What are your thoughts on global warming?

[Meyer Jordan]

Alternative fuel vehicles are are best left to mild or warm climates and densely populated areas. The rest of us still need to rely on more reliable and available petroleum based fuels.
Stop blocking our pipelines. lol.
(sorry Meyer..)

I would guess that it took several years before automobiles appeared in some areas of the globe for many of the exact same reasons that you mention for EVs.
As to the current costs attributed to EVs, Purchase prices will begin to tumble in 2017-2018 when Tesla introduces their next model priced at about $38,000 with a driving range of over 200 miles between charges. In addition, even with the cost of gasoline at current lows, it is still cheaper to drive an EV. How much cheaper will vary regionally depending on local electric rates. Currently there are enough public charging stations in operation within the CONUS that coast-to-coast travel from most any location on either coast to most any location on the other coast is possible with no chance of running out of power. Home charging stations (which is really only a special plug hooked to your electric service) are available installed for less than $1,000 dollars. And costs are also dropping for these. Batteries for EVs are designed to last longer than the usable life of the vehicle. Current failure rate of EV batteries is about 1% and this is also dropping as improvements are made. Replacement costs are comparable to replacing some current automobile engines.
Here is what is presently predicted:
http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2016/02/electric-vehicles-oil-prices

The final paragraph in this article is a caveat that will need to be addressed in tandem with all other options of reducing the use of fossil fuel.

And Mitch: No offense taken, but why would we need your pipelines if we won't need your Tar Sands oil?

 

[MitchM]

I would like nothing better than to drive towards the city and not see a yellow cloud hanging over it.

I was reading on a Tesla forum that the batteries will not accept a charge if the battery temperature is below freezing.....That's a problem.
There are many other cold weather related issues associated with electric vehicles.
It's also a bit ironic that there's no way solar or wind power could generate enough electricity to charge one of those cars in a reasonable length of time.
- so for now and in the foreseeable future, there is still a need for petroleum based fuel.
I'll be sticking with my diesel vehicle. I still have to plug it in, but it only needs 1500 watts for a few hours in this weather.
A Tesla need 93,000 watts, once it warms up.

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[barryian]

If you all haven't already, watch the movie Dicaprio did recently, "Before The Flood" .... I've always believed this is a serious man made catastrophic problem and only we can do something about it. The problem lies in the fact that it's been ignored and it's our largest problem. During this past election, did anyone mention global warming? Nada! A major problem which is exponentially rising at a rate that barely existed 150 years ago. My wife and I always wanted waterfront property, just not the kind that's coming! ... and it is coming! If anyone on here is young enough, they'll see the effects.
Not to be negative, my apologies, but money and ignorance seem to rule this planet rather than common sense! So unfortunate!

 

[MitchM]

At least Decaprio is trying, I give him credit for that.
I still am looking for an alternative to fossil fuel for those of us now living in a colder climate. Even Musk hasn't presented a vision for our region.
In the meantime, we still need to carry on living.

 

[MitchM]

I watched that movie this morning.
Here is a link to the full version on YouTube:

 

[morewater]

Electric vehicles require metal parts. Metals come from mining. Mining equipment runs on diesel.

Electric cars require a hydro source. Batteries are made from metals. Metals come from mining. Mining equipment runs on diesel. Electricity is passed through copper wires. Copper is mined. Electricity is delivered to the charging station via hydro-lines. Hydro lines are coated in a polymer derived from oil. The hydro lines themselves are made from copper. The towers supporting the hydro lines are made from steel. All are made from metals. All metals are mined by equipment that is powered by diesel.

Rare Earth metals are in shorter and shorter supply. China holds the vast majority of the Earth's supply of Rare Earth metals. China is an environmental champion.

Wind turbines produce green energy. The towers that support the spinning blades are made of metal. The conductive metal used in the turbine is copper. Metals are mined by equipment powered by diesel. These metal towers are based in concrete.

Hydroelectricity requires the flooding of vast areas of land. The clearing of that land is accomplished using diesel-powered equipment. The massive amounts of concrete required for the building of a dam must first be mined using diesel-powered equipment. Concrete, when manufactured, must be fired (quite often by burning old tires, fossil fuels).

Nuclear power is clean. Uranium must be mined by diesel-powered equipment. Nuclear power plants require the use of a massive amount of concrete and metal in their construction. Depleted uranium is difficult to dispose of, so large underground storage vaults are constructed using diesel-powered equipment.

Ponds are calming and green. The hole is generally dug with fossil fuel-powered equipment. The dirt is carried away in a metal container pulled or carried by a metal vehicle powered by fossil fuel and running on tires made from petrochemicals. The EPDM liner, made from fossil fuels, is placed into the excavation and filled with water from a municipal source constructed from metal and massive amounts of concrete. If the water source is not municipal, but from a well, that well was drilled by diesel-powered equipment and is pumped to the surface by a pump constructed of metal and petrochemical-based plastics. The skimmer and waterfall vault are made from petrochemicals. The water lines are made from petrochemicals. The test kits are encased entirely in plastic. The fish food is packaged in plastic. The pump is made from metal and plastic and runs on an electrical source (pick your poison from the above selection).

At the end of the season, we haul out our nets (made from metal and petrochemicals) to clean out the leaves, plug in our ShopVacs and use electricity to power it. We put in our aerators, heaters or breathers (constructed of petrochemicals and metals, powered by electricity) and cover it with a leaf net made from petrochemicals.

I feel just so damned guilty that I want to hang myself, but the rope is made of nylon, my cremation will create CO2. If I opt for burial, the hole will probably by dug by diesel-powered equipment. The headstone will need to be mined, cut and polished using diesel and electricity.

Instead, I hope and pray that the government will find new and innovative ways to tax me for my transgressions on this Earth. Cap 'n Trade me. Charge me more to run my vehicle, charge me more to heat my home. Maybe I'll drive less, or bundle up more. When my food prices increase, maybe I'll eat less and produce less methane and waste.

Blah, blah, blah..................

 

[MitchM]

Electric vehicles require metal parts. Metals come from mining. Mining equipment runs on diesel.

Electric cars require a hydro source. Batteries are made from metals. Metals come from mining. Mining equipment runs on diesel. Electricity is passed through copper wires. Copper is mined. Electricity is delivered to the charging station via hydro-lines. Hydro lines are coated in a polymer derived from oil. The hydro lines themselves are made from copper. The towers supporting the hydro lines are made from steel. All are made from metals. All metals are mined by equipment that is powered by diesel.

Rare Earth metals are in shorter and shorter supply. China holds the vast majority of the Earth's supply of Rare Earth metals. China is an environmental champion.

Wind turbines produce green energy. The towers that support the spinning blades are made of metal. The conductive metal used in the turbine is copper. Metals are mined by equipment powered by diesel. These metal towers are based in concrete.

Hydroelectricity requires the flooding of vast areas of land. The clearing of that land is accomplished using diesel-powered equipment. The massive amounts of concrete required for the building of a dam must first be mined using diesel-powered equipment. Concrete, when manufactured, must be fired (quite often by burning old tires, fossil fuels).

Nuclear power is clean. Uranium must be mined by diesel-powered equipment. Nuclear power plants require the use of a massive amount of concrete and metal in their construction. Depleted uranium is difficult to dispose of, so large underground storage vaults are constructed using diesel-powered equipment.

Ponds are calming and green. The hole is generally dug with fossil fuel-powered equipment. The dirt is carried away in a metal container pulled or carried by a metal vehicle powered by fossil fuel and running on tires made from petrochemicals. The EPDM liner, made from fossil fuels, is placed into the excavation and filled with water from a municipal source constructed from metal and massive amounts of concrete. If the water source is not municipal, but from a well, that well was drilled by diesel-powered equipment and is pumped to the surface by a pump constructed of metal and petrochemical-based plastics. The skimmer and waterfall vault are made from petrochemicals. The water lines are made from petrochemicals. The test kits are encased entirely in plastic. The fish food is packaged in plastic. The pump is made from metal and plastic and runs on an electrical source (pick your poison from the above selection).

At the end of the season, we haul out our nets (made from metal and petrochemicals) to clean out the leaves, plug in our ShopVacs and use electricity to power it. We put in our aerators, heaters or breathers (constructed of petrochemicals and metals, powered by electricity) and cover it with a leaf net made from petrochemicals.

I feel just so damned guilty that I want to hang myself, but the rope is made of nylon, my cremation will create CO2. If I opt for burial, the hole will probably by dug by diesel-powered equipment. The headstone will need to be mined, cut and polished using diesel and electricity.

Instead, I hope and pray that the government will find new and innovative ways to tax me for my transgressions on this Earth. Cap 'n Trade me. Charge me more to run my vehicle, charge me more to heat my home. Maybe I'll drive less, or bundle up more. When my food prices increase, maybe I'll eat less and produce less methane and waste.

Blah, blah, blah..................

What about the children?
Think of the children!
Oh, to live in a mild climate with earthships. Be ready for mass migration to your mild climate, USA.


.
.

 

[mgmine]

"Purchase prices will begin to tumble in 2017-2018 when Tesla introduces their next model priced at about $38,000 with a driving range of over 200 miles between charges."

I doubt that it will effect of prices. I could be wrong but with the limited demand for electric cars there will not be enough economies of scale to make any difference. Also I doubt that anyone could travel coast to coast in an electric car. Maybe if they followed a set route they could find enough cars and maybe if they were willing to spend an extra day or tow on the trip waiting to get "refueled." I would guess that taking route 66 would no longer be an option.

"My wife and I always wanted waterfront property, just not the kind that's coming! ... and it is coming!" All that means is that the coast line moves farther in. Nothing new here that is what the tide does to the coast line only it goes back out. Once the parameters are established rip down the old obsolete property, use it for fill and rebuild. That is what make the economy boom.

As as the tar sands and pipe line goes where do I invest in the future?

 

[mgmine]

I saw an ad on television last night asking for donations to the cancer society for research. And I said to my self, self, which is more likely to impact more lives in the next 50 years.. The earth possibly getting warmer or cancer. Cancer won out. How much is being spent on research for a 100% known problem vs. a problem that really can't be pinned down to it's consequences?

 

[barryian]

I saw an ad on television last night asking for donations to the cancer society for research. And I said to my self, self, which is more likely to impact more lives in the next 50 years.. The earth possibly getting warmer or cancer. Cancer won out. How much is being spent on research for a 100% known problem vs. a problem that really can't be pinned down to it's consequences?

I donate to both as I want a future for the future generations!

 

[morewater]

I donate to both as I want a future for the future generations!

I contribute as well, they're called "revenue tools" by the Government but they're really just taxes......renamed.

I think that it exerts negative pressure.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

If you all haven't already, watch the movie Dicaprio did recently, "Before The Flood" .... I've always believed this is a serious man made catastrophic problem and only we can do something about it. The problem lies in the fact that it's been ignored and it's our largest problem. During this past election, did anyone mention global warming? Nada! A major problem which is exponentially rising at a rate that barely existed 150 years ago. My wife and I always wanted waterfront property, just not the kind that's coming! ... and it is coming! If anyone on here is young enough, they'll see the effects.
Not to be negative, my apologies, but money and ignorance seem to rule this planet rather than common sense! So unfortunate!

I wouldn't say it's being ignored, there isn't a person on this planet who hasn't heard of the implications of global warming. But you are right that greed (in it's many forms) and ignorance rule (motivate) the planet (humans at least anyway), but it's natural for us to want to improve our lives as much as we can. As individuals living our own personal lives there is very little we can do about the larger problems of pollution and CO2 emissions. Sure we can do little things like switch from eating beef to chicken or make sure you turn off the lights in your house when you are not using them, but in reality, these things aren't gona stop the increase of greenhouse gas emissions.
The problem is there is just too many people living on this planet now, all wanting to improve their life in one way or another. The vast majority of these people live very frugal lives with lots of room for improvement. Unfortunately this is where the populations continue to increase the most. If they could all live the American lifestyle with two or three cars per family, hot running water, nice house with electricity, flying to some remote location once a year for a vacation, etc,,, they would all be doing it. It's human nature. Humans always seek to improve their lifestyle, always have, always will.
Of course, a better lifestyle goes hand in hand with lower morality rate, which means an increasing population. It's a catch 22 situation. In simple terms, our planet is not equipped to handle such a large human population, and our well meaning attempts to improve our lives and the lives of people around the world is actually exacerbating the problem. In nature when any particular species population grows too large there is usually some natural factor that kicks in to restrain or reduce the population. For example ,I use to live in a riparian area for long enough to observe the squirrel population grow from a to just a few to the point were they were everywhere. Then some owls would move in and hang around. After few months you couldn't spot a single squirrel. Once all the squirrels were decimated the owls would leave and not return for several years until the squirrel population was significantly large enough for them to bother hanging around. I watched this natural cycle play out several time while I lived in that location, but it's just one example of natural population control in one species.
Humans in all their intelligence manage have managed to interfere with this natural process in many ways, but perhaps we are just postponing the inevitable. Once we make the Earth uninhabitable enough for humans to live all these problems will resolve themselves "naturally" and we become just part of a larger natural cycle.

Here is a comedic view of this view point from the late great George Carlin, funny as it might be I think he is very close to the truth of the way things will eventually work themselves out. (Barring any sort of divine intervention)

 

[sissy]

My nephew and niece had to take special classes as emt's to handle the alternative fuel cars .It is required in some states now .My cousin does have an electric car in NJ and she had to add another circuit box to handle the load and it ended up costing her almost 6 thousand dollars( no driveway for car so had to be protected with a key lock ) for install and then permits were another 300 dollars .She lives in highland Park NJ and she was told by the dealer maybe 6 or 700 dollars ,he lied .She has 200 amp service but it is not enough for the house and car .

 

[morewater]

.....the seven bad words you can't say on tv......

 

[Meyer Jordan]

.....the seven bad words you can't say on tv......

Lenny Bruce!