tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post8008654343248749827..comments2023-10-08T04:12:46.273-05:00Comments on The Political Environment: About Energy Independence, And InterdependenceJames Rowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10203270946492159686noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post-10086311702552217582008-06-24T16:41:00.000-05:002008-06-24T16:41:00.000-05:00Provocative perhaps in the sense of addressing the...Provocative perhaps in the sense of addressing the dodgy subject of energy. But after reading, I'm left thinking it is a good summary of the quandary but ultimately is status quo. "We'll be dependent on fossil fuels for a long time" isn't exactly a big motivator to do otherwise.<BR/><BR/>It almost espouses globalization. I think that no matter what business one is in, moving goods less distances is usually preferred. Independence is usually pretty good. Concentrated sources of energy are a political nightmare. (And the argument has nothing to do with ethnicity.)<BR/><BR/>How about:<BR/><BR/>* Plastic isn't the best "recyclable" material. How about re-using the containers? Couldn't we standardize containers so that not every bottle of lotion needs to have a pop-up cap or a plunger dispenser? Just remove the seal and place in a standard dispenser (which could be bought at any store) or cap from the previous or similar product.<BR/><BR/>* Bicycle. The super battery is probably a long way off and likely a violation of thermodynamic principles regarding work/heat/energy. The bicycle is here today and if we build an infrastructure for it, it will be here for a long time to come.<BR/><BR/>* Ethanol for farming use only. In some instances, energy density and cleanliness win out. Can a super battery possibly pack as much energy as a tank of ethanol? (I don't know, but that is what research is for.) Is a battery recharged by wind turbines? Everything in the whole process has to be considered as far as its impact.<BR/><BR/>* After reading this blog, we all know about mixed land use, or lack thereof.<BR/><BR/>As with politicians, identifying the problem is easy. Coming up with viable solutions is something different.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com