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Global Warming - Is there a solution?

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Discussion thread for the blog entry "Global Warming - Is there a solution?" by Inferno.

Permalink: http://blog.leagueofreason.org.uk/science/global-warming-is-there-a-solution/
 
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One thing you did not mention is we could also use less energy in general. Creating machines that run on less energy, lights that use less energy, and generally turning things completely off when they are not being used. The industrialized world wastes a huge amount of energy.

Beyond that, I agree that nuclear is a great option for the future of our energy needs. I think wind and solar might have a big impact in my home state, but it is not viable across the board.
 
arg-fallbackName="Inferno"/>
he_who_is_nobody said:
One thing you did not mention is we could also use less energy in general. Creating machines that run on less energy, lights that use less energy, and generally turning things completely off when they are not being used. The industrialized world wastes a huge amount of energy.

Beyond that, I agree that nuclear is a great option for the future of our energy needs. I think wind and solar might have a big impact in my home state, but it is not viable across the board.

Actually, I did. I mentioned Pacala and Socolow's 2004 paper with their 15 possible solutions. One of them is of course "energy efficiency".

In fact, I specifically mentioned it right here:
A paper in 2004 (Pacala and Socolow, 2004) offers 15 solutions. (page 3 in the PDF, page 970 on paper) They can be categorized into two (or three) sections:

1) Improve efficiency

That being said, this article is about policy changes, not about what the individual can do. (Which, I take it, is what you're getting at?) We all know what the individual can do... and doesn't do. :)
 
arg-fallbackName="he_who_is_nobody"/>
Inferno said:
A paper in 2004 (Pacala and Socolow, 2004) offers 15 solutions. (page 3 in the PDF, page 970 on paper) They can be categorized into two (or three) sections:

1) Improve efficiency

That being said, this article is about policy changes, not about what the individual can do. (Which, I take it, is what you're getting at?) We all know what the individual can do... and doesn't do. :)

It can be both. People can take steps to use less energy, but policies can also go into effect limiting or completely disallowing inefficient wastes of energy (personal vehicles come to mind).
 
arg-fallbackName="Inferno"/>
he_who_is_nobody said:
It can be both. People can take steps to use less energy, but policies can also go into effect limiting or completely disallowing inefficient wastes of energy (personal vehicles come to mind).

Agreed, but they're the ones that usually garner the most opposition. Just think of the European energy-saving light-bulb campaign. Just the other day I heard someone complain. "Fuck the environment, I want my light to go on properly in 1sec, not 5sec." or something to that extent.

I'm generally skeptical of policies that directly regulate people's lives, not because they're bad or inefficient, but simply because of the political impact. Implement one such measure, you're fine. Two, you're pushing it. Three, you might not get re-elected. And who WILL get elected? The guy who says "No, let's not continue with energy-saving policies". And then you're fucked.
I think, and I think I'm right about that, that you're more likely to pass huge reforms that don't touch the lives of individuals in a perceptible way than you are to make a few small ones that do.

But maybe I'm just cynical. I'll write up a post shortly about the problems in Austrian politics at the moment. It's chaos, let me tell you.
 
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