On Sun, 28 Apr 2002, Sam Ewalt wrote: > On Sun, 28 Apr 2002 01:21:43 -0400 (EDT), Steve <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
PS. All questions which follow are purely rhetorical. Answer them if you wish, but know in advance that no answers are actually expected. ;-) > The developed world is burning > through oil and coal at an alarming rate to little constructive > purpose. Hmmm... alarming to whom? Certainly not the oil companies! Certainly not to me. And who's to say that the energy burned running Sam's computer is "to little constructive purpose?" ;-) (Note: lack of alarm does not equal to support.) > Of course we're zipping over the landscape in our over- > powered vehicles and having a great time in the process! Zooming > around is great fun and I like to do it myself. So *you're* the one endangering our oil supplies! Sam, you have no right to zoom and have fun! ;-) > I don't know how much fossil fuel we have left, The best scientists in the world told us in 1969 that all known oil reserves would be gone by 1979, and further, that whatever new reserves would be discovered in the future couldn't possibly last even until 1989. So much for scientists and prognostication. When the oil actually does run out, they'll have to resort to the good 'ol Henry Ford method. He grew hemp, and managed from that to derive fibrous material and celluolose, from which he created reinforced plastics to build auto bodies (comparable to fiberglass), but even more importantly, he managed to squeeze 1000 gals. of methanol from each acre of hemp he grew. His early production engines all ran dual-fuel, both petroleum and methanol. As you may know, methanol is much cleaner burning than petro, and at a much higher octane as well... Hemp is cheaper to produce, requiring less fertilizer than the "other alcohol," corn, though on the downside, both alcohols contain somewhat less energy per gallon than oil. No, Chickens Little, the sky is not falling. When the age of black gold ends, the age of green gold will blossom to take its place. > but we sure do > burn a lot of it. That might even be a good thing. I don't know. > How much do we have at the current burn rate? A hundred years? A > thousand? Negative 13... according to the best scientists of 1969. Therefore we shall be completely and totally without oil come the year 1989. Indeed, what a dark and gloomy, catastrophic day that shall be. > It's also quite possible that human activities are accelerating the > cycle. Sure. Anything's possible... and in this case, even probable. Should that be cause for alarm? Wolf! Wolf! Since 9-11, the "authorities" have told us on many occasions, that we were on "the highest level of alert." Since 1929, the United States has been under a continuous declared State of Emergency. (except I did find a spot in history where that "State of Emergency" lapsed for two days. Oops, big oversight there) Where's the emergency? What are we supposed to be on high alert *for*? The Prince (Machiavelli). 1984 (Orwell). DoubleSpeak (). > According to news reports, it was uncommonly warm this > year in Anartica, with summer temperatures over 32 degress Farenheit, > resulting in widespread melting. <tongue-cheek> Cool! If it all melts, they may find Atlantis yet! ;-) Not to mention we could use the clean fresh water. </tongue> > Is that the result of our profligate > lifestyle? Maybe, maybe not. > > It would be prudent to consider the possibility. Really? Suppose I suspend all reason, logic, and experience, and somehow manage to convince myself there is some reason to be alarmed. Now what? Should I build an ark for when the second flood comes? Should I stockpile food and ammunition against the hungry marauders which will surely come once the average world temperature rises a full degree? Should I watch the Mad Max movies over and over, and build myself an oil refinery so I can fuel my desert- mobile over the desolate landscape which will surely result? No? Then what? As an individual, what actions should I take to forestall the great global warming? Failing in my assigned task to turn back such warming, then what do I, as an individual, do to prepare for it? In advocating that I be "prudent" and at least consider the possibility of global warming, what practical measures do you suggest I take? Here's my plan. Don't worry about the whole world. Worry about my back yard. Improve things not through grand schemes with supposed wide-ranging global benefit. Rather improve the environment defined by the radius of a few meters around where ever I happen to be at the moment. A simple smile, a helping hand, and an encouraging word - a generally positive attitude - are infectious enough to improve my environment more than any market decisions I might make. A piece of retrieved litter, a bird feeder, and a compost pile do more for my sunsets than any petition I might initiate to ask India or China adhere to the same air quality standards of the United States. When everyone takes care of his own little corner, the big picture works itself out. - Steve (thinking how odd that this all resulted from an innocent comment about the weather we're having this year)
