It’s getting harder to deny reality of global warming
I know the arguments: That we don’t really have enough records on global temperatures and that the Earth’s temperature rises and falls on its own. Still, there’s this:
The first phase of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is being released in Paris next week. This segment, written by more than 600 scientists and reviewed by another 600 experts and edited by bureaucrats from 154 countries, includes “a significantly expanded discussion of observation on the climate,” co-chair Susan Solomon a senior scientist for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. She and other scientists held a telephone briefing on the report Monday.That report will feature an “explosion of new data” on observations of current
global warming , Solomon said.
Yes, I know Rush Limbaugh and his ilk can point to a scientist here or there who hasn’t bought into the theory. But I found it harder and harder to buy into the counter theory that all these scientists are chasing grant money to study global warming. Still, I’m pretty sure that many of the environmentally concerned people pushing global warming like the only solution that makes sense: Expanded use of
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
iBrows is considering becoming the first home in Peoria with a roof-mounted wind microturbine, which we calculate would generate nearly 2/3 of our electricity usage and pay for itself in 4 years (with state green power rebates). If we go ahead and do it, I’ll be sure to post extensive pics and data.
Roof mounted microturbines are sooooooooooo much cooler than nuclear!
I’m a little surprised that the school districts don’t look into the feasibility of wind power. Besides the potential of substantial energy savings, they would have a built-in science project for the kids. There’s a school up near Princeton that is using one and so far seems to be having good results (I don’t have the time to look up the specific town, but it’s in the Princeton / LaSalle Peru area).
It’s Bureau Valley High School. Single turbine projects like that one are not economially feasible. Theirs worked only because they got State $$ to pay for about 50% of the project cost. That isn’t likely to happen again.
Overall, wind power is becoming more feasible because market prices for electricity are rising and turbine technology is improving, so that lower wind speed sites, including many in Illinois, are now feasible when 5 years ago they weren’t.
But it’s become a large developer’s business. The large players – Horizon, Invenergy, Navitas, and others, have grabbed control of the best sites, cornered the market on turbines and other major equipment.
iBrows – totally digging the new spelling. A keeper, I’d say!
Where did you get information on rebates for installing alternative energy sources? I’ve been researching such things, like the microturbine and solar cells, etc. Rebates or incentives would certainly help!
“Theirs worked only because they got State $$ to pay for about 50% of the project cost. That isn’t likely to happen again.”
Illinois actually has very generous grant programs for sustainable energy projects for homeowners, 501(c)3s, and businesses. I THINK there’s still a 50% grant for schools in effect. There are also federal grants and some private grant programs.
Small-turbine projects are falling in cost fast and the payoff on them is shrinking, in some cases, to as little as 5 years, which hopefully WILL make it more feasible for schools — particularly new construction.
PI, what really helps keep school energy costs down is geothermal HVAC, since a huge amount of school energy costs come from heating and cooling the building, and geothermal is the next best thing to free — but almost has to be put in during new construction. Very expensive and tricky to retrofit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_heating
I thought a long time ago I saw a turbine on top of a house in the east bluff?
(also tax incentives!)
cgiselle:
http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/map2.cfm?State=IL
has a fairly complete, constantly updated list of state-by-state incentive programs (also easy links to state and federal regulations) for alternative energy sources. You can also limit searches to “homeowners only.” That link is to the IL incentives.
The DOE also lists very federally funded programs, state by state:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/state_energy_program/projects_all_by_state.cfm/state=IL
And you can find this from other links, but:
http://www.illinoiscleanenergy.org/
I know I had a couple more but I’ve lost them in my bookmarks folder. I sent them to CJ a while ago so he might have one or two I can’t locate right now.
I should also add … Illinois provides that:
35 ILCS 200
Sec. 10-10. Valuation of solar energy systems. When a solar energy system has been installed in improvements on any property, the owner of that property is entitled to claim, by filing with the chief county assessment officer, an alternate valuation of those improvements. When a claim for alternate valuation is filed, the chief county assessment officer shall ascertain the value of the improvements as if equipped with a conventional heating or cooling system and the value of the improvements as equipped with the solar energy system. So long as the solar energy system is used in total or part as the means of utilizing solar energy improvements, the alternate valuation computed as the lesser of the two values ascertained under this paragraph shall be applied. When the solar energy system so valued ceases to be used as the means of heating or cooling those improvements, the owner of that property shall within 30 days notify the chief county assessment officer in writing by certified mail.
Which is to say renewable energy (it’s not just solar but can include other types; I can’t recall if that’s in the prior chapter of the law, or in the interpretation of its application) is tax-advantaged and your property taxes won’t skyrocket as a result of installing such a system.
Global warming is a myth perpetuated by academics seeking grants to study it.
The biggest problem with the global warming theory is that scientists seem to start investigation with the predetermined assumption that the warming is man’s fault.
I believe the Earth is getting warmer. I have a hard time with the part where man has the power to control the environment. Logically, it just doesn’t make sense that man could ruin billions of years of “evolution” or “creation” in 150 years.
I suppose that we had the last Ice Age because there weren’t enough mastodon and polar bear farts to capture and keep the heat near the ground?
A Canadian Ice shelf, in the same damn place for thousands of years, broke free in 2005.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/12/29/canada.arctic.ap/index.html
Yes, there are plenty of naturally occurring Ice Ages and Heat Waves, but the government is buying into this one, even W’s (snicker) rocket scientists. Even Billy’s giving in. Give up.
And Von, by your estimation up there, no one would ever have studied cancer, polio, toxicity in chemicals, etc…
A Canadian Ice Shelf, in place for thousands of years, broke off in 2005:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/12/29/canada.arctic.ap/index.html
Look up BPSolar. Lots of good info there.
Vonster is so right and so succinct, and so is prego man.
We are in the final end stage of the last Ice Age where half of the USA was covered with ice. It is still retreating.
The Earth has always had hurricanes, droughts, floods etc all long before the industrial revolution. Read ancient history if you disagree.
When the Earth had higher levels of carbon dioxide, there was more plant life and the Sahara desert was green. Good if that happens again.
Global warming is a product of the “researchers” et al that get grant money. Just a couple decades ago it was Global Cooling.
GOD made the Earth able to sustain and renew itself with massive human life. The environmental history of the Earth has had fluctuations vastly greater than we are seeing now.
Green is good as far as stopping pollution. People have freedom to do what they want so long as it doesn’t interfere with other’s rights. No one has the right to pollute. Carbon dioxide is not pollution. It is the life source of plant life which from plants is recycled into oxygen.
We need more wind power and all kinds of new energy sources to diversify our energy supply not because of the Global Warming farce.
The Global Warming industry to profits from the scare is so utterly hypocritical. It is attempts to curb the freedom and the lifestyle of the middle class. “If those stupid masses could just plan ahead they could make one trip to WalMart a month instead of 3.” Yet nearly all these Global Warming crusaders fly in private jets and stay in Presidential hotel suites and own multiple homes that need to be heated, cooled and powered. Limousines or chaufeur driven sedans pick them up at the foot of the private planes.
Barbara Streisand owns a huge coop on Park Ave in NYC that she doesn’t vistit for months but keeps the temperature at 68 degrees in the summer becuase that is the optimum temperature to preserve her extensive fur collection. Then at a liberal rally she rants about Global Warming. They are all alike.
They really hate human beings and want millions or billions less of us. They want the middle class to live as dictated to. Many use the cause to burnish a fake PR image and many are on the dole of grant money to fight this phantom that is concocted for their own gain.
However, because of their own unique ability to save the world they are exempt from what they preach. They all want to power up their computers and gadgets but disapprove every source of energy to do it. Even wind power is objected to by left wingers because birds and butterflys can be killed by the turbines. They have used these arguments to stop wind power projects here in Illinois when testifying against projects before zoning boards.
History moves on. The climate changes over long periods of time and it will be foolish to create massive poverty to try to stop it.
Who knows, if the Sahara desert becomes green again, Africa may be able to feed itself and what then would liberals do without that dependency to care for.
I wish it was a few degrees warmer right now. Then I might not need to use gasoline to warm up my car.
Eyebrows McGee: Would this be a grid-tie system? Web-site to look at?
The sad part is that net metering laws in Illinois do not require the utility to pay you retail for the excess electricity you generate. They only have to pay you wholesale for the excess electricity. This makes a home implementation much more difficult to pay for itself.
I wasn’t aware of the distinction between retail and wholesale. I knew they had to pay you, or rather “buy” the excess electricity back, but I guess the wholesale rate is next to nothing.
Giselle. That was non sequitur. You’re creating linkage where none exists.
Yeah, the fact that an ice shelf broke off only proves that the ice is melting, and nothing more than that.
I guess it would be unreasonable to suggest that the weight of the ice caused itself to break and that ice should never break unless man causes it? Who caused the ice to form in first place? It’s all specualtion based upon a few years of man’s newfound observational abilities.
Men, especially Republican men, are the source of all evil. Didn’t you know?
My take is that if the government actually gives you money to conserve energy. Then, man-made warming is indeed a part of the factor. Because, as an individual I can recieve tax breaks for using energy efficient products. Normally, when the government will part with some change, that usually says that they believe to some level that global warming is effecting the atmosphere.
No, when the gov’t gives you a tax break for buying something, it is because someone knows someone and wants to sell their products.
Yeah, Its the trilateral commison, CFR, bilderbergs, hellfire clubs, and bohemian club regulars. J/K partly true I’m sure.
The conspiracy is that THERE IS NO CONSPIRACY! They want the public to be chasing idiotic conspiracy theories instead of doing the hard work of actually participating in government, or they want us to assume the game is rigged so we don’t get involved.
Billy, that was alittle joke for MDD. Sorry, its not conspiracy talk, so if that comment was geared towards my reply. I apologize, if not and your addressing these other folks, great. I agree with that comment anyway.Cheers
Actually the computers models show that as CO2 increases, water vapor (a much more potent Greenhouse Gas) will increase rapidly, yet this is not happening, why?
Also note that the world was much warmer than now in the 1200s, must have been all those cars!
In the 1850s world temperatures bottomed out (snow in London where there is generally rain)
And currently the trend has been towards more extremes if you look at the facts. The Northern Hemisphere is in one of the coldest winters in decades, it snow in LA where it has not snowed since the 1950s. Meantime in Australia where it is summer, they are experiencing extreme heat wave.
These are called climatic cycles.
As for the scientist all agreeing this is a farce as there are certainly plenty plugging this to get more grant money and find more ways to hate the USA, but most who agree are not even Meteorological Scientists.
Its hard to disagree with 2500 scientists from more than 130 countries. But, you decide.
http://in.news.yahoo.com/070125/137/6biat.html