicles available to us in the North American market. The majority, whether fuel-efficient or not, are powered by gasoline. Without gasoline, billions of dollars would be lost in tax revenue. Both gasoline and ethanol are substances that can be easily measured and sold through authorized dealers only. That means they can easily be taxed. In Canada, for example, the government collects close to 8 billion dollars from gasoline taxes per year. The United Kingdom has a gasoline tax equivalent to $2.80 per gallon. Ethanol would probably be taxed in a similar way. It would be very hard for them to tax electric battery recharges. The government is afraid to lose a huge cash cow.
Newer technology converts biomass forestry by-products, such as wood chips and non-compostable trash such as municipal waste into ethanol. This type of cellostic ethanol is a promising development, as our food supplies are not used as fuel. A Canadian based company, has been working for a few decades on technology that can produce gas from heaps of trash. Canadian ethanol producers estimate that there is enough garbage, without the recyclable materials, to fuel three million cars a year. Ethanol will likely be widely used in one form or another as an energy source in the near future.
Ethanol should only be made from waste products and nothing else. I can see ethanol playing a part of our future energy sources in a minimal way. If we are diverting crops and farmland away from food sources we are heading down a dangerous and unethical path. Also we should not be chopping down trees to satisfy our hunger for fuel. Ultimately, human greed and profit motive will ultimately play a huge part in the future role of ethanol as a fuel source.
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