Dark clouds gather over coal's future

Discussion in 'The big picture' started by Michaelangelica, Sep 14, 2009.

  1. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    https://www.sciencealert.com.au/opinions ... 19746.html
    Did anyone see the ABC TV Four Corners program on Clean Coal?
    Anyone going to the protest?
    Anyone used Victorian brown Coal as a soil amendment?
     
  2. purplepear

    purplepear Junior Member

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    Re: Dark clouds gather over coal's future

    I did see the 4 corners programme. It was startling to see that the experts don't believe it will ever be viable. As for protesting - it is not for me. I realise the importance of noise making but I would rather build models of how it can and should be. I would be happy to supply food to genuine protesters for such an issue.
    regards
    intent-observation-intuition
     
  3. Wingen_Miner

    Wingen_Miner Junior Member

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    Re: Dark clouds gather over coal's future

    An interesting read.
    However to say that China is not as interested in CCS as it is in energy efficiency and renewable energy may hide the fact that China is investing vast amounts of capital into coal resources and technology; particulary Australian coal resources, both brown and black coal.


    In the end, China (and other developing nations) will do whatever it takes to generate sufficient electricity to provide its people with a quality of life which we seem to take for granted.
     
  4. purplepear

    purplepear Junior Member

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    Re: Dark clouds gather over coal's future

    The argument ignores the obvious, at least it is obvious to me, that it makes no sense to deplete in one hundred years what it takes one hundred million years to manufacture. :prayer:
     
  5. Wingen_Miner

    Wingen_Miner Junior Member

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    Re: Dark clouds gather over coal's future

    Perhaps not, but are we prepared to revert back to a pre-historic existence?

    What we choose to do with this buried energy supply is what is important. Renewable energy infrastructure cannot be created without such additional inputs of energy. it can be argued that we receive more energy per day from the sun than perhaps all of the known reserves of oil and gas. But we cannot harness this solar energy in the manner which humans are accustomed to without a large input of energy of our own.

    Perhaps the human population is too large and the earth too small to support us all in a nomadic, hunter/gatherer lifestyle. Do we condemn all of those in undeveloped nations, now facing over-population & lack of suitable farmland, to die simply becuase our western society discovered the oil/coal first and now realise that its not sustainable.
     
  6. purplepear

    purplepear Junior Member

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    Re: Dark clouds gather over coal's future

    Perhaps we can see the solution within the problem. If the suns energy was used to grow food for people and not for feed lots for carnivores, we could feed all but we will need to start with a common will. Lets hope that through permaculture we can build models for sustainable development that combine a culture of sufficiency with a great life style. This will be a way to bring people together in a constructive common will. There is no need to revert to prehistoric times and hunter gathering, as wingen put it, but to start with good design and a common will. Cuba has shown a way to get started. They were led by circumstance and had a socialist ideology but permaculture had a role there and it can the world over. I think it is not helpful to loose sight of dreams or of hope.
     
  7. Wingen_Miner

    Wingen_Miner Junior Member

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    Re: Another interesting read

    Another interesting read from a website that i stumbled across; Primitive Ways (I reckon that i might be able to make some good cordage from the bark of my wisteria plant).

    Was agriculture a good idea or an act of desparation?
    https://www.primitiveways.com/agriculture.html
     

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