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View Poll Results: How do you power your reef? | |||
wind power | 2 | 13.33% | |
solar power | 1 | 6.67% | |
peddle real fast on a stationary bike | 5 | 33.33% | |
buy carbon credits | 7 | 46.67% | |
Voters: 15. You may not vote on this poll |
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#26
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Current Livestock: mated pair False Percs mated pair Banggai Cardinals Longnose Hawkfish Magnificent Rabbitfish Diamond Goby Blond Naso Tang Bluechin Trigger I got the poo on me. |
#27
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There is also a guy in Aus that has invented a smaller turbine 1-5m diameters that are also very quite and efficient. But then trying to wade through the red tape of zoning laws is always hard if they see the word turbine. Edit: found the silent turbine: http://www.hushenergy.com.au/ |
#28
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My preferred lighting for my reef tanks (plural) are metal halides. I like the ripples among other things.
I drive an F250 crewcab not because I need to, just because I like it. Most of my home lighting is flourescent. Not because I think I'm saving the planet but because it saves me money. In 3 years I will be installing a new roof on my home along with solar panels. Not because I think I'm going to save the planet but because it will save me money. I'm going to look into a windmill as well since I'm in 7 acres and on top of a hill. For the same reason. I'm not under the illusion that those things will affect the global climate one way or another. I am not under the illusion that it is possible to be carbon neutral and still be breathing. Although when I get home I think I might kill my 130lb wolfhound puppy since he pumps alot of CO2 into the atmosphere...and because my wife just called and told me that he ate our coffee table. A better topic might a realistic discussion of how much of an impact these small things can actually have. Apparently none of you will discuss that. It's a tough topic with no easy answers and so much easier to just stick with the talking points of whatever side of the fence your on, so I understand. As far as having lots of wind farms, I think a whole bunch of birds are hoping we don't go that route. If we do and if it solves global warming then at least the environmentalists will have new cause to rally behind. |
#29
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I feel for you with your puppy. Mine is a 6mnth old Lab and she delights in destroying things while we are not home. I would hate to think what a puppy around three times her size could do. Re the birds. No need to worry about that. Wind farm deaths are the most researched cause of bird deaths in the world. Communication towers, cats and the windows of large buildings cause many more deaths than wind farms could do. The last estimates I saw in the US have estimated 100 million bird deaths a year to domestic cats compared to 5000 - 10000 deaths from turbines. The Exxon Valdez alone killed an estimated 500000 bird deaths. Newer research can even chose better sites so that death rate can be reduced. |
#30
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What is a person to do? Do what you can. You'll NEVER see me ragging on somebody that doesn't live completely 'green'. That isn't the point, and it isn't completely necessary. I do have a problem with people who insist that they can do whatever they want and refuse to open their eyes. I've gone over what I do in a previous thread (fluorescent lights, plastic over the windows, house temp at 68 degrees in the winter, recycle, volunteer, blah blah). You may think that a couple hundred dollars to buy carbon credits is no big deal, but living expenses here are pretty high, and $200 to me is a couple months worth of anything other than basic living expenses. CF bulbs and sheets of plastic is it for me right now. I spent 5 years, and tens of thousands of dollars getting a college degree, and another YEAR trying to start a career in ecology. But, economics and other factors have just about destroyed that dream. Now I'm in the midst of a career change before the career even started. So, I've spent 6 years, lots of money, and lots of frustration trying to do what believe in. Maybe that will shed some light on why I get upset when people question my commitment. However, I did find out about a program in Minnesota that requires the electric company to offer green power for those who ask for it (in MN it's windmills). It's a $0.02 premium per kW/h, so I'll give that a go. Everybody's power is already partially windmill because all of the windmill power goes into the grid anyway, so I'm not making the world any greener by doing it, but it sends a message to the power companies. Bottom line is I'm doing all I've been asking of people. Do little things, make some effort, and support green(er) tech with your wallets, your voice, and your votes.
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The Sand People are easily startled, but they will soon be back, and in greater numbers. All statements have been peer reviewed. Last edited by HippieSmell; 03/22/2007 at 10:57 PM. |
#31
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Let's assume for the sake of discussion that GW is 100% caused by humans. The point I have made to you in the other thread is that these green alternatives that you and the GW proponents keep talking about are never going to be able to reduce CO2 emissions enough to reverse the oncoming disaster that you say is about to happen. Instead of responding to that point you say fission is too expensive and dangerous but fusion will be the answer. Well fusion doesn't exist so I guess it's easy to say it'll be cheap and safe. I'm no scientist but my guess is a meltdown of a fusion reactor might have the potential to be a bit worse than chernobyl. It seems to me that you, Hippie, Al Gore and pretty much every other GW proponent that I have heard speak are simply using GW to promote your world view/political view. Although in Al Gore's case I think it's more of a case of him finding a way to make some money and/or simply be relevant. Why isn't regrowth of the worlds destroyed rainforests the number one goal of the GW camp? That would do more than everyone getting solar panels. Heck, even Hippie has admitted that the US is a net CO2 sink do to regrowth of forests (of course we are still really really bad). I think things like this or nuclear energy or cleaner use of fossil fuels are not on the agenda because they don't punish or lay blame the right people. I may be wrong about that but I'm quite certain that saving the environment from imminent disaster is not the goal of the GW movement. Hmmm....GW movement, almost sounds like a political party doesn't it? Ahh..but no politics on rc so I'll stop now. |
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#36
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Having lived in Tracy for five years, I can tell you that the issue of wind turbines killing raptors is taken very seriously there. Unfortunately, those wind farms were erected two decades ago without much consideration for the potential impact on birds and bats. Alameda, San Joaquin and Contra Costa counties have forced the various energy companies involved in these operations to take steps to mitigate the impact on birds. Some of the energy companies have hired avian experts to advise them on measures to reduce bird fatalities. The older 75-ft tall turbines are being replaced by 211-ft tall models. The taller models are above the hunting range of most of the raptors. And placing the wind turbines on the leeward side of the hills reduces their impact on raptors because they prefer to hunt on the windward side, where they soar on the updrafts. Many of these turbines are ready for replacement anyway. They were first generation technology that was installed more than 20 years ago. The newer, larger models are more efficient as well as being less deadly to birds.
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Ninong |
#37
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FACT 1: Earth is facing a GW disaster at the hands on mankind in somewhere between 100 years or as little as a couple of decades. FACT 2: We need to get away from fossil fuels. Nuclear energy is off the table. Instead we go to solar, wind, tidal power and hopefully someday fusion power. Ok, that's what I have gathered from the many posts on this subject. I think I left a few green energy sources off. It was not deliberate and this isn't a setup. These are real questions... So the questions are - 1.) Not including fusion because it doesn't exist and you can't say when or if it ever will (unless you actually know that). How much of an impact can we realistically expect those green alternative energy sources to make on the world's energy requirements? 2.) If we all started TODAY how long would it take to switch the world over to these alternative energy sources to achieve the answer from question #1? 3.) Taking into account that the earth's population is expected to increase to 9.4 billion in 43 years (around a 50% increase) will these alternative energy sources stop the predicted GW disaster? If yes, How? Ya'll (yeah I'm texan) have quoted boatloads of science on GW so can you answer these questions with some accuracy? Anybody? Again, this isn't a setup. I'm really not completely on either side of the fence and if ALL scientists agree tomorrow that there is no such thing as GW then I still think we should make an effort to move towards cleaner fuel technologies. Many reasons for that without the GW issue. I really wasn't trying to make this a thread about birds so I'll leave that alone. |
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Well, to answer your question: http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/editors/17381/
This includes nuclear power, which I've never been completely against, but we have got to figure out what to do with the waste, especially if we are going to build many more plants. I just don't know how nuclear power will be feasible considering there are three high profile international nuclear issues right now. I guess current nuclear powers can use nuclear, and the non nuclear countries can't. Anyway. There is a bit of a sticker shock associated with going alternative, but keep in mind that it isn't a money pit. The money spent will stay in the country and spur new industries, but I'm sure the money will have to be generated through taxes, initially at least. Would it be easy? No, but I can't imagine the alternative will be any cheaper.
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The Sand People are easily startled, but they will soon be back, and in greater numbers. All statements have been peer reviewed. |
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Wouldn't it be ironic if that were really true? think about it, you spend 5 yrs getting a degree in something you are passionate about, IT destroys the economy, now you can't do everything possible to do what you went into ecology for in the first place. Don't worry though, you seem like a smart person and I'm sure you will make it.
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Current Livestock: mated pair False Percs mated pair Banggai Cardinals Longnose Hawkfish Magnificent Rabbitfish Diamond Goby Blond Naso Tang Bluechin Trigger I got the poo on me. |
#40
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Thanks for the compliment. Maybe in real life you're not always abrasive.
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The Sand People are easily startled, but they will soon be back, and in greater numbers. All statements have been peer reviewed. |
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#42
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If you like I will give you a list of the conservation practices that I have been following for longer than you have been alive. The big difference between you and me is I don't have a soap box. Quote:
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Current Livestock: mated pair False Percs mated pair Banggai Cardinals Longnose Hawkfish Magnificent Rabbitfish Diamond Goby Blond Naso Tang Bluechin Trigger I got the poo on me. |
#43
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On the subject of ecology vs. economy, they can compliment each other. In fact for some areas of the world (my own included), the economy depends on the ecology. No one's spending money to come visit polluted beaches and fisherman can't make a living from polluted waters...and that's just my little corner of the world.
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Bill "LOL, well I have no brain apparently. " - dc (Debi) |
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#45
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Current Livestock: mated pair False Percs mated pair Banggai Cardinals Longnose Hawkfish Magnificent Rabbitfish Diamond Goby Blond Naso Tang Bluechin Trigger I got the poo on me. |
#46
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The Sand People are easily startled, but they will soon be back, and in greater numbers. All statements have been peer reviewed. |
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