"Personally, I think that the construction of this pipeline is a bad idea. While it is true that people need jobs, particularly in a tough economy when so many people are out of work and need to be able to support their families, and it is true that we cannot be dependent upon oil from the middle east, I do not think that the construction of such a pipeline solves either problem. There are other, far better solutions.
There are plenty of jobs to be had in green energy, for instance. If you are talking about wind energy, for example, you need people to manufacture the wind turbines, install them, connect them to the power grid, and maintain both the turbines and the grid itself. If you are talking about solar energy, you need people to manufacture the solar panels, install them, connect them to the grid, and maintain both the panels and the grid itself. I could go on, but I am pretty sure that most people get the idea.
This idea that we must continue to exploit the planet upon which we depend (and sometimes people as well) to get the fuel on which we depend, and the jobs that we need is a false one. The solution from my perspective, plain and simple, is a transition to green energy (and I do mean actual green energy, not the same-old technologies, billed as "green") and a more sustainable lifestyle now, particularly in the US which has a pretty sizable ecological footprint. From where I stand, we must not only think about our immediate needs, but what we want our future to be like. If we do not make this switch now, while we still have the power to be able to do something about climate change, later on (when we will actually will want to do something about it), will likely be too late."
What he says is true. Here is an article on Huffington Post with photos showing the wide spread destruction the Tar Sands Production!!!
If you would like to hear local stories in the path of the proposed pipeline, read what they say on Stop Tar Sands and follow the links they have there so you too can "Follow the Tour" and become more informed as to what is really happening as opposed to the filtered hype.
What are the Alternatives, you ask? There are many that do NOT destroy either our environment or our health. There is Wind, Solar and Alternative Fuels.
WIND
Wind is something that, in some areas, are more prevalent than others. According to Wikipedia's article on Wind Power in Texas ...
"Wind resource areas in the Texas Panhandle, along the Gulf Coast south of Galveston, and in the mountain passes and ridge tops of the Trans-Pecos offer Texas some of the greatest wind power potential in the United States. Currently there are over 2,000 wind turbines in West Texas alone. Most of the new wind capacity added in the last two years has been in the Abilene-Sweetwater area. The Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center is the largest wind power facility in the nation with a total capacity of 735 MW. It is spread across approximately 47,000 acres (190 km2) in Taylor and Nolan County near Abilene." (State Energy Conservation Office.)
This is a very good thing ... however ... the last few years, Texas Governor, Rick Perry, ok'd the purchase of these Windmills from China, instead of using the money to build the factories to manufacture them right here in Texas, thereby, creating more jobs for Americans! (This is the man who wants to be our President?)
Other states like Kansas - Illinois - are creating jobs, as are other states like Colorado - Texas - Oklahoma - Iowa - California - Michigan - Idaho - Louisiana - Montana --- there are many more states with these Green Energy Jobs ... all you have to do is look for them.
Another thing to think about: We cannot run out of wind. If we did, we wouldn't be able to breathe, seeds would not fly, birds could not soar, clouds could not move, etc ... it is a renewable energy.
SOLAR
According to information found on Wikipedia on Solar Energy:
Solar power
Main article: Solar power
Commercial CSP plants were first developed in the 1980s, and the 354 MW SEGS CSP installation is the largest solar power plant in the world and is located in the Mojave Desert of California. Other large CSP plants include the Solnova Solar Power Station (150 MW) and the Andasol solar power station (100 MW), both in Spain. The 97 MW Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant in Canada, is the world’s largest photovoltaic plant.
Concentrated solar power
See also: Concentrated solar power
~~~
I remember in the 80's, there was an insurgence of new companies popping up everywhere selling Solar Panels for homes. At that time, however, it was a very costly adventure. Between that and the pressures from the Big Oil Companies, the venture faded into the background the same way Electric Cars did ... until now.
There are many places like Earth 4 Green Energy and DIY sites like Homemade Energy That shows you how much cheaper it is to take yourself "Off the Grid" or sell back your excess to the Electric Companies. BTW ... I'm not advertising for these people, just giving you examples ... you can go from here to do your own research.
ALTERNATIVE FUELS
Wikipedia on Alternative Fuels gives the most commonly known alternative fuels ...
"
Alternative fuels, known as non-conventional or advanced fuel, are any materials or substances that can be used as fuels, other than conventional fuels. Conventional fuels include: fossil fuels (petroleum (oil), coal, propane, and natural gas), as well as nuclear materials such as uranium.Some well known alternative fuels include biodiesel, bioalcohol (methanol, ethanol, butanol), chemically stored electricity (batteries and fuel cells), hydrogen, non-fossil methane, non-fossil natural gas, vegetable oil, and other biomass sources."
These are the most common alternatives that that you hear about daily, so I'm not going to go into them here. I would like to give you something that the Govt and Big Oil don't want you to know about ... Industrial Hemp
Ok ... I hear you say "Isn't that Marijuana?" The answer is ... no. Cannabis (Marijuana) contains Tetrahydrocannabinol or commonly known as THC, the chemical compound naturally found in the cannabis plant that is known for it's "high" but also known for many medical properties ... but that will be in another post in the near future.
Wikipedia on Hemp:
"Hemp (from Old English hænep) is the name of the soft, durable fiber that is cultivated from plants of the Cannabis genus.
"Hemp" is also a name for the Cannabis plant. Some use it to mean only the low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) strains of the plant, of fiber or and/or oilseed varieties. In modern times, hemp has been used for industrial purposes including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel[1] with modest commercial success.[2][3] Since 2007, commercial success of hemp food products has grown considerably.[4][5]
Hemp is one of the faster growing biomasses known,[6] producing up to 25 tonnes of dry matter per hectare per year.[7] A normal average yield in large scale modern agriculture is about 2.5–3.5 t/ac (air dry stem yields of dry, retted stalks per acre at 12% moisture). Approximately, one tonne of bast fiber and 2–3 tonnes of core material can be decorticated from 3–4 tonnes of good quality, dry retted straw.[8][9]
For a crop, hemp is very environmentally friendly as it requires few pesticides, when not grown industrially[10] and no herbicides.[11] Results indicate that high yield of hemp may require high total nutrient levels (field plus fertilizer nutrients) similar to a high yielding wheat crop.[12]
Hemp is one of the earliest domesticated plants known.[13]
Cannabis sativa L. subsp. sativa var. sativa is the variety grown for industrial use, while C. sativa subsp. indica generally has poor fiber quality and is primarily used for production of recreational and medicinal drugs. The major difference between the two types of plants is the appearance and the amount of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) secreted in a resinous mixture by epidermal hairs called glandular trichomes, although they can also be distinguished genetically.[14] Oilseed and fiber varieties of Cannabis approved for industrial hemp production produce only minute amounts of this psychoactive drug, not enough for any physical or psychological effects. Typically, hemp contains below 0.3% THC, while cultivars of Cannabis grown for marijuana can contain anywhere from 2% to over 20%.[15]
The world leading producer of hemp is China with smaller production in Europe, Chile and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.[16] While more hemp is exported to the United States than to any other country, the United States Government does not consistently distinguish between marijuana and the non-psychoactive Cannabis used for industrial and commercial purposes.[15]"
Here are some more links for you to check out and decide for yourself ...
http://www.industrialhemp.net/
North American Industrial Hemp Council
http://www.votehemp.com/
Why Hemp
Agricultural Marketing Resource Center
Industrial Hemp in US & Market Potential (frm USDA)
Hemp Fuel
Hemp as Biodiesel Fuel
Hemp4Fuel
Hemphasis - Fuel-Energy
Ok ... this should give you enough to read for a while.
Please read all the links in this blog with an open mind. Then, it's up to you to decide if it's Truth or Fabrication ...
North American Industrial Hemp Council
http://www.votehemp.com/
Why Hemp
Agricultural Marketing Resource Center
Industrial Hemp in US & Market Potential (frm USDA)
Hemp Fuel
Hemp as Biodiesel Fuel
Hemp4Fuel
Hemphasis - Fuel-Energy
Ok ... this should give you enough to read for a while.
Please read all the links in this blog with an open mind. Then, it's up to you to decide if it's Truth or Fabrication ...
