IS GOING GREEN GOOD?

The Costs of Massive Conversion

The current mantra is we all must “go green” immediately or the planet is doomed.  There’s a lot of controversy in the scientific community, which the media doesn’t want to cover, but ignoring that, is going green actually a good idea?  What would happen if the planet relied on 100% green energy?  It’s a question few have asked, but as you’ll see, it’s a vital one.

Stephen Moore, economics expert, delved into this question in a recent issue of the Washington Examiner.  The answers may surprise you.

Is “Green” Good for the Environment?

The World Bank did a study that showed that 100% solar, wind and electric battery energy reliance would be as destructive to the planet as fossil fuels.  Foreign Policy magazine also covered the issue.  But how could this be?  We’re constantly told of how wonderful these power sources are.  It turns out that to do this, it takes an enormous amount of energy.  But the really scary part is the amount of minerals and metals that need to be extracted to make any of this work.  As we all know, extraction of these causes environmental damage and also impacts people, as the land is destroyed and someone has to do the work.  Environmentalists hate mines, so…

The estimates show that it would take:

-      34 million metric tons of copper

-      40 million tons of lead

-      50 million tons of zinc

-      162 million tons of aluminum

-      4.8 billion tons of iron

None of this stuff degrades cleanly so instead of small amounts of nuclear waste storage, we will have approximately 100 times as much pollution from these items.

You need a lot of land for windmills and solar farms.  Given the huge populations, that means setting them up on open spaces and national parks, another no-no from the environmentalists.

Is it Even Possible?

Most of these kinds of batteries require rare earth elements.  Most of these come from China, but Africa also has its share.  China has been using its Belt and Road policies to tie up these resources.  To commit to “greenness,” we may have to “submit” to China and the CCP.  It’s not even clear they have enough for a worldwide demand.

Is it Popular?

In theory, people like the idea of “saving the planet”, but they don’t want to be too inconvenienced by it.  Most particularly don’t want the installations anywhere near them. Protests, even in very Blue communities, are rife against the building of wind farms and solar projects.  Nature lovers are beginning to see how these technologies will encroach on the oceans and land they love. 

What Should We Do?

Largely unnoticed by environmentalists is the huge reduction in greenhouse gases many nations, including ours, have accomplished over the recent years.  More efficient processes, natural gas and more are making the air cleaner for all and helping the planet survive, assuming you are concerned about the threat.  At the same time, China is doubling down on coal, adding to the significant pollution in their air.  We all saw what they dubbed “fog and clouds” during their Olympics forays, but few were fooled.

Germany and other parts of Europe are reconsidering their failing strategies, as power outages increase, costs increase and the environmental risks mentioned here start showing up.  They like natural gas – cheap and clean – and they’re also building nuclear power plants.  Some great new technologies allow not only smaller, more efficient power plants, but also some that can use spent nuclear waste. 

Good answers are out there.  People are endlessly creative and we need to continue to look to the private sector for these inventions. Governments don’t invent anything.  But right now, they tend to pass laws that will destroy us in the end.  Some Greens love the idea of a depopulated planet.  Do you

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