Global demand for energy is expected to rise by 35% by 2035 as economies in both developed and emerging countries continue to grow and the standard of living improves in the developing world. 1 1 International Energy Agency, World Energy Outlook 2012 - New Policies Scenario No matter what we do, energy needs are going to grow. This is because of increased population and higher standards of living. And so no matter what we do, CO2 is going to increase, not decrease. As this happens the climate will become worse and worse. The main complexity, quandary, paradox with this scenario is that energy is being generated to increase human standards of living. While true, humans will have better cell phones, nicer cars, bigger televisions, more fast food, and more inexpensive clothes made in sweat shops around the world, it is also the case that temperatures will soar, storms will increase in size, oceans will rise, cities will be inundated, and populations will have to continually move from one swamped or irradiated locale to another. Diseases of energy created pollution, and GMO crops will saddle an already burdened health-care system to the extreme. No matter how much energy is put into raising our standards of living, health care costs (Congressional Budget Office report) and environmental factors will drag them down by virtue of the very means by which we strive to raise them. Energy. Whenever the argument arises that we need more energy to maintain and improve our standard of living, the first part of the argument is always cited. The second part is never brought up except by environmentalists. This is a fundamental problem with the human species. We are like race horses with blinders on. We race to the finish line with every resource we can muster, even if the finish line is an oven. Because we simply do not think about it. One obvious step. Halt all nuclear energy now. There is no excuse for this particularly dangerous form of creating energy. Here is an interesting look at Canadian energy and the perspective that dirty tar sands oil extraction is actually a good thing. Another argument made with blinders on and lies to boot. capp.ca/library/statistics/basic/Pages/default.aspx
Posted on: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 10:39:58 +0000
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