Comments on: Far-off impacts of global warming not so far off http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/04/10/far-off-impacts-of-global-warming-not-so-far-off/ Trends, happenings and innovations in the clean technology market Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:42:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/04/10/far-off-impacts-of-global-warming-not-so-far-off/comment-page-1/#comment-379 Anonymous Tue, 11 Apr 2006 01:33:00 +0000 http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/04/10/far-off-impacts-of-global-warming-not-so-far-off/#comment-379 That was my thought. Strangely enough, I found myself having to report on that story, though I tried to balance it off against the kind of views you just expressed. Yes, healthcare costs are ignored in their assessment, and they also make some pretty basic assumptions about the various forms of generation. Fact is, coal, natural gas and uranium prices are skyrocketing, and there's no way we can continue to operate with artificially low prices. I think it would be best for the government to assist major industrial power consuming in co-generation and other operational efficiency projects that reduce their dependence on grid-supplied electricity. Simply extending the old way of subsidizing power only encourages the wasteful use of electricity, and over the long term, it does nothing to tackle the major pollution and greenhouse gas emissions that will ultimately affect the quality of life/health of those people whose jobs are allegedly on the line. That was my thought. Strangely enough, I found myself having to report on that story, though I tried to balance it off against the kind of views you just expressed. Yes, healthcare costs are ignored in their assessment, and they also make some pretty basic assumptions about the various forms of generation. Fact is, coal, natural gas and uranium prices are skyrocketing, and there’s no way we can continue to operate with artificially low prices. I think it would be best for the government to assist major industrial power consuming in co-generation and other operational efficiency projects that reduce their dependence on grid-supplied electricity. Simply extending the old way of subsidizing power only encourages the wasteful use of electricity, and over the long term, it does nothing to tackle the major pollution and greenhouse gas emissions that will ultimately affect the quality of life/health of those people whose jobs are allegedly on the line.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/04/10/far-off-impacts-of-global-warming-not-so-far-off/comment-page-1/#comment-378 Anonymous Mon, 10 Apr 2006 23:48:00 +0000 http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/04/10/far-off-impacts-of-global-warming-not-so-far-off/#comment-378 I found it quite ironic that on the same day your article was published, a story called 'Business warns against closing coal fired plants' was also <a href="http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&pubid=968163964505&cid=1144664886693&col=968705899037&call_page=TS_News&call_pageid=968332188492&call_pagepath=News/News" rel="nofollow">posted</a> on thestar.com. It states that if the Ontario gov't does good on it's promise to shut down all our coal-fired generators, hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost, gdp will drop by $16 billion annually, etc. Naturally, there's no mention of any additional healthcare related expenses (more and more people are getting asthma) or any increase in insurance costs brought on by global warming. So essentially, the government extended the artifically low cap for three years to the businesses that use 1/3 of the power, and they have the nerve to complain some more? Wow, this is beyond greed. I found it quite ironic that on the same day your article was published, a story called ‘Business warns against closing coal fired plants’ was also posted on thestar.com.

It states that if the Ontario gov’t does good on it’s promise to shut down all our coal-fired generators, hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost, gdp will drop by $16 billion annually, etc. Naturally, there’s no mention of any additional healthcare related expenses (more and more people are getting asthma) or any increase in insurance costs brought on by global warming.

So essentially, the government extended the artifically low cap for three years to the businesses that use 1/3 of the power, and they have the nerve to complain some more? Wow, this is beyond greed.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/04/10/far-off-impacts-of-global-warming-not-so-far-off/comment-page-1/#comment-377 Anonymous Mon, 10 Apr 2006 22:25:00 +0000 http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/04/10/far-off-impacts-of-global-warming-not-so-far-off/#comment-377 your column is bang on, as frustrating as it is. the thing that really seems to be missing from all levels of government though, is the 'incentive to do better'. sure the 'polluter pays' stick is ideal since the carrot clearly isn't working. yes, dirty energy should be more expensive. but the money generated from 'end of the pipe' taxes, plus a whole lot more, needs to reach the people and industries that are trying to progress towards cleaner production. your column is bang on, as frustrating as it is. the thing that really seems to be missing from all levels of government though, is the ‘incentive to do better’. sure the ‘polluter pays’ stick is ideal since the carrot clearly isn’t working. yes, dirty energy should be more expensive. but the money generated from ‘end of the pipe’ taxes, plus a whole lot more, needs to reach the people and industries that are trying to progress towards cleaner production.

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