Carbon Regulatory Offset Committee Public Service Announcement

[srkruzich]

Water is the biggest issue in pollution these days, much bigger than this global warming/cooling issue.  Of all the water on the earth, ONLY 2% is drinkable, but 1% of that 2% is polluted to the point it is poisonous.

[larryJ]

I don't really have horror stories about the earlier years and the smog.  It was a lot worse than it is now.  There is a small hill east of me about 4 miles.  This hill basically separates the San Gabriel Valley part of LA county from the Pomona valley area.  It is not a huge hill, but it is high enough so that when you are coming west on the I-10, you get a panoramic view of the SG Valley.  At the top of that hill you are 27 miles or so, from downtown Los Angeles.  On a clear day, you can see in the distance the buildings in Los Angeles, small of course.  Thirty years ago, seeing that view would be a "wow, look at that" reaction.  Today, I am so used to seeing those buildings any time I have to come home that way, that I don't even pay attention because it is so commonplace.

When our children were in elementary school, there were "smog days" similar to snow days.  When the school was notified of the amount of pollutants in the air, children were kept indoors during lunches and recesses.  I don't think that is much of a problem anymore, or least, I don't hear about it on the news.  Smog alerts were issued in stages.  A stage one alert meant that you probably should stay inside with the A/C on, or curtail your activities if you are outside.  Stage one alerts for those with respiratory problems meant staying in, period.  We used to have  a lot of stage one alerts in the summertime, maybe 10 to 20 each year.  Now, we might have 1 or 2.  Like I said, I can see the mountains to the north each day and clearly. 

There are very heavy restrictions on what a manufacturing plant can emit into the air.  All such factories have "smog cleaners" on any smokestacks or chimneys.  These cleaners are designed to clean the smoke by trapping the larger particles before the smoke goes on into the atmosphere.   Expensive process?  Yes.  Worthwhile?  You bet.

When I was working for the Times, we had monthly inspections by the state to make sure that the chemicals we used were rated at a  certain pollution level.  There were many cleaning supplies we could have used to make the job easier, but they were rated above the acceptable level required by the state. 

Anyway, all of the practices put into place by the state and local governments are paying off.  Probably because with smog, there is more of a visual result and from a health standpoint, a noticeable reduction in people walking into a hospital with breathing problems.

Larryj

[Varmit]

I don't have a problem with cleaning up pollution and I don't advocate being wasteful.  What I do have a problem is the science and almost religious zealotry behind the Green movement.  Should there be a certain level of emission and pollution standards, yes.  However, when we try and regulate a natural occuring gas, such as carbon, I think that is going to far.  What is next, are we going to make anyone that owns a cow purchase carbon credits?  Afterall, cows to release, among other things, carbon.  What about fat people?...They use more oxgyen, produce more carbon gas, eat more food,...MY GOD their carbon footprint is HUGE, we have to have Fat tax, make them purchase carbon credits, and fine them for being overweight!!

[Authors note:  Please notice the huge amount of sarcasm included here.]

As for crimes against the earth, what about crimes committed BY the earth?  Who is going to pay for those?  What about the fact that 47% of petroleum leaked into marine enviroments is naturally occuring? 

[Patriot]

I don't have a problem with cleaning up pollution and I don't advocate being wasteful.  What I do have a problem is the science and almost religious zealotry behind the Green movement.  Should there be a certain level of emission and pollution standards, yes.  However, when we try and regulate a natural occuring gas, such as carbon, I think that is going to far.  What is next, are we going to make anyone that owns a cow purchase carbon credits?  Afterall, cows to release, among other things, carbon.  What about fat people?...They use more oxgyen, produce more carbon gas, eat more food,...MY GOD their carbon footprint is HUGE, we have to have Fat tax, make them purchase carbon credits, and fine them for being overweight!!

As for crimes against the earth, what about crimes committed BY the earth?  Who is going to pay for those?  What about the fact that 47% of petroleum leaked into marine enviroments is naturally occuring? 

Where to begin?

"Almost religious zealotry."  Almost?  I'm thinkin that for many it is a religious endeavor!  Look at the time and energy some folks put into being 'environmentally correct'.

Cows?  The concept of taxing producers of livestock is already on the table.  It's not 'next'... it's here!  I recently read of proposals that will tax feedlots and dairy producers at a rate approaching $50 per head per year.

Science?  Those who do some research will find that many of those 2500 experts (read: Drips Under Pessure) on the IPCC have backgrounds in things that have little or nothing to do with climatology. Further, many recognized experts in the field have opinions about climate change that are quite opposite of the 'consensus' opinions.  But folks like Hanson (sp) at NASA have the spotlight, squeek more and therefore get the media oil.  Hell, Hanson was the same nutcase who was preparing us for the next ice age 25 or 30 years ago!

And now the EPA has permission to regulate carbon dioxide!  Think about that for a second.  What was it we exhale as we breathe?  Oh yeah... carbon dioxide.  How about a carbon tax based on how much we personally exhale?  harumph!

Personally, I believe that mankind's damage to the earth really has a small impact on our overall climate condition.  While I detest wasteful and willful destruction of our resources, I'm not sure more big government and lots of hand wringing are the answers.

The vast majority of the modern green movement at top end is about money.  Grants, movies, giveaways and taxes.  A religious pursuit of more money... common sense be damned!

[Varmit]

Patriot, I agree 100%.  But I think that you will find that to be a minority opinion, at least on this forum.

[srkruzich]

Patriot, I agree 100%.  But I think that you will find that to be a minority opinion, at least on this forum.

Minority maybe but not mine.  The only reason Gore and eco groups are pushing this agenda is to fill their wallets.  Nothing more.  Ever seen what happens in a Greenhouse when they release CO2 into the greenhouse?  The plants go nuts and take off growing.  They also convert that same CO2 into O2. 
Why is it that they are screaming our destruction by the raising of CO2?  ALl thats going to happen is that the planet will produce more plant life, put more water into the  atmosphere due to the warming of the environment.  So what if the storms get bigger.  4,000 years ago the planet was a greenhouse.  The ice caps were very small if existant at all.   People got along fine back then.

[Patriot]

Patriot, I agree 100%.  But I think that you will find that to be a minority opinion, at least on this forum.

I'm sure that's right, Varmit.  Personally, I prefer to approach such matters based on fact and good personal research.  I like to reserve 'emotional' approaches to things like where to plant the new rose bush.

[Varmit]

Exactly my point.

[pamsback]

What about fat people?...They use more oxgyen, produce more carbon gas, eat more food,...MY GOD their carbon footprint is HUGE, we have to have Fat tax, make them purchase carbon credits, and fine them for being overweight!!

I ACtually saw a chick on the news sayin this very thing should be done and her group..I can't remember what she called it...is lobbying the government for a fat tax!

All this stuff yall are talkin about is what I call "city, yuppie, bullshit environmentalism.  None of you all have ever bothered to ask me what kind of environmentalism I go for besides jumpin down my throat and accusin me of bein one of the above city blah blah blah! You couldn't melt my ass down and POUR me in a city....I find most of those types TOTally out of touch with the real world. I also do not think climate change is UNnatural if you ever bothered to read a entire sentence I write instead of just seein those two words and runnin with it.
o
I'll put it in capitals maybe yall will read it that way. CLIMATE CHANGE IS NATURAL!!!!! POLLUTION IS NOT NATURAL!!!!!! I THINK THE CARBON TAX SO-CALLED IS A RETARDED CONCEPT THOUGHT UP BY EDUCATED IDIOTS WITH TOO MUCH TIME ON THEIR HANDS AND AXES TO GRIND AND POCKETS TO FILL!!!I DISPISE PETA!!! i TELL VEGETARIANS WHO GIVE ME CRAP ABOUT EATING MEAT THAT THEY ALSO ARE NOT INNOCENT .....THAT LETTUCE WAS ALIVE AND BREATHING WHEN IT WAS RIPPED OUT OF THE GROUND AND HAD ITS HEAD CRUELLY CUT OFF!!! I FIND THE PEOPLE WHO PROTEST RODEO ETC. AS CRUELTY TO ANIMALS TO BE STUPID!!!!!! AND ANY ONE OF A HUNDRED PET CAUSES DESIGNED TO GET MONEY BY PLAYING ON STUPID PEOPLES IGNORANCE AND GUILT!!!!!

I BELIEVE in recycling.....using LESS energy not NO energy....I believe we need to develop ALTERNATIVE energy and make it AFFORDABLE to the average Joe Blow.....organic gardening and farming.... I USE NO CHEMICALS OR POISONS ON MY LAND OR IN MY HOUSE besides soap that is. I do everything I have to do in town in ONE TRIP instead of runnin 25 mile one way every ten minutes.......I believe in wildlife habitat...I believe in water conservation...I try to generate the least amount of trash I can....I hunt for FOOD instead of a trophy to hang on the wall....I believe in nuts and bolts doin what I can WHEN I can to try to leave the least destruction behind me when I go.

People who use the argument of Al gore linin his pockets and exagerating for that very reason as a point to call any attempt at environmentalism the same kind of crap PISS ME OFF! People who jump down your throat when you say shit HAS to change just beCAUSE of crap like "yuppie environmentalism" or "politically CORRECT" environmentalism PISS ME OFF.

THINGS HAVE TO CHANGE!!!! FOR REAL...not to make some yuppie city person feel all warm and fuzzy when they drive their mercedes to their mansion and sit around with their snotty cohorts and tell each other what "good things" they did that day...but because We have a responsibility to GOD, to the EARTH, and to the generations that come AFTER us to leave them something with Air they can breathe, Water they can drink..SAFELY.., Earth they can grow things in and ON. A NONtoxic Earth their children will inherit.

I HOPE yall read this and GET MY POINT!!!

[Patriot]

Speaking of fair hearing, good science and Chicago thuggery.....

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YmVjNDEyYWRlN2ZlMmY5Mzc2NjBlMGE5MzBlM2JlNDI

Seems the president (Lower case intended) things that opponents to climate change just 'need to be dealt with.'

What a Stalinist putz!