Opinion
Keeping cool
August 17, 2007
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To the editor:
This is the time of year for a bit of perspective on the melodrama that is our dialogue on global warming. It sure is hot. I can't help but notice the large number of people who scurry from their house to their car to the store to the car to the house - all air-conditioned. Last time I checked, air conditioning uses a lot of power - even when the environmental guidelines on settings are followed. Where is all that power coming from?
How about the coal-fired power plant just outside town? Will investing in any number of wind farms - or other environmentally anointed solutions - allow for its retirement? Probably not in my lifetime if we continue to use air conditioning to provide reasonably comfortable surroundings! Our local plant and just about all similar coal-fired plants - western Kansas - that we can build will be needed to provide that air conditioning in the near term. Are we ready to give up our air conditioning? I really think not!
There is way too much heat - pardon the pun - and not enough light on the whole global warming discussion. How much power will it take to provide the living conditions the majority of us want and how will we generate it - megawatt by megawatt? Waiting for the unavoidable shortages that will result when the environmental alarmists have blocked all realistic power-generating solutions will certainly solve the air conditioning problem. Only the environmental elites (like Mr. Gore) will have air conditioning!
George Lippencott,
Lawrence
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17 August 2007
at 7:02 a.m.
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Kookamooka (Anonymous) says…
The “not in my lifetime” argument really irritates me. Maybe if the country wasn't run by a bunch of people who ONLY care about the world as long as THEY are living we wouldn't be in such a pickle.
I remember hearing about global warming when I was about 10 years old and still sitting in the back seat of my dad's Buick LeSabre (10 miles to the gallon) We were in line for gas. It was a line that stretched around the block and took about an hour to get through. We did a unit on fossil fuels and alternative energy in science class. Of course the line the teachers gave us was, “this isn't likely to effect you, just future generations”. Whew! Thank God! I was safe. It turns out I wasn't safe and my generation and every human generation thereafter will be effected. There isn't an easy solution and at the risk of sounding like an alarmist, without air conditioning, Lawrence Kansas will soon become uninhabitable in the summer.
17 August 2007
at 8:26 a.m.
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Tychoman (Anonymous) says…
Go back to Maine.
17 August 2007
at 8:27 a.m.
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TheYetiSpeaks (Anonymous) says…
“Lawrence Kansas will soon become uninhabitable in the summer.”
That will be right after the aliens attack.
17 August 2007
at 8:29 a.m.
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LogicMan (Anonymous) says…
“in any number of wind farms”, and A/C
Slight problem — there are relatively low sustained wind speeds in the summer, and thus not much potential for generating electricity during high A/C usage periods. Winter is another story, but then we mostly use natural gas for heating.
17 August 2007
at 9:17 a.m.
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Stew (Anonymous) says…
Americans claim to be so strong yet everytime they make a choice they cry about the consequences. If you chose to live were it is hot then accept the fact that it is hot and quit trying to make it cold. Americans are such a fragile bunch.
17 August 2007
at 9:49 a.m.
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imastinker (Anonymous) says…
stew - this is funny.
It's been hot in the summer as long as I can remember. If global warming really does happen, maybe I'll just buy a home in canada.
17 August 2007
at 9:54 a.m.
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lounger (Anonymous) says…
We have to demand change! The weststar execs want everyone to say “Not in my lifetime”. My Grandparents used something called a cooler back in the 50's - 90's. It used a fan and a pan of water. Ideal? No- but it cooled them off. They have since passed but it seems no one has the insight to look to the past as well as the future to solve problems. It would be one thing if only in august we used a.c. but look around during the rest of the warmer months and you will see people every where with windows rolled up in thier cars. It will not be one silver bullet that solves all of our energy needs. Wind, Solar, Biofuel and so on will help ease our energy emergency. Make no mistake about it its an emergency that we are ignoring. Future generations will wonder why we were wasteful and careless. The Weststar execs sure are happy!!!
17 August 2007
at 9:56 a.m.
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Ragingbear (Anonymous) says…
Not after the aliens attack. It would be right after a nuke hits KC and Topeka. We all know that. Go watch the movie. It's all in there. And something about oranges. I think it was some metaphor for something. Watch “The Day After” you will see what I mean.
17 August 2007
at 10:08 a.m.
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lounger (Anonymous) says…
“If global warming really does happen”
My God Imastinker wake up! Put your head in reality! Are you on the same planet as the rest of us? You simply cannot ignore scientific data that shows Global warming is here-NOW!!!!! What do you people need to have happen before you believe in global warming? Trees all around to burst into flames?????
17 August 2007
at 12:18 p.m.
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laughingatallofu (Anonymous) says…
NIMBY - Not in My BackYard.
everybody is for the environment, but NOBODY wants to do what is necessary that everybody do to preserve it. When somebody proposes an idea that will protect the environment for everybody, everybody jumps on somebody and finds an excuse not to do what everybody wants what somebody proposed to be done. somebody can do it, and everybody will support it, just as long as it's NIMBY. The net result is that NOBODY is doing what everybody wants somebody to be doing!
17 August 2007
at 12:35 p.m.
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lounger (Anonymous) says…
NIMBY—
Assumtion is a dirty word! How do you know NOBODY wants to do any thing about it? I know several people including yours truely who do plenty. So before you spout off again in your comfortable reasoning just consider the press doesnt form everybodys opinion!! It takes a little effort and alot to change hearts and minds so dont give up-our very lives depend on it!!
17 August 2007
at 1:09 p.m.
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Mkh (Anonymous) says…
Worst LTE of the week?
Probably.
First of all, unless George is over 70 years old it is certainly possible for alternative energy to come on-line in his lifetime. Alternative energy could provide enough power to air condition the entire country. But is that actually necessary? No.
What Mr. Lippencott cannot comprehend is that air conditioning is a trick of the 20th century. Humans thrived for thousands of years before air conditioning. How does he think people survived before the industrial coal and oil age? Well we used to design our buildings to adjust for the heat. Today we have lost that art of sensible building design, therefore we perceive that air conditioning is the ultimate necessity.
If we regain our urban design capabilities then we can build more efficiant buildings that require significantly less energy and could be easily powered by alternative energy such as wind, solar, and geothermal.
17 August 2007
at 1:46 p.m.
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TheYetiSpeaks (Anonymous) says…
lounger says:
“You simply cannot ignore scientific data that shows Global warming is here-NOW!!!!! ”
What scientific data might you be referring to? The data that says our minute warmup of the last 25 years is simply balancing off the cooling trend that took place between 1950 and 1980? Or maybe you speak of the cooling trend that happened for the 40 years immediately AFTER the start of the industrial revolution.
lounger then goes on to say:
“just consider the press doesnt form everybodys opinion!!”
Reeeaaaaally. Sounds to me like someone has been buying in to the press a little too much. Remember, just because it says “documentary”, does not make it fact. There's more fact in “Knocked Up” than in “An Inconvenient Truth.”
”
17 August 2007
at 2:34 p.m.
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LogicMan (Anonymous) says…
“Well we used to design our buildings to adjust for the heat. Today we have lost that art of sensible building design,”
Largely true. But we've also become much more productive, especially in the summer months, due to modern air conditioning. In the old days, local folks here would take off for the cool, dry mountains of Colorado … hmmm … doesn't sound too bad! But the boss might object.
Yes, we can make our buildings more energy efficient, but we will always (as long as it's possible) need our heating and AC.
17 August 2007
at 4:04 p.m.
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Mkh (Anonymous) says…
“Yes, we can make our buildings more energy efficient, but we will always (as long as it's possible) need our heating and AC.”
––––––––
I'll agree with that. But the point is if we make our buildings and homes more efficent we can cut our overall consumption of energy, and thus rely on alternative forms of energy rather than fossil fuels.
18 August 2007
at 7:52 a.m.
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merrill (Anonymous) says…
When the democrats took control of Congress in November, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pledged to start an energy revolution to combat global warming. Well, last week, the House passed an energy bill that fell short of revolutionary, but did manage to raise the flag and start the march.
So what's worse than Congress not doing enough? President Bush threatening to veto what little progress they've made.
What's Next?
We haven't lost hope yet, and neither should you. Earlier this year, the Senate passed a similar energy bill, containing cleaner car standards. Now, the House and the Senate will confer to create one overarching bill. We're hopeful that the bill coming out of conference will contain the strong provisions from both the Senate and House bill. If the bill that emerges from conference contains both the renewable electricity standard and the mandate for higher corporate average fuel economy, it will be the first real legislation enacted to begin tackling global warming.
Take Action >> If Congress won't start an energy revolution, it's up to YOU. Put Congress on the Hot Seat!
Con't
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/ho…
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/campaig…
It was stated on Science Friday that the money being spent on the Bush war to control oil could easily have put the USA on alternative energy sources such as wind,solar,refined hydropower etc etc. a year ago. Sooo Mr Lippincott you might want to check other sources of news before believing the coal fired industry. Western Kansas farmers could be making new income from Wind Generators which could produce energy for all of Kansas and be among the new grid that produces energy for the whole country.
All fossil fuel pollutes no matter the price. It's the oil companies that do not want new refineries
for how else would they make us believe that high gasoline prices are necessary? Higher gasoline prices would be best for the environment however I'm hard pressed to believe that is their objective…think maybe they love the biliions upon billions in profit. Radio news revealed that Exxon-Mobil pays about $20.00 per barrel of oil.
18 August 2007
at 1:29 p.m.
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merrill (Anonymous) says…
First from personal experience the Nuclear Regulatory Commission simply cannot be trusted.
Moreover:
we have a problem:
¢ More nuclear power means more disasters like Three
Mile Island and Chernobyl. Since 1986, the year of
the Chernobyl accident, there have been 200 near
nuclear accidents at 50 reactors in the U.S.
¢ Radioactive contamination could spread across
40,000 square miles in the event of an accident.
¢ Nuclear power is expensive. The first 75 reactors
in the U.S. cost $100 billion over budget and U.S.
tax dollars paid for much of it.
¢ Nuclear power provides the material and know-
how for nuclear weapons.
¢ There is still no safe way to take care of nuclear waste
which will remain dangerous for 240,000 years.
solution:
¢ No New Nukes! Shut down nuclear reactors and
phase out nuclear power.
¢ More renewable energy such as wind and solar
power. These options combined could meet 40
percent of America's energy needs.
¢ Increase energy efficiency and cut the massive
waste of electricity.
what you can do:
¢ Tell Congress, your governors and legislators that
you don't want nuclear power.
¢ Insist that nuclear subsidies are switched to
renewable energy.
“The idea that the atom is safe is just a
public relations trick.”
James Watson, Nobel Prize winner
and co-discoverer of the structure of the DNA molecule
================
The Dangers of Mercury
Mercury is a highly toxic chemical that can affect the central nervous system. Personal exposure to mercury, especially in the womb, can cause severe problems similar to those seen in other neurotoxins like lead: inability to focus and pay attention, delayed language development, impaired memory, vision and motor coordination, and problems processing information.
The largest emitter of mercury pollution is coal-fired power plants. It is possible to reduce mercury emissions from these plants by 90 percent right now, but the Bush administration is trying to stall the clean up for at least 10 years. More than 500,000 people have contacted the Bush administration asking that mercury standards be strengthened, NOT weakened.
================
Solutions to consider:
http://www.alternative-energy-news.in…
http://www.grist.org/news/muck/2006/0…
http://www.minesandcommunities.org/Ac…
http://laborstrategies.blogs.com/glob…
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/campaig…
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/campaig…