Environmental Misinformation
Recently, there's been a huge turf war here in BC in regards to the Kinder Morgan pipeline that they want to put through BC to fill oil tankers to ship to China to be refined then back to us.Firstly, I have no idea why we don't build our own refineries and employ people in our own country, other than they can get it done cheaper overseas without the environmental impact. Secondly, it's bizarre to think that we're going to stop using oil when we use it for absolutely everything, including to run the factories to make those environmentally friendly products.
What do people think is going to take the place of heating homes? I've had electric furnaces, and my bills have been absolutely horrendous in the winter, trying to keep a place warm, and that includes my recent condo. I'm now in a house with natural gas heating, and both my heat and electric bills are minimal. I absolutely, unequivocally have no desire to go back to electric heat.
Also, the way people talk about electricity taking over for gas, how is that going to happen when there's already a drain on the amount of electric power used, and people don't want any more hydro-electric dams put in place to feed the growing demand and population?
Electric cars are a fantastic idea, provided you don't have to travel any great distances, or through mountain passes, or in the winter. Everyone knows that cold drains batteries, so how is that going to work when you're stuck on the Coquihalla Highway in winter due to an accident, and the cold drains your battery? Or you can't make it through the passes because your car doesn't have enough juice to make the whole trip. Or you have to overnight somewhere, an added expense to make it to a destination that you previously made in one day.
I'm all for finding alternative means of energy, but so far, nothing is as reasonable as natural gas for heating homes. I have zero intention of ever having to use electricity again to heat my house. Until electric cars have the 'guts' and staying power that my current gas engine has, I'll stick with my gas engine. Anyone that thinks the current rechargers for cars are going to remain free is living in lala land. We don't fill our tanks for free, or heat our homes for free, and the hydro companies are not going to continue to provide free charges for your car indefinitely. There will be a fee to recharge your car sooner or later, and my guess will be sooner.
When, and if, in my lifetime, that alternative energy is as efficient as what I enjoy currently, then I'll gladly change. Electricity isn't it. So at this time, put the damn pipeline in, because absolutely everything we do, eat, and wear, relies on oil either in the manufacture of it, or in getting it to us.
All these protesters that are protesting the pipeline. I wonder how they travelled? Where and how their clothes and shoes were made and of what? What heats their homes? How their groceries got to them? How their groceries were manufactured?
Yup, I could go on. But you get the point.
Comments (18)
I do understand, Electricity is extremely expensive. We use natural Gas here, which we get from Scotland, North Sea, but in time, that will run out too at the way we are using it.
I agree with you regarding refineries, and why not employ people in your own country. It seems like false economy. However, I think we all need to sit down and find ways to heat our homes, run cars, and machinery with a sustainable fuel.
Many people here use wood burning stoves, the expensive ones are extremely effective and use very little wood, they heat the radiators and give you hot water.
I don't have all the answers though. I do know Oil and Gold have been at the core of many a war.
Believe me, the environmentalists have something to say about any alternative source of energy we use. I'm all for finding alternative means of energy, but in the meantime, we rely on oil, and so far, we've got it. So put the pipeline in, and keep working on alternative means for energy that won't cost the average person their entire paycheck. :)
In relation to the Wood burning stoves. When one tree is cut down the suppliers grow more, so it is sustainable, also there are other forms of wood made to be very compacted, hence they last longer in the stove and there is not as much Smoke.
I guess, with so many people on the planet it is getting more difficult, Solar really is not the answer in cold climates.
We ve had some protests out west here awhile back, concerning pipelines. And after all the yips, and yaps, the protesters jumped into their trucks and drove off, never to be heard from again. Notice I said the protesters drove off, ???? , I never said they returned to their jobs, because most of them don t work.
I don t think the protesters should be hauled away, I think their carbon emitting vehicles should be towed away, lets make it an environmental friendly protest,
We ve had some protests out west here awhile back, concerning pipelines. And after all the yips, and yaps, the protesters jumped into their trucks and drove off, never to be heard from again. Notice I said the protesters drove off, ???? , I never said they returned to their jobs, because most of them don t work.
I don t think the protesters should be hauled away, I think their carbon emitting vehicles should be towed away, lets make it an environmental friendly protest,
Hello 1to1to1! wave from BC.
BC has the highest gas prices in the country, and why is that, when we have one refinery right here? Yeah, I'd like to see how they'll get to their protests when gas is so expensive they can't afford to drive across town.
Yes, I noted that the protesters drove off in their trucks. Well, I wouldn't say they don't work - they work for the companies that hire them to protest. David Suzuki is the biggest environmental hypocrite ever, as he drives across Canada in his massive, diesel engine, gas guzzling motor home. I have zero respect for these people that play the environmental card while ensuring their own personal comforts are assured, without any consideration to the environment.
If these people want to protest oil, why are they not arriving at these protests via horseback or pack mule, wearing local hand-made shoes and clothing woven from local sheep's wool? Why aren't they busy growing hemp to actually do something positive towards their environmental beliefs? Why aren't THEY finding alternatives, instead of relying on everyone else?
Because they're not all THAT interested. They buy the bs the environmental industry (yes, it's an industry) wants to push, without giving any thought or consideration to how other means can be implemented. And, like I said, get hired by these environmental companies to protest the pipeline.
I agree, impound their vehicles and see how fast their protests become protesting that their mode of transport is gone. Unless, as I said, they show up on the back of a horse, I don't buy their outrage one single bit.
Anyhow Ireland is not only rainy and cold with lots of wind, but it is a damp country, so Solar panels are not really effective. As you rightly say, those turbines are fine, unless you have to live near them,the incessant whine would give you tinnitus.
Water should/could be utilised , where there is a will....
Water should/could be utilised , where there is a will....
Ireland sounds very similar to where I live in BC, except we don't get that much wind. Definitely damp though, so yes, solar panels aren't ideal. Natural gas isn't expensive here, at least not yet, so I'm good with it.
The ocean waves seem like a great recurring natural energy source, but as mentioned before, I don't know all the details of how expensive it would be to install.
Yes, it's amazing how hypocritical people are, and how they think they are fooling everyone else by telling everyone else how they should be living. When these environmentalists walk the walk, I might have some respect for them.
However, I'll respond to a couple of points.
"What do people think is going to take the place of heating homes?" I wonder why you failed to mention solar and geothermal energy. I've got solar panels on my roof. My energy bills have gone down and property value gone up as a result.
"people don't want any more hydro-electric dams" What people? Moreover, hydroelectric dams are not the only source of hydroelectric energy. There's also the tides.
If you think electric power is expensive, weigh it against life on this planet. We are in the midst of the greatest mass extinction since the dinosaurs, yet the powers-that-be are placing greater importance on oil profits than on the well-being of the only planet in the universe we know to be capable of sustaining life. Unlike what caused the disappearance of the dinosaurs, it's not the result of a natural event or a series of natural events. It's because of what humans are doing to this planet. You could do your part, but it seems you'd rather not be inconvenienced.
Agreed.
It's grim as hell.
It's also the best thing on the table at this juncture.
Note that none of our options are 'options' in the sense that there's anything we can do to opt into or out of ANY of 'em.
We're all just along for the ride.
Like the kid at the back of the toboggan.
WHEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
I liked this question so much that I send it on to John Horgan of BC and Justin Trudeau.
Will let you know what their answer is as the bc gov. promised already they would answer
As far as alternative means, I already mentioned that solar and wind are not viable options here, and yes, I did mention tides.
We're all just along for the ride.
Like the kid at the back of the toboggan.
WHEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
Noted. Mother Earth will be fine - humans not so much. I said way back in the 80's that environmentalism would be the next biggest industry, and it is. Everyone's drinking the Kool-aid.
Will let you know what their answer is as the bc gov. promised already they would answer
I'm not counting on much of an answer - just a lot of bs, as usual. Like I said, they don't want Site C dam and they don't want the pipeline, so how do these stupid people think that the infrastructure's going to continue to service the increasing population when they are already draining the resources?
I hope these gd protestors all live in huts made of deadfall and wear shoes and clothing that's never been manufactured and rely on fires for heat. Because if they use even one thing that requires oil, they're hypocrites, and I have zero respect for them. Horgan being one of the biggest ones.
And why was this necessary? You have no idea what I do, but have made a snide remark for what? To make me feel guilty? To make yourself feel superior? Well you failed. I don't feel guilty in the least. Environmentalism is a cult, plain and simple.
What scares me is the oil tankers, as the way they have to travel to China is not an easy one
Also there will be a lot of tankers going and coming back.
What is the solutiion? Really I don't know........................
I do not want an oil spill in our waters either, but what the environmentalists aren't telling you is that the oil is coming through here one way or another. If it's not a pipeline, it'll be by train and/or truck and those tankers are going to be filled regardless.
So stopping the pipeline will not stop the tankers. Tankers traverse our coast every single day, up to Alaska. We've had few mishaps since the implementation of double hulls. Our federal government has agreed to fill the tankers with oil to be refined in China. Stopping the pipeline is not going to negate that agreement.
The environmentalists don't want a refinery here, due to the pollution, so don't kid yourself, about refining it here. Part of that is due to the cost of labour here. They don't want a pipeline because of what 'might' happen, they don't want Site C dam, but they have no problem in utilizing every service that requires energy.