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suspectnumber961 12-21-2012 07:33 AM

The difference between the US and Germany....
 
The US is bassackwards as usual?

How a Country With One of the World's Largest Economies Is Ditching Fossil Fuels | Alternet

GERMANY

So, what is this transition plan and is it an energy and climate innovator or, as skeptics claim, a plan made to fail? The targets are impressive. TheEnergiewende includes phasing out all nuclear power by 2022 and cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 80% from 1990 levels and shifting the nation’s energy sources to 80% renewables by 2050. Additionally, theRenewable Energy Act gives priority to renewable energy in the energy grid before dirty forms of energy, securing a place for renewables in the energy marketplace. The plan also includes major expansions of the energy grid, consumer-based incentives, market-based emissions reductions and, all in all, reads as a gigantic climate and renewable energy high five.

US

In stark contrast, the world is watching closely as the U.S. undergoes a climate-unfortunate “re-industrialization”. Our own domestic energy transformation includes the “shale gas miracle”—or curse—of untapped natural shale gas reserves and the increased call for hydraulic fracking—a method of natural gas extraction that has lead to dramatic health and environmental concerns by many communities and aburgeoning anti-fracking movement. Many speak of the “shale gas miracle” as the key to U.S.energy independence. The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts a 44% increase in U.S. natural gas production from 2011 to 2040. Additionally, according to aNovember, 2012,L.A. Timesarticle, “The U.S. will become the world’s top producer of oil by 2020, a net exporter of oil around 2030 and nearly self-sufficient in energy by 2035, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency.” The popular rhetoric of U.S. energy independence seems to be the only climate or energy discussion to have successfully infiltrated U.S. media and crossed party lines—with “energy security” as a close runner-up.

...

Public Perception: It’s Not “If,” It’s How

As U.S. media outlets continue to ignore the clear, international climate science consensus and debate the existence of manmade climate change, the German media—and public—is on the road to energy independence AND cutting their climate impacts drastically. Even when talking with a former parliament member of one of Germany’s more conservative parties, he simultaneously touted the need for expansion of the fossil fuel industry, while saying, “of course climate change is real and we need to take action”. To many U.S. conservatives, climate change has somehow become a part of the “liberal agenda” of big government, tree hugging and a communist plot to destroy the nation’s economy.

Regardless of party lines, there’s an obvious breach of communication between climate scientists, policy makers, the media, and the American public.*

*Right wing stink tanks?

......

jakobnev 12-21-2012 01:22 PM

http://www.micetrap.net/flags/greenswazi.gif

(Yes i went there.)

jamesqf 12-21-2012 01:22 PM

And why is Germany like the US? Both are subject to delusion: in the case of Germany, that "ditching nuclear power" thing. Which of course means that the baseload energy they can't import from France will be produced by coal-fired power plants.

TheEnemy 12-21-2012 01:35 PM

Electricity in the US costs on average $0.13/kwh

Electricity in Germany $0.31/kwh, 5th highest in the world.

I would like to be able to put down more of what Germany is doing, but in fact they are doing many things right.

Diesel_Dave 12-21-2012 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suspectnumber961 (Post 346472)
The US is bassackwards as usual?

You lost me there.

suspectnumber961 12-21-2012 09:21 PM

Interesting. But which country now has BY FAR the worlds biggest military...is ignoring international law along with it's little friend in the ME....is essentially lining up to be...or is lined up to be the next country to go bonkers and try to rule the world using military might? Also can't seem to take care of it's own infrastructure while it tears up other countries and then does a half*ss rebuild? Has increased it's military spending by 50% in a decade...now has a seriously large internal police force. Is up to it's eyeballs in debt....ALWAYS destabilizing. I wonder what country that could be....???

Trust me...we're heading down that road...yes...we went there.....


Quote:

Originally Posted by jakobnev (Post 346518)


radioranger 12-22-2012 07:37 AM

Well there is plenty of renewable energy here they wont let us use, trees, here in New England there are way too many trees that are unmanaged, at some point the forest fire risk will be unreal, downed trees everywhere, and the ones that are left are way too close together to optimize growth, be pretty easy to burn them also since we already burn most of our garbage here, course trees are sacred but now look a terrible mess along the roadsides and interstates the locust trees grow like crazy and very easy to harvest, course it doesnt fit the agenda of controlling the masses and more taxes to feed the ever larger government . hundred of people could be put to work today pulling just a fraction of these trees down and making power, renewable power.

jamesqf 12-22-2012 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suspectnumber961 (Post 346578)
...is ignoring international law along with it's little friend in the ME...

Well, if international bigotry law says I have to not resist when a bunch of religious fanatics decide to commit genocide, then you better bet I'm going to ignore international law.

suspectnumber961 12-23-2012 07:34 AM

Looks like the US caught a tiger by the tail and found the same as the French and Russians found?

I think the US was used to throwing it's muscle around and got bit.

Now the citizens pay...as per usual....as the "war" expands into the US, Africa, and elsewhere?

This is because the average citizen can't make the connection between the prices they pay (in so many ways) and the SOS policies.

Once a war starts it takes on a life of it's own and becomes it's own excuse....resulting in the SOS.

This is known as the "You sunk my battleship!" syndrome.

WAR is the US religion?


Speaking of genocide:

Cost Of War

Number Of Iraqis Slaughtered In US War And Occupation Of Iraq "1,455,590"


Number of U.S. Military Personnel Sacrificed (Officially acknowledged) In America's War On Iraq: 4,883


Number Of International Occupation Force Troops Slaughtered In Afghanistan : 3,243

Cost of War in Iraq & Afghanistan

Total Cost of Wars Since 2001

$1,405,253,994,658

* on borrowed money :D

Cost of War to the United States | COSTOFWAR.COM

Recently read that they've found that the 500,000 brain injuries from the 2 wars usually result in permanent damage....starting a gradual brain deterioration...another cost of the wars?


Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesqf (Post 346645)
Well, if international bigotry law says I have to not resist when a bunch of religious fanatics decide to commit genocide, then you better bet I'm going to ignore international law.


suspectnumber961 12-23-2012 07:43 AM

I've seen a few groves of old growth in the west...not to be missed. Around here there was originally probably 95% old growth hardwoods...still a very few patches of large trees....not the originals I'm pretty sure.

Natural old growth results in well spaced out large trees...current practices in the west result in closely spaced stick farms?

Here they sometimes clean out the fence rows...pile up the brush and burn it. While in Africa women trudge out into the bush for a few sticks.

I think the issue is...if there isn't big profits in it...it doesn't get done.


Quote:

Originally Posted by radioranger (Post 346599)
Well there is plenty of renewable energy here they wont let us use, trees, here in New England there are way too many trees that are unmanaged, at some point the forest fire risk will be unreal, downed trees everywhere, and the ones that are left are way too close together to optimize growth, be pretty easy to burn them also since we already burn most of our garbage here, course trees are sacred but now look a terrible mess along the roadsides and interstates the locust trees grow like crazy and very easy to harvest, course it doesnt fit the agenda of controlling the masses and more taxes to feed the ever larger government . hundred of people could be put to work today pulling just a fraction of these trees down and making power, renewable power.


Diesel_Dave 12-23-2012 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suspectnumber961 (Post 346578)
Interesting. But which country now has BY FAR the worlds biggest military...is ignoring international law along with it's little friend in the ME....is essentially lining up to be...or is lined up to be the next country to go bonkers and try to rule the world using military might? Also can't seem to take care of it's own infrastructure while it tears up other countries and then does a half*ss rebuild? Has increased it's military spending by 50% in a decade...now has a seriously large internal police force. Is up to it's eyeballs in debt....ALWAYS destabilizing. I wonder what country that could be....???

Trust me...we're heading down that road...yes...we went there.....

The US is far from a perfect country and, were you and I to sit down together over a cup of coffee, I suspect we'd agree on many of the flaws and mistakes. However, I strongly reject the notion that other countries all have their act together and the US is just "bassackwards as usual." The United States of America is, and has been, the greatest country on the face of the earth by any objective standard. Does she have her flaws? Certainly. But the US has done more good for more people than any other country. Heck, most of Europe would most likely be under tyranny from either the Germans or the Russians without the help of the US in 2 world wars.


Now, getting back to your original post, while I have no doubt that Germany is doing some good things, I'd like to point out that there's a big difference bettween having energy plans, and actually carying them out. The US has had plenty of plans, many of which are officially "law", going back to at least Nixon, detailing how we'll be energy independent by XXX year, or that we'll use so much renewable fuel by XXX year, etc.

I'd also like to point out that doing this type of thing from a top-down approach is very difficult because not all that's "green" or "clean" or "renewable" is clearly good. Look at ethanol in the US for example. You also can't just mandate everything and make it happen. Look at eh cellulosic ethonal mandate for example.

redyaris 12-23-2012 11:00 AM

I wonder what a comparison of The Roman Empire, The British Empire and The American Empire would yield...?

gone-ot 12-23-2012 12:42 PM

Roman Empire = dead.
British Empire = dying.
American Empire = next.

suspectnumber961 12-24-2012 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel_Dave (Post 346736)
The US is far from a perfect country and, were you and I to sit down together over a cup of coffee, I suspect we'd agree on many of the flaws and mistakes. However, I strongly reject the notion that other countries all have their act together and the US is just "bassackwards as usual." The United States of America is, and has been, the greatest country on the face of the earth by any objective standard. Does she have her flaws? Certainly. But the US has done more good for more people than any other country. Heck, most of Europe would most likely be under tyranny from either the Germans or the Russians without the help of the US in 2 world wars.

The US used to be the shining city on the hill or some such....but I think things have gone downhill since. US won't sign the Kyoto type treaties on GW....US is a major purveyor of weapons...has serious debt issues....biggest military...all makes for bad news ahead.

I've seen lists of areas where the US is way behind many other countries. Things might be more dire than you think?

https://www.truthdig.com/report/item...ttle_20121223/


Since 9/11 Americans have been systematically stripped of their freedoms: Their phone calls are monitored under [George W.] Bush and Obama’s warrantless wiretapping program, they are videotaped relentlessly in public places, there are drones over American soil and the police control protesters and dissenters with paramilitary gear and tactics. As long as Obama and the leadership of both parties want the military to police our streets, we will fight. This is unacceptable, un-American and unconstitutional.”

...

The corporate state knows that the steady deterioration of the economy and the increasingly savage effects of climate change will create widespread social instability. It knows that rage will mount as the elites squander diminishing resources while the poor, as well as the working and middle classes, are driven into destitution. It wants to have the legal measures to keep us cowed, afraid and under control. It does not, I suspect, trust the police to maintain order. And this is why, contravening two centuries of domestic law, it has seized for itself the authority to place the military on city streets and citizens in military detention centers, where they cannot find redress in the courts. The shredding of our liberties is being done in the name of national security and the fight against terrorism. But the NDAA is not about protecting us. It is about protecting the state from us. That is why no one in the executive or legislative branch is going to restore our rights. The new version of the NDAA, like the old ones, provides our masters with the legal shackles to make our resistance impossible. And that is their intention.

...

But since it is almost Christmas...we should pretend along with Virginia...that Santa is coming to town...so you'd better be nice or do don't get nothin'! :thumbup: :D

Besides...THEY are watching...if you don't like Christmas...you might get on THE list...THOSE who don't like Christmas? :eek:

...

euromodder 12-24-2012 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheEnemy (Post 346520)
Electricity in the US costs on average $0.13/kwh

Electricity in Germany $0.31/kwh, 5th highest in the world.

I'm paying 0.22 EUR / kWh (that's $ 0.29 / kWh) for sustainable electricity - wind, water, PV, biomass.
This is one of the better prices on the local market though.
If you're not careful, you'll pay a lot more.
I'm actually a shareholder in my cooperative electricity producer ;)

Some 60% of the electricity price here is VAT (state tax), gov't imposed taxes, transport, ...
Only 40% goes toward the actual electricity production.

MetroMPG 12-24-2012 02:24 PM

Shut down for too much politics.

Remember: there are lots of forums where you're welcome & encouraged to engage in political "discussion". EcoModder ain't one of them.

Let's keep it to discussions of our vehicles & improving efficiency.

Thanks!


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