Becca Vargo Daggett says, in part, regarding my earlier take on the future of energy conservation and a change in our energy paradigm from one of dependence on non-renewable fuels to one based on significant renewable supplies and related infrastructure requirements...
> Not really my idea of the words of a visionary leader. > Some may see this as candidate bashing. But I hope we're trying to > elect people who not only understand economic concepts but also have a > plan to use them to make things better My statements are based on my experience over the past 30+ years; experience that includes working in the areas of energy conservation and the commercialization of renewable energy and ancillary conversion technologies; working within the conventional energy field; the financial services industry, and business consulting. I've lobbied county commissioners, state legislators and members of Congress regarding energy conservation and renewable fuels/technologies. In the '70's, speaking with mortgage lenders, I argued that energy-efficient homes deserved special mortgage consideration due to the extra disposable income available from energy savings-- they could afford a larger mortgage! I was a member of the Environmental Advisory Committee to the US Dept. of Energy when President Reagan dismantled it (the committee). I've worked with new technology innovators, lenders, investors, utilities, farmers, energy consumers, energy producers, energy-intensive industry reps, and energy regulators at the state and national level. Over thirty years ago, I was recycling used printing plates to construct flat-plate solar collectors for space heating (before I got into selective surfaces and black body theory); and we invited reporters to our house to watch us grill food on a concentrating collector in the back yard. Thirty years ago I was rebuilding 10KW Jacobs wind-electric generators on a farm in Michigan; last year I toured a private farm in SE Minnesota with mega-watt scale wind-turbines that cost a million dollars apiece-- that's progress. But what percent of our electricity in the US is produced with wind energy-- now or thirty years ago? I've produced methane gas from agricultural waste, using the gas for energy and the effluent stream for fertilizer. There are probably a few dozen relatively large commercial systems operational on US farms today and some municipal/industrial treatment systems, but the energy produced is relatively insignificant in the larger scheme of things. Granted, there are many things that can be done to reduce our dependence on imported petroleum-- some smart things, some dumb things. Improving mileage efficiency standards is smart, some schemes to produce renewable liquid fuels less smart. There is tremendous opportunity to achieve energy savings and a degree of local independence via decentralized, co-generation projects that serve multiple end-uses/users, while adding diversity to avoid conventional grid bottlenecks. Land use planning, local codes and ordinances, building design standards can all play important rolls in improving our energy consumption patterns and our quality of life. Reducing greenhouse gasses is important, but that doesn't necessarily mean we need more nukes-- although there are those selling that scenario. Just because the government says we need subsidies to make this happen or some entrepreneur lays out a plan to make us less dependent on imported oil or N. Dakota coal, doesn't mean it's a good plan per se. There's a myriad of technical and economic variables to be considered. Private investors can decide to build a wind farm and assume risk in anticipation of good results. However, when elected leaders decide to spend public tax dollars on one project vs. another, there had better be some good analysis done on the front end to assure taxpayers that the investment is sound. That's what vision and leadership are all about in the public sector. Making sound investments rather than contributing to pie-in-the-sky, feel-good boondoggles should be of key importance to voters and taxpayers. And, I'll put my credentials and experience in these areas up against any other candidate running for local office in Minneapolis. Mike Hohmann Linden Hills independent candidate 13th Ward City Council no party affiliation; no special interest endorsements I'll work for the voters and taxpayers, not special interests www.mikeforcitycouncil.org [EMAIL PROTECTED] snip [MH] > > ...Not until > > the external costs are internalized and they become totally unbearable > > for > > the citizenry; when the industrial economies stagnate and the reasons > > are > > clearly evident. That's the reality! Until we see serious, sustained > > economic dislocations throughout the industrialized economy > > (domestically > > and internationally), until we are forced to change, we will not > > change. We > > have met the enemy! > > > > Mike Hohmann > > independent candidate 13th Ward City Council > > > Change will only happen if we let things become totally unbearable for > everyone in the industrialized world. > Not really my idea of the words of a visionary leader. > Some may see this as candidate bashing. But I hope we're trying to > elect people who not only understand economic concepts but also have a > plan to use them to make things better in our little part of the world. > > Becca Vargo Daggett > Seward REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 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