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This incredible documentary is being shown on the Sundance channel this month. I recommend it highly.
It is about the people of West Virginia who are getting sick and dying from the effects of mountain top removal "coal mining." Entire tops of mountains are removed by blasting, the debris is pushed off the side of the mountain, poisoning streams and rivers, destroying wildlife, habitat and drinking water.
http://www.burningthefuture.com/
We are told that China is contributing to global warming by burning coal--what about this dirty secret: the USA burns coal to produce 52% of its electricity.
april
april
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April, Now all you have to do is bring this topic home to Hawaii....
Punaweb moderator
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
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Rob,
Big Island is on planet earth and, therefore, effected by pollution and emissions from burning coal which cause global warming and rising sea levels. Mercury poisoning which travels from freshwater fish and streams to the larger ocean fish we eat results from this undesirable method of extracting coal. I have never been to West Virginia, but it looks beautiful, contains huge forests which produce oxygen and provide carbon sinks which benefit the earth as a whole.
Hopefully, educating ourselves about where electricity comes from will stop these dreadful practices and save all the beautiful land that we love everywhere on earth. Most of all, we may have time to save ourselves no matter where we live.
april
april
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Here is a try,
It has always astounded me that so much of BI's electricity is from burning imported oil. The cost of electricity on BI is 4-5 times the cost on the mainland.
With all of the potential "alternative" energy resources available locally, why has there been so little developement of them.
The most obvious is geothermal power. I am told that there are many problems with toxic waste being produced. Anyone have more info on this? My belief is that there should be a big push to address these problems and make geothermal the electricity resource for the future of BI.
Other resources might be Tidal, wind, biofuel, etc.
There is no answer to the oil shortage/price issue. Humans are burning it up as fast as we can, sending our youth to kill and die for it. In 10 years it will be $10/ gallon. Then 20.
Let's get some forward thinking folks out front for us here on BI with local business investing in technologies that take advantage of renewables that are local.
My monthly soapbox, Dan
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Good ideas, Dan. Another resource is methane from garbage.
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But the greatest resource is the sun. Hawaii is important because it is small.....and if the state can get it together to stop importing oil (or reduce oil imports by 70%), then it can be a model for the nation.
The lassitude, which is so delicious, gets in the way sometimes.
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quote:
Originally posted by DanielP...With all of the potential "alternative" energy resources available locally, why has there been so little developement of them.
The most obvious is geothermal power...
One more time I ask - why is geothermal popular in California with the Sierra Club, etc and here where it would really do some good, people like the Sierra Club etc are against it?
It makes no sense to me. But then I am paying literally paying $80 more this month for elec as the same usage exactly last may.
We did bring our usuage down from a high KWH hour over winter -- and we had more people here -- and I feel like I took two steps back and only one step forward. Changed to CFL's, gas dryer, more BBQ, etc... What do I have to do? Send my nephew back home?
quote:
Originally posted by Kapohocat
One more time I ask - why is geothermal popular in California with the Sierra Club, etc and here where it would really do some good, people like the Sierra Club etc are against it?
Wao Kele O Puna rainforest in Hawaii.
Nothing like that in Cali maybe[  ]
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Moved
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Some of it is a NIMBY syndrome, much of it is a very real technical problem. The steam here (as opposed to say Iceland) is very "dirty" and has a high level of SO2. SO2 is quite dangerous and in large doses can be fatal. It has a rotten egg smell. Sensors and a warning system are set up. Oil refineries also have this problem. Puna Geothermal has to clean the steam and get the SO2 back underground before using it.
Wind generators work without the SO2 hazard but again face the NIMBY problem. And they can be hazardous to some birds (newer, slower moving turbines are safer for birds.)
I think there is a new law requires that beginning in 2010 (2012?) all new construction must have solar hot water.
Why not one that requires that all new construction also include solar power? With subsidies and tax breaks to make it more affordable. Why not let people become mini-producers, selling power back to HELCO? Currently you can run your bill to zero but if you produce more than you use you can't make money.
The solutions are there but inertia and political interests are working overtime to block real solutions.
Finally, consider this: you often here that changes that impact our "standard of living" are not to be allowed. Yet if everyone on the planet lived like we do in the United States it would require 8 planets. Clearly something has to give.
Jerry
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Damon,
Would you care to esplain yourself further?
Jerry,
Yes I agree the NIMBY is an issue, but as oil prices continue to rise and I have no doubt that they will, MBY starts looking a little different. I am not suggesting that we sacrifice our environment. I am suggesting that we gear up the efforts to mitigate the SO2 and other negative impacts that these alternative sources of energy create.
Do we factor in the existing negative impacts of burning oil to ship in the oil that we are now burning, into the equation? (weird sentence?). When will dealing with the SO2 become "cheaper" than the burning of the oil? BTW Geothermal= No greenhouse gasses!
Every square inch of Hawaii is unique and precious. For that matter so with the entire planet. Is the SO2 issue our, or the Sierra Club's, excuse not to get with a real, viable, sustainable energy source? Solar is good and wind will help, but we are hungrier than that.
Just seems to me that it should be doable. Perhaps when oil hits $10 or $20 minds will change.
Aloha to you all, Dan
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