How did we
arrive in the excessively expensive, dastardly dirty, goofy green energy zone?
The history of energy politics continues to morph into a mix of logical and
looney ideas.
From candles
to coal oil to kerosene to carbon credits, and from natural gas to nuclear
plants, everyone has a concern, the economic angle, and seemingly enough
idealistic reality evasion to put distance between the die-hard activists and
your average person who lingers in the realm of sanity.
From the
days when law required someone to run ahead of an automobile to warn animals
and people, we now have laws that producers of pollution can buy carbon credits
and keep right on dumping pernicious pollution, while displaying an air of
responsibility: “Hey, we paid for the right to do this!” Experts report: for
all the 'green energy' efforts in Germany; there is “not one gram” less
pollution.
Affect on the Taxpayers and
Politicians
For years,
governments have created thousands of subsidies costing taxpayers approximately
73.9 gazillion dollars – to save money. In southern California, up to $3 Billion
is being spent to support 'cheap renewable energy' with no confidence for any net
benefit to consumers. To anyone who has helped to shepherd children through
adolescence, this behavior will seem quite familiar. When good ole Dad is
picking up the tab (or anyone else but the spender), it seems pretty fun to
want all sorts of things, whether they actually make sense or not. As our children
get older, and are exposed to the reality of the need for a budget, their
understanding and maturity greatly increases. Maybe our politicians should do
likewise, and give us taxpayers a break. Please.
Significant
U.S. Tax subsidies are provided to offset the thousands of dollars of increased
costs to buy a 'green' powered automobile, as opposed to
the increasingly efficient and less expensive gasoline powered automobiles on
the market. Recent reports say sales of electric and hybrid gas-electric vehicles
are finally beginning to increase. It's about time: The 'green gurus' finally
slashed the prices on these cars that relatively few wanted at the previous
price points.
When I Spend $5,000 More for 'Green'
Products, I Save $500 over Five Years, That's Smart?
From
increased taxes, fees, and prices of all sorts of products, we are supposedly
going to save money. Remember when ethanol was mandated for gasoline? Costs
went up for animal feed, significantly driving up the costs of food and
significantly reducing the fuel efficiency of gasoline powered automobiles.
'Green'
energy might eventually develop into additional cost-efficient and practical
technologies. For now, 'saving money' the 'green' way is, too often, just too doggone
impractical and expensive. Edward DuCoin, consultant to Green Revolution added, "We believe it is best to let the free market develop 'green' strategies that
actually work at an efficient price point and leave the solutions for businesses and consumers to the experts."
