ArmyRick said:I agree with Nemo888 very much. We are using up and reaking havoc on our planet without forethought for future generations.
I gave up my cell phone so I can live guilt free.

ArmyRick said:I agree with Nemo888 very much. We are using up and reaking havoc on our planet without forethought for future generations.
On the other hand, Tesla - the company that the GOP keeps using as an example of the failure of green technology has just paid back it's $465 million government loan nine years early.Haletown said:Even the best of intentions can lead to economic suicide.
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/politics/archives/2013/04/20130411-082127.html
Glad my Electric bill doesn't get generated (pardon the pun) in Ontario.
recceguy said:Unfortunately, I am not prepared to spend $15\lb for ground beef or $7\loaf for bread to see your dream come true.
With interest, the government made money on their investment and American jobs were created. In this case, it seems a wise decision. The argument now seems to be that paying the loan back early will deprive the government of a further $270 million in dividends that they could have gotten if the loan was paid off at the proper time.Haletown said:It begs the question, why should we give taxpayer dollars to Tesla buyers? Where should we get the public funds to pay a $7500.00 sales subsidy to each purchaser of a Tesla Roadster?
Should the money come out of the Health Care bucket or the Public Education bucket? Should we cut back on food inspectors, highway maintenance or military readiness?
There is always an opportunity cost, regardless of how virtuous the cause.
*cough*Chrysler*cough*Haletown said:But I can't see buying into a company that has a business model that has a significant dependency on government support. Especially governments that are running, stunningly huge deficits.
ArmyRick said:I can start another thread explaining in great detail about sustainable agriculture if interested.
Bruce Monkhouse said:.....and the "mega-farm" is the only way we'll be able to feed ourselves.
GR66 said:The problem in general isn't with our use of resources, it is with our inefficient use of and incorrect costing of those resources. Get rid of subsidies that distort the cost and value of goods and services. Also force producers/consumers to pay the REAL cost of the things they use. If use of a particular resource forces us as a society to spend money countering the effects of that use then factor in that cost off the top (i.e. if it costs us $100 to dispose of a television set in the landfill then the cost of a TV should be $100 more than it is now).
This will allow us to much more efficiently make our decisions as a society. If the dropping of subsidies, marketing boards, farm tax credits, discounted "coloured" diesel fuel, tariffs on imports, proper pricing of water used, etc. causes the price of beef to go up by $10 per pound then we can decide if we really want beef that much. It will also allow those innovative people who find better (cheaper/less impactful) ways of producing beef to reap the benefit of their innovations by making their products more competitive. More "accurate" pricing of commodities (like energy) might force us to simply be more efficient in our use of that resource. Saving a Kw Hour of electricity might be more cost effective than producing an additional Kw Hour through some damaging form of production (be that "dirty" carbon producing methods or "wasteful" and heavily subsidised "green" methods). It will certainly be better for the environment as well if we use less/keep things longer/re-use and repurpose items in order to make them more cost effective. I bet it would also be a great economic boost for a country with a well educated workforce and modern infrastructure going for it.
"the necessary political will for the tough choices that are needed"
"The action needed to meet the targets"
"demands a societal transformation"
"the mass mobilisation and support of the public"
as opposed to the 2500 believe there is 30000 scientists recently signed a petition stating there is no scientific evidence of global warming, as opposed to the 2500 believe there is

