There has been, of late, a loud public argument about electric cars, gas stoves, and other energy related issues. When the discussion is about gas stoves, someone inevitably brings up wood burning stoves. Electric cars are criticized over battery use, as is solar.
It is true that burning anything can cause problems. And that batteries are a weak point.
All forms of energy have issues.
Yes, wood burning, but also gas, coal, wind, nuclear energy, and anything else that is a form of burning.
And even the ones that don’t burn anything directly have limitations.
Some of these limitations are a direct result of the bloated human population. With 8 billion people, all the renewables we have at present in fact or potentially, are not enough to satisfy demand.
We need to burn something to stay warm in the cold winter and to cook. This has been true for many millennia.
But now we face a terrible conundrum.
We need energy but the kinds that will produce enough are also driving climate disruption and crisis.
And we are at a critical point with that. In the end, it won’t be the gas stoves or the wood stoves that push the climate collapse to the point of human die off. The big transnationals are the ones driving the catastrophe.
But control, to at least some extent, over our own personal energy use is a much lower hanging fruit than stopping the engines of global capitalism.
So we do what we can. And in this case, that would be researching all the available data and making an informed decision.
If the state steps in, we should have a conversation about how they reach these decisions as to which matters may be regulated and which may not. Including some currently untouchable crimes against nature.
This conversation should be taking place throughout society. But, sadly, about a quarter of our population have been brainwashed out of rational public debate. And another small but powerful group prefers the status quo and is busy suppressing all public conversation on these topics, or corrupting the discourse.
But, imagining that we could have an honest public global discussion on this topic, which will literally define our path to avoiding extinction in the next center two, what would need to be decided?
First, a parsing of want versus need. The limitations of current renewables is stated in terms of “demand”. But demand really expresses our wants and preferences, not our needs.
We all can agree that humans need heat in cold climates to survive winter. The question is, what should generate this heat? Can we generate enough without burning anything? If not, how far are we from a more efficient system?
But what about air conditioning? We survived one hundred thousand years without it. So, is it a want or preference? Based on history it would seem to be a want. But, conditions have changed as we have impacted the climate. There are now insufferable heat domes in hot climates and in summer. They too are killers.
And then there are gas cars and appliances. Are they electric alternatives better? What about the current truth about the fueling of the grid? If it relies on fossil fuels have we really achieved the desired outcome?
Once we are done with a global discussion and inventory of possible solutions, there is a clear next step: put the same or greater resources as we did into winning the world wars. But now put that effort into making BETTER energy tools to retain as much comfort as possible, including a better grid, more on-site renewables, and better cars, trains, and appliances such as heat sources, cooking tools, refrigeration, and air conditioning.
These better versions should then be implemented on a global scale. The people in places where they are at present still struggling with running water and proper sanitation should then be given the same level of comfort as the rich world. And the rich world will be compelled to take it down a notch.
This is an attempt to open a conversation if the type I describe above. Though the powerful and their ignorant minions would silence us, we must begin this process in earnest. Not the feeble attempts that have thus far never seriously challenged the status quo.
Energy Needs vs The Climate
very well stated. Thanks. Be amazing if the powers to be recognized - wait, they do recognize, just happy in their beyond lavish lifestyle. Sad.