Saturday, April 29, 2006
More thoughts on cooperation
I've been thinking about my earlier posting about the Gasoline boycott Chainletter and you know, it's sort of funny but my recommendations have a lot of other things going for them besides saving gas. There would be a dramatic increase in personal connectedness in our society. People would have to learn some of the arts of tolerance, forbearance and social grace that have been gradually declining for the last 25 years or so. People would be safer (traveling in groups often has that affect) Both creativity and technology would be given a big boost. The division of opinion and an individual's sense of isolation would be decreased. Don't get me wrong, I'd love 50 cent a gallon gas, but if we can't have that maybe there is a silver lining to a little bit of creative social adaptation.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
How did I miss that original post? Anyway, you're totally right about how easy it could be to reduce our use. I remember in elementary school during the 1970s 'Energy Crisis' being taught simple things like turning off lights when leaving the room, etc. We've converted a lot of our lights to those compact flourescent bulbs. I don't know if it has made much difference, but it's an effort. I do drive a big SUV, but it's necessary with 3 kids and we more often than not have extra kids with us carpooling to practices, etc. My Corvette is my 'ecomony' car. That sounds funny, but it averages 24 mpg and is the car I drive if I'm going somewhere by myself.
I'm going to repeat something I said at CIP's. I think wealthy environmentalists should put their money where their mouths are. They should invest in building alternatives instead of adding more hot CO2 to the environment with their constant hollering.
I don't think ethanol is the answer as GM is promoting. I really like biodiesel, or even pure vegetable oil without the diesel fuel added. It's a viable solution if someone would produce the vehicles and fuel and market it as GM is marketing their 'flexfuel'.
funny word verification=badqcoki
And right now biodiesel is just made from regular soy beans or canola. No one has even tried their hand at genengineering those for better fuel production. Another stupid fall-out from the liberal persecution of GMOs. Now don't get me wrong, I don't want to eat no three eyed frankenfish but there's a lot of good genetic engineering that got flushed along with the baby on this one (think about it...)
One of the dumbest arguments I've heard is from several academicians who came out saying that it would take more oil to grow biodiesel than you would get out of the process. Oh my god! There is no way that could be true, I am absolutely sure that you'll get more than 1 gallon of diesel from an acre of soybeans and there is no way on earth it takes 1 gallon to raise an acre of soybeans. I've been a farmer for 18 years and that fact has never changed.
And again, that's without modifying the organism to produce substantially less triglycerides and substantially more hydrocarbons which could be rather easily done (If I had the time I'd do it myself and I still might...)
Post a Comment