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Charlottesville: Going Green at the Wrong Time On December 17, 2007, Charlottesville's City Council adopted a resolution regarding energy conservation, purchase of alternative energy sources and other matters. The resolution was adopted primarily because of concerns about "climate change pollution" from use of non-renewable energy sources - petroleum products. There are two aspects to concern. One aspect involves use of fuels which result in release of carbon dioxide. The other aspect concerns the long-term viability of reliance upon oil products. I have no problem with the desire to use alternative sources of energy when they become scientifically and economically viable. I also have no problem with conservation. However, there are three major problems with the resolution. First, as the science behind man-made global warming from greenhouse gases receives greater scientific scrutivy, we are learning that most of the science is wrong. For a complete review of the problems with the science, visit junkscience.com. Some of the more glaring problems with the science are: (1) the models being used to predict radical climate change are wrong; (2) climate change and warming greater than we have experienced in the last several decades were present long before man ever started using fossil fuels; and (3) problems with the Artic ice cap are related to particulate matter, such as soot, and not "greenhouse gases." Second, some of the alternative energy sources currently being espoused, primarily for motor vehicles, have more problems than they solve. At this time, production of such sources use more non-renewable energy than standard motor fuels, costs more than production of standard motor fuels and create more problems than standard motor fuels. These concerns can be addressed by market forces. Having government force the issue prematurely is unnecessarily expensive and counter productive. Third, the resolution condemns further development of coal-fired electric generating plants and expansion of current nuclear electric generating plants. Nuclear technology is the one source currently available which does not produce any greenhouse gases. Thus, the resolution condemns the one most readily available energy source to address the main problem which supposedly concerns the Council. The fact that the all Democrat City Council is going in one direction based upon faulty information and science is not unusual. Democrats, in their great desire to control the lives of others, often support laws and regulations which are either questionable or have been proved to be wrong. There are two glaring examples of such support: continued efforts to have a government controlled national health care system and ever increasing regulation of capital markets. When will they ever learn?
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