Are environmentalist fighting a battle they can't win and destroying the US economy in the process?

Question

You can't build new coal plants because of the EPA. The cost of electricity will increase by over 50% in the next 10 years due to new regulations.
We can't install the new oil pipeline because of protestors.
We can't open new oil fields in the US.

Meanwhile the rest of the world is chugging right along with coal and oil as cheap energy sources. For every ounce of carbon we save from going into the atmosphere China adds a pound and it the amount increases every day.

We know the climate is shifting and burning of fossil fuels is probably speeding the process up a little bit. The idea that we can actually slow or reverse the trend is absurd and any honest scientist will tell you the same thing.

So why are we sacrificing our entire economy and position as a world power to fight a battle we know we can't win? Is it just because it's makes us feel better because "at least we are trying something"?

Answer 1

Those environmentalist on the left are grand hippocrates . Where is it best to drill? Half way around the world? What is the carbon footprint on a supertanker? If there is a spill in Russia or Mexico do they care about the clean up? If there was a spill here in the U.S. It would be clean enough to eat off of after the clean up.

Put you biases aside and intelligently ask yourself, where would it be the most environmentally safe and responsible place to drill?

Answer 2

You are full of crap. Coal and Oil are not cheap energy sources for anybody, the only major country with no regulations on coal is China, and even over there its still hard to get to, dangerous to get, and dirty to use. Oil prices are high across the board. Out of the major world powers the US is at the back *** end of environmental policies, even China is pushing for renewable fuel sources more than the US is. The idea of not allowing expansion of fossil fuel collection in the US is more along the lines of "why waste money on developing something that is going by the way side" and not "at least we are trying something" the only people who thinks fossil fuels have any real future are the people who has interests in keeping them around.



-----------------------------------



And now we know why you take it so personal, you have a dead end job that is likely to die in the next few years.

Answer 3

New coal plants aren't being built because natural gas is so cheap that municipal power producers aren't interested in coal at this point. Coal is losing out to cheap shale gas.



Seriously, are you a coal industry lobbyist trying out talking points or something? You sound like you're putting something together for one of those Conservatwit News Outlets where the viewers have no analytical ability whatsoever.



Coal is not cost competitive, the drawback in development of coal-burning power facilities has nothing to do with the EPA and everything to do with the massive supply of natural gas right now.

Answer 4

The 550 million that Obama gave to his buddies at Solyndra was more than enough to build solar fields all over this country.



Instead of giving that money to a failing company it could have been used to build solar fileds all over the US and provide jobs for people and saved the failing company with purchases of solar equipment from them.

Answer 5

Well first off, the rest of the world doesn't use anywhere near as much as the USA... it's a bigger country and has more energy demands than most.



But wouldn't solar power etc be cheaper? That's a genuine question as I'm no expert :-)

Answer 6

I agree with you that it's a lost cause - but so are fossil fuels a lost cause - with peak oil either here now, or coming in the next couple of years, so it's a win win to be the leader of the technologies that will replace fossil fuels, of which we are losing that battle as well with China.

Answer 7

Lord I hope not!

Clean air, clean water, and clean soil is more important than finding the last scrap of oil.



It is a declining resource - find another.

Answer 8

Just like a Republican to give up.