Renewable Revolution

Painting with a Broad Brush

The core responsibility assigned to governments in democracies is the public welfare, protecting the human birthright to basic needs: clean air, water, land, and a place to live, under equitable rules of access to all common property resources.

It is astonishing to discover that major political efforts in democracies can be turned to undermining the core purpose of government, destroying the factual basis for fair and effective protection of essential common property resources of all to feed the financial interests of a few. These efforts, limiting scientific research on environment, denying the validity of settled facts and natural laws, are a shameful dance, far below acceptable or reputable political behavior.

It can be treated not as a reasoned alternative, but scorned for what it is – simple thievery. —George M. Woodwell, WHRC founder

Can We Afford Not to Address Climate Change?
Dr. Philip B. Duffy
President & Executive Director
Woods Hole Research Center


SNIPPET:

Opponents of environmental protection argue that we ‘can’t afford’ to safeguard our health and that of the planet we live and depend on. The latest example  involves the EPA’s proposed regulation of existing coal-fired power plants, which a member of Congress (from a coal producing state) recently claimed would result in “electricity rate increases, reduced electrical reliability and other harmful effects.”

It seems so logical that regulation would increase costs that few people question the idea. But history shows that it’s often not true. For one thing, it’s wrong to focus narrowly on the purchase price of automobiles, electricity, or whatever is being regulated.

Pollution has real costs in terms of damage to the environment and to human health. (Because of this, polluting is a way of shifting costs onto others). For example, the Clean Air coalition estimated that fine particle pollution from existing coal plants caused nearly 13,200 deaths in 2010, plus 9,700 hospitalizations and more than 20,000 heart attacks, with a total monetized value for these adverse health impacts exceeding $100 billion per year . (I should add that these numbers used to be much higher but have been reduced by successful regulation of coal plants.)

But even if we focus exclusively on purchase prices, regulation can have surprisingly positive impacts.  Refrigerators provide an interesting example.

Excellent Article in the Woods Hole Research Center Newsletter revealing the thievery, duplicity and mendacity of the dirty energy producers and their political lackeys at link below: 

http://whrc.org/news/newsletter/pdf/WHRC_Newsletter_May2015.pdf