14 comments on New Jersey's Global Warming Response Act Bill Signing
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Bm: It is my understanding that the plan is to generate the greenhouse gas emissions from coal in 2050.
Sure, but even the cheap coal is gone already. Any transition from oil to coal is likely to trigger "peak coal" in our lifetimes. By 2050 there won't be any choice but to emit 80% less - all fossil fuels will be largely gone by then.
Global warming is a serious problem, and it's great that the media and government are finally talking about it. But they aren't taking it seriously enough. And the taboo against discussing overpopulation and peak fuels remains firmly in place.
bmmcnett,
ther's a lot of cheap coal of excellent quality in Wyoming, and a whole lot of lignite in Texas and other states thats 40% water with all kinds of heavy metal pollutants. If you're talking about fairly clean burning cheap coal near the eastern centers of population, or in England ,you are definitely right.
I advocate what the Demicans and Republocrats would consider unthinkable. We need to tell the power companies that all coal must be phased out in 10 years, so stop building coal plants and focus on another base load generation like nuclear, while building wind and solar as fast as possible. Same way with refineries. Tell them they are shutting down in 10 years, but they can have as much of the wind, tidal, geothermal and solar business that they can build. Take all the auto mechanics and long haul truckers and retrain them for free as wind turbine manufacturers and mechanics, solar installers and workers in solar plants, railroaders and short haul truckers with freight from Alan's electric railroad plan.
If people have a sense of purpose and a personal plan they will become excited and make all kinds of willing sacrifices. There was a real sense of purpose when I was a kid and everyone was working to put a man on the moon. And with real leaders, not deciders, we can have a sense of purpose again. Bob Ebersole
Unfortunately Bob you are right. Coal is very dirty and is the only scalable replacement for oil in the decades to come.
I agree that we should enact a moratorium on coal but I think we can do no such thing, because it is cheap and scalable. Pro-coal people can offer cheap energy in the short term, and politically nothing can counteract that.
You and Alan are right that electric trains are required for shipping in the medium term. I think likewise I'm right that scooters are required for personal transportation in the medium term.
Bryan