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October 21, 2007
Coal is killing our best efforts...
I have to admit I'm completely disgusted with the power generation industry. Coal-fired plants emit enough carbon dioxide every year to completely negate the good efforts put in by government, individuals and corporations (See Architecture 2030 for more information) for some statistics that will really knock you on your butt).
Why am I disgusted? Because I recently had call to look at some information provided by the Energy Information Administration and realized that if the industry had invested in renewable energy over the last 30 years in the way they've invested in coal, we'd be looking at a very different planet right now.
You might say "we didn't know then what we know now". And yes, that's true. But I'm still disgusted, after having passed a series of billboards last week sponsored by a Pennsylvania "coal for families" initiative proclaiming coal to be a green fuel source and pushing that we continue to invest in an archaic and dangerous fuel source. I say BOO HISS to an industry that's trying to greenwash itself in such a flagrant manner.
Why am I ranting about coal in a blog on green building? Because 75% of electricity generated in this country fuels our homes and increasingly more of that electricity comes from coal-fired plants.
How do you feel about coal as a fuel source? Greenwashing? Should our government and private industry continue to invest in constructing sources of power that significantly impact our environment?
Posted by Stacy Hunt at October 21, 2007 2:20 PM
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Comments
I just read your statement regarding coal and was wondering what you would propose. I know conservation, solar, wind , etc. But for the masses what would you propose. I am a retired person who over the past 30 years building and remodeling my home have made it I think very energy efficient with passive solar, twice the insulation value in walls, ceiling and floors than standard, sealed cracks, installed a geothermal heating and cooling system and converted all of my lights to CFB's.
Would like to hear from you.
Mike
*** Mike, it sounds like you've done a lot on the right path to conserving energy in your home... which is certainly the first step before renewables. If you want to see if there's anything left you can do on the conservation end, I'd suggest you talk to a HERS rater who can do an energy audit on your home. You can find one at :
http://www.natresnet.org.
In the renewables area, beyond "solar, wind, etc." I'd suggest you look into "purchasing green power". The Department of Energy has good information here:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/buying/index.shtml.
Or, you can consider buying Renewable Energy Certificates if green power's not available in your area:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/markets/certificates.shtml?page=0.
Hope that helps! - Stacy
Posted by: Mike Armstrong at October 24, 2007 12:59 AM
First kill all of the termites.
There is anecdotal evidence that termites produce 10 times the amount of greenhouse gasses than all of mankind.
There's just one problem with that, we will be up to our necks in dead wood. We could burn it for fuel but then that would release the greenhouse gases.
At the following link about half way down the page under the heading Ecology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Termite
You'll find this statement
Globally termites are found roughly between 50 degrees North & South, with the greatest biomass in the tropics and the greatest diversity in tropical forests and Mediterranean shrub lands. Termites are also considered to be a major source of atmospheric methane, one of the prime greenhouse gases. Termites have been common since at least the Cretaceous period.
Termite inspectors have been using methane gas detectors for years to prove that a suspected termite colony is active. When you consider that there are between 3 and 5 termite colonies per acre where there is food available between 50 degrees North and South, that's a lot of termites. I'd be comfortable saying trillions.
By the way they also produce hydrogen and work is being done to learn how and to produce possible viable fuel sources from the research.
Again all anecdotal but a real source of greenhouse gas that should not be overlooked.
Bruce Thomas
PS you can't turn civilization on a dime. In the 70's we were going to have another ice age, now we are going to burn. Goal will be with us well into 2100.
Posted by: Bruce Thomas at October 24, 2007 9:27 AM
