Where should we focus our energy concerns

[niolosoiale 0]

With the rising cost of oil and increased demand for it by other countries, governments and their people should be looking at what they can do to break the chains of reliance on the day before yesterday's primary energy source.

We cannot grow stagnant when it comes to innovating ways to power our economy. So what should we do? What are the risks of nuke energy compared to the benefits?

Which do you favor and why do you favor it?

Personally, I favor nuke-tech advancement. I think we should build several new plants and begin pouring funding into fusion development. I consider the advent of viable fusion reactors to be the ultimate goal for the energy requirements of mankind. It's safe and very clean. But it needs R&D to reach the levels of efficiency it theoretically holds.

I imagine on the side we could also integrate solar energy farms starting now as a short term, quick fix.

But I still believe we need more nuke plants here in the US. It's safe, manageable, and relatively cheap.

[rehmwa 2]

don't forget:

bird blenders
tides
steam
hydro
decomposition heat

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[wmw999 2,147]

People should all do what they can first -- that's where WE can focus our energy concerns.

Buy less gas-hungry vehicles. Use less air-conditioning by using fans and windows (I live in Houston -- yes I do understand about heat). Try solar power. Use less water -- don't water your lawn, invest in less water-hungry landscaping.

Use fresh foods and cook your own meals. Make a compost heap; buy stuff that doesn't come in a ton of packaging so that there's less trash to haul away from your house.

As individuals we can do this. We can also encourage our countries in investing in research, but most of us aren't going to be participating in the future research.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Gravitymaster 0]

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People should all do what they can first -- that's where WE can focus our energy concerns.

Buy less gas-hungry vehicles. Use less air-conditioning by using fans and windows (I live in Houston -- yes I do understand about heat). Try solar power. Use less water -- don't water your lawn, invest in less water-hungry landscaping.

Use fresh foods and cook your own meals. Make a compost heap; buy stuff that doesn't come in a ton of packaging so that there's less trash to haul away from your house.

As individuals we can do this. We can also encourage our countries in investing in research, but most of us aren't going to be participating in the future research.

Wendy W.

Why use less water? Do you think we are going to run out?

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[wmw999 2,147]

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Why use less water? Do you think we are going to run out?

There are parts of the country where water is rather scarce. With the oceans, we're unlikely to run out of water. However, the Rio Grande is down to a trickle in sections; the Edwards Aquifer in Texas goes through dry spells. LA uses water from as far away as Nevada (and probably farther). At least in those parts of the country, yes, it should be conserved.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[rehmwa 2]

I poured some water in an envelop to send to you.

I'm having a hard time getting the stamp to stick, though.

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[wmw999 2,147]

pffffffffffffffffffft

It just kind of bugs me when people talk about how someone else, somewhere else, should focus their energy concerns. That makes it someone else's problem.

Anyway, I live in Houston, the humidity capital of the world. All I have to do is step outside.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Gravitymaster 0]

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Why use less water? Do you think we are going to run out?

There are parts of the country where water is rather scarce. With the oceans, we're unlikely to run out of water. However, the Rio Grande is down to a trickle in sections; the Edwards Aquifer in Texas goes through dry spells. LA uses water from as far away as Nevada (and probably farther). At least in those parts of the country, yes, it should be conserved.

Wendy W.

Many areas of the country get their water from rivers. If they don't use it, it just keeps flowing right past them and out to the ocean. The only places that are threatened are those who derive their water from reservoirs.

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[wmw999 2,147]

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If they don't use it, it just keeps flowing right past them and out to the ocean.

Rivers are long. It just keeps flowing right past them to other people who would use it to grow stuff. Then it flows into the ocean where it helps to maintain an ecosystem (e.g. some kinds of shrimp apparently depend on a certain level of salinity to reproduce -- less fresh water = less shrimp for the barbie). It's not much of a problem in the East and Midwest, but it's of some concern in much of the Southwest and parts of the Gulf Coast.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Zipp0 1]

How about a million hamsters in those little wheels with a tiny generator on each one?

I think every new house should have the roof covered with solar shingles by law. If every house had that, the savings would be incredible. And, they already exist!

Zipp0

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Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[miked10270 0]

I think the focus should be on renewables.

Bio-Fuel. Wind-Farm. Wave-Farm. Solar heat & power. Hydro-Electric Power.

The present state of our Nuclear technology to me simply means "Same $hit - Different Poison". We still dig iffy stuff out of the earth, refine it from "Iffy" to "Lethal", and use it secure in the knowledge that the 10,000 year problem of the waste will be dealt with by "Not-Us"!

Now OK, with the best will in the world, renewable energies aren't going to replace fossil fuel. Nor will Nuclear. But shouldn't we be focussing on getting power that's really free & renewable (sustainable) and not power sources which entail harvesting stuff that isn't going to replace itself?

At least a concerted effort towards renewable/sustainable energy will take the pressure off a little. Like the saying goes: "A googleWatt here & a GoogleWatt there will maybe add up to some serious energy".

Of course, this comes down to an individual push as well as corporate effort.

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

[Gravitymaster 0]

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How about a million hamsters in those little wheels with a tiny generator on each one?

I think every new house should have the roof covered withy solar shingles by law. If every house had that, the savings would be incredible. And, they already exist!

Zipp0

Can we assume you expect the govt. to pay for the solar panels since they are very expensive and require a lot of maintenence?

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[Amazon 7]

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The present state of our Nuclear technology to me simply means "Same $hit - Different Poison". We still dig iffy stuff out of the earth, refine it from "Iffy" to "Lethal", and use it secure in the knowledge that the 10,000 year problem of the waste will be dealt with by "Not-Us"!

Definitely poison.... I am a Hanford Downwinder


With the amounts of radioactive material the world has produced since the 1940's there really is nothing that approaches a safe half life for some of the materials.

With something that has a half life of oh say 10,000 years.... that dows not mean it will be SAFE in 10,000 years..
It means that if you start with a ton of radioactive material.. you will just have a half ton in 10,000 years and so on and so on.. you STILL do not reach a safe level even on a geological time scale...let alone a societal time scale. ( Perhaps the mutations caused by the radiation out there in 500,000 years can cope with it better)

Now since things like plutonium... are lethal to us whimpy humans in such a small quantity that it cant be seen with the naked eye....you can basically assume that any place contaminated with plutonium... will be poisoned FOREVER.


WE as a species have to realize that we need to develop things for energy that do not kill us just by standing next to them.

[Zipp0 1]

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Can we assume you expect the govt. to pay for the solar panels since they are very expensive and require a lot of maintenence?

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Nope. The price would drop as the production was scaled up. This would just be part of the cost of home ownership, just like cars have emission standards and safety standards. In the long run, it would save the homeowner lots of money, and reduce all energy expenses.

Zipp0

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Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[JohnRich 4]

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With the rising cost of oil and increased demand for it by other countries, governments and their people should be looking at what they can do to break the chains of reliance on the day before yesterday's primary energy source.

I was listening to Dick Morris, the political commentator, on talk radio. He had this thing nailed right.

In the early 1900's we had huge national programs to build canals and railroads.

In the mid 1900's we had huge national programs to build interstate highways and lay wire for phone networks.

And now in the early 2000's, we need a huge national program to produce and refine ethanol for fuel. The technology already exists - we just need to scale it up, so that it's available at every gas station. Once you make it readily available where everyone drives, it will be a popular alternative.

With every great problem comes great opportunity. Are we going to use this issue as an opportunity to do something, or are we going to sit around and bitch? Americans are doers.

And we still need to drill offshore and in ANWAR. Are the liberal tree-huggers ready to admit that yet?

[Zipp0 1]

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And we still need to drill offshore and in ANWAR. Are the liberal tree-huggers ready to admit that yet?

Ah, bullcrap. I was RIGHT with you up until the last part. leave ANWAR alone for a time of TRUE crisis. IE - there is not oil left, or a war with the Middle East.

Zipp0

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Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[JohnRich 4]

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leave ANWAR alone for a time of TRUE crisis. IE - there is not oil left, or a war with the Middle East.

What price would a gallon of gas have to reach, before you would agree to drilling in ANWAR?

[Gravitymaster 0]

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Can we assume you expect the govt. to pay for the solar panels since they are very expensive and require a lot of maintenence?

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Nope. The price would drop as the production was scaled up. This would just be part of the cost of home ownership, just like cars have emission standards and safety standards. In the long run, it would save the homeowner lots of money, and reduce all energy expenses.

Zipp0

The price to have a photovoltaic system installed is between $10 and $20. per watt. The average home uses 2KW per year. Plus maintenence.

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[MC208B 0]

Definitely poison.... I am a Hanford Downwinder

Yep, the tri cities are a virtual ghosttown huh?

[kelpdiver 2]

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leave ANWAR alone for a time of TRUE crisis. IE - there is not oil left, or a war with the Middle East.

What price would a gallon of gas have to reach, before you would agree to drilling in ANWAR?

when there's no one else out there selling us oil, John. Let's drain them first.

[kelpdiver 2]

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Many areas of the country get their water from rivers. If they don't use it, it just keeps flowing right past them and out to the ocean. The only places that are threatened are those who derive their water from reservoirs.

the Colorado River often runs dry before making the ocean. And that's with California taking less of it than they used to.

[niolosoiale 0]

A need Fack You on nuke energy.
http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/progress/nuclear-faq.html

[billvon 2,433]

> If they don't use it, it just keeps flowing right past them and out to the ocean.

Nope. The Colorado no longer reaches the ocean. We used it all up - and we still have water shortages. Clean water is going to be a serious problem in another 20 years, one that will make the current oil problem look a lot less serious. You can live with less gas - you can't always live with less food.

[billvon 2,433]

>The price to have a photovoltaic system installed is between $10 and $20. per watt.

$6/watt for grid intertie, $8/watt for battery backed. Grid intertie has no maintenance associated with it. (Other than hosing off the panels once in a while.)

[NelKel 0]

Wind

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Someone dies, someone says how stupid, someone says it was avoidable, someone says how to avoid it, someone calls them an idiot, someone proposes rule chan