Green angst

Thanks to spam I'm reposting this and deleting the older one. Not because I want to write about climate issues any more - it's an issue full of single issue fanatics and poisonous pens on both sides. I'll stick to wanting  green technology for it's own sake not because I think you can extrapolate a 0.6K rise from one century into 6K the next based on models with no real validation.

The best discussion of the current green angst that has yet been produced is here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ethicalman/2010/01/the_problem_with_hidden_agendas.html

Everyone is remarkably honest and candid and huge praise to them for that. Finally greens are acknowledging that climate change is a hook to hang on their other societal concerns. And I have a great deal of sympathy for some of them. However we need to separate them out from carbon dioxide production if we are to judge them sensibly. I don't believe that greens are anti-humanist or anti-industrialist or statist in the least. Some of them clearly are but it's a tiny minority.

Is this rampant consumerism they worry about sensible? I don't believe it is but then you can't deny that it's worked out ok so far. Or has it?

Is the never-ending growth model of economics sensible? Well famed economist, Joe Stiglitz recently asked the same question and concluded it wasn't - but then he's a lefty :)

What are the aims of greens?
a) Let's avoid fouling our own nests.
b) Don't screw with nature. Nature usually knows best.
c) Recycle stuff.
d) Renewable energy.
e) Cradle to cradle technology.
f) Poverty reduction.

Now what's wrong with that? Let's not criticize them for the lying done by others and let's not paint our own prejudices over their faces please.

I'd like to think I was green too. For 5 years in Spain I didn't have a car. I used a taxi, bus or walked. The shopping was delivered to my door. When I needed a car I hired one. It worked ok. Now my electricity is from hydro, my heating is from sustainable forest wood - with a small bit of Diesel that i want to eliminate and my car is an efficient Diesel too - though I don't drive much. Hence my actual carbon footprint is low. I'm also getting a geothermal system installed this year if all goes well. Oh don't I sound self-righteous...well truth be told I'm hoping to save money too.

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