Labor Day 2009: Protect the American Worker with a Clean Energy Economy
In one of life's cruel ironies, this year's Labor Day coincides with unemployment at its highest in 25 years. But it also represents an opportunity to re-emphasize the importance of the American worker and the future we must provide for our workforce.
Last month, unemployment rose to 9.7%, the highest since 1983, as the economy saw 216,000 jobs lost. These numbers are too large for the returning Congress to ignore and they should immediately set to passing a comprehensive clean energy bill that can help reverse the direction of unemployment before we reach double-digit figures.
Numerous studies confirm that transitioning to a clean energy economy is one of the most effective ways to pull our nation out of the current economic crisis. Clean energy sources like wind and solar power create up to 3 times more jobs than old, dirty sources like coal and oil that got us here in the first place. That's why it's good economic policy to switch to clean energy -- while also ensuring cleaner air and water for generations to come.
More importantly real world experience bears this out: the leading manufacturers of wind, solar and other alternative energy technologies are thriving in Japan, Europe and China, while the U.S. lags behind. Only one-sixth of the world's top renewable energy manufacturers are based in the United States, which means we are losing out on millions of new jobs. That's why both major labor unions and leading business groups support the passage of clean energy legislation.
Instead of allowing companies to continue shipping jobs and dollars overseas, the American Clean Energy & Security Act, which passed the House in June, would spark American ingenuity, help create 1.7 million new jobs, and make the U.S. a global leader in clean energy.
Senators will certainly be pressured by their constituents to fix our jobs crisis and it's clear that their best bet at providing relief is by finishing what the House started: passing a comprehensive clean energy bill that will create jobs, cut our dependence on foreign oil, and reduce harmful global warming pollution.
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Why is it that anytime someone holds up a anti Obama sign in B-- F--- Idaho, Fox News and Shawn Hanity are there to cover it for all the world to see. but when Hanity and 70,000 of his closest friends hold a Labor Day anti Obama rally on a strip mine in West Virginia, Fox is nowhere to be found. Don't they want the rest of the world to know what they tell us good ol boys down here.
Shawn was here, Hank Jr was here, Ted Nugent was here, some guy even came all the way from England to explain that global warming is a hoax but fox news didn't cover it. Why is that.
Maybe he don't really like us down here as much as he said but I know he liked one of us real well cause while he was on stage he told her she was hot and asked her to meet him backstage.
The Low hanging Fruit in the energy debate is : Rooftop Solar!
The price of panels has dropped from 8$ per watt to an astounding:
1.55$ per peak watt!
http://www.atensolar.com/EPV.
http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/solar_panels.htm
Large commercial roofs are getting 2$ per peak watt installed and grid connected.
No batteries needed!
see my profile for details and links.
Rooftop solar and Waste BioChar can supply all our energy and fuel needs, cleanly cheaper and forever.!
Very tough trying to promote mass production of solar panels, in particular, here in the US. Lots of good research done here on improved efficiency photoelectric films, but, you want to make commercial sized panels, you have scale up from lab size to meter size. And, guess who has the IP for putting high tech films on meter scale substrates? The folks who make flat panel displays like the one you're looking at now! Samsung, Sony, LG, Toshiba, AUO, Sharp.... not a US company on the list. And they are all of them VERY interested in solar power applications.
And, the Asian companies that own that IP ain't into sharing; their data security is military grade. One plant I visited in South Korea imposed a fine of $20,000 US, plus expulsion from country, on a US Engineer who was caught bringing a USB thumb drive into plant! Gonna be an uphill slog, trying to reverse engineer of reinvent the technologies needed.
One final note; the technology that would make solar and wind power a feasible replacement for fossil fuels is that of really high capacity, low cost storage batteries, which would allow wind and solar power plants to "bank" energy for peak load use.espread use.
Quiz question; geographically, where are the companies that own the technologies for making big, high capacity storage batteries? Don't all answer at once!
I'll make a wild guess and say the technology's owned by research heavy nations in East Asia, and some here in the US and Europe.
The question is whether it's going to be us (or USA) with(or as) one of them all of us working together, or will it be us (the USA) versus all of them, or at least them that won't dance.
Whichever I can agree it will be a long slog in the quagmire of self-interests and the so-called benefit of the inivisible hand with some assist from parties that will remain un-named.
As stated elsewhere; the technology to pull an end run via space developement is something that would change the game and launch those that succeed onto a path that will not soon be diverted or overtaken.
nanosolar and first solar are American companies, and the leaders in thin film panels.
Go to my profile, and go to the links for solar.
Thin Film Solar IS BEING MASS PRODUCED! GW per year per 3M$ "printer".
1/50th of the coal giveaway, would build enough factories to make 100 power plants per year, 300 GW per year.
They have money from investors,
You can buy the panels super cheap 1.55$/Watt! 3 cents per kwh if you can =install the system for 2$ per peak watt.
Last year, the total installed solar PV DOUBLED!
Rooftop Solar is on the steep part of the "S Curve"
It's not "tough" it a DONE DEAL.
I'll tell you if I don't see Real CHANGE soon ? I'll know for sure Obama has sold all of us out! And come 2010 and 2012 I'm voting for none of the above!!! Not for a REP. or a DEM. if you ask me their both the same Sh@t!!
"Clean energy sources like wind and solar power create up to 3 times more jobs than old, dirty sources like coal and oil that got us here in the first place."
Does Mr. K. realize the legislation passed in the house is very pro-coal? It depends upon "clean coal" technology that does not exist...
The so-called American Clean Energy & Security Act will be a test to see if the coal lobby gets its way in the U.S. Senate.....
How about a 3-week paid (and mandatory) vacation for every working worker in America? So we can catch-up half-way with those well relaxed, longer-life-span, more productive, socialist, left-leaning pinkos in Europe.
A couple-friends from England just came to Chicago for their 6-week paid holiday. I was too busy working to show them around. They now know more about Chicago's attractions that most long-term residents of Chicago.
What an excellent message, Mr K.
I'm sure you'd be with me and the leading technologists and futurists who fully realize that the cleanest and most promising technology on earth is, ironically not on earth, but just a few hundred miles away; straight up.
Imagine our workforce being directed to the high frontier in both technology and engineering aimed at creating a system that we already know will work and which will result in a source of not only clean energy (solar in space is orders of magnitude more potent than this weak filtered stuff down here), but also all the other benefits that come along with a genuinely practical know-how of operating in and extracting from our neighboring space. One relatively small metal asteroid and it will pay for itself over and over, not counting the fact we no longer would have to mine for metals down here on our lovely planet which has already suffered enough of our impacts. Let's make carbon and fission the next step (hopefully a short one) to getting out into the abundant, clean, non-oxidizing, zero-g or space, and not just this low earth orbit stuff, but the geosynchronous locations from which we can shepherd new technology, explore the planets and luna, new wealth, and new capabilities in protecting the earth and its people. It's raining soup...let's build a bucket.
It is hard to concieve that creating jobs by subsidizing wind and solar which are by far the most expensive ways to produce power will help the economy.
It is also foolish to think that technologies that require 100% back-up from fossil fuel and are 75% (wind) and 60% (solar) offline and dependent on fossil fuels can clean the air. Not one fossil fuel plant can be shut down by wind or solar.
It strains credibility to believe that people that are convinced the world is in peril from man made carbon dioxide would be against the only proven, practical and possible way to do this which is nuclear. The blocking of clean domestic natural gas defies logic as well.
It is insane to think that adding trillions in carbon taxes and causing a depression is good for the economy.
It is insane to think that adding trillions in carbon taxes and blocking the world's largest reserves of energy is a good idea.
The enabling technology that would allow "green" electrical generation to replace fossil fuel fired plants would be cheap, high capacity storage batteries, which would allow energy to be banked for peak load use.
Hydro plants address this concern very nicely; the man made lake backed up behind a hydro dam not only provides the pressure head needed for efficient turbine operation, but also provides a literal reservoir of energy that can be tapped, as needed, by simply opening the feed line stopcocks. I suspect this capacity for load matching is a large part of the reason that hydro, of all the renewable energy sources, is so widely used.
Advances in battery technology, to be fair, have been a long time coming, and current technology batteries are not up to the task.
OTOH, nuclear power, given our current "once through" fuel cycle, is not a long term solution; U235 reserves won't holdd us a loot longer than oil reserves will.
Its funny. We used to call the collusion of Industry and Government the F word.
Now, its simply called the green economy.
Most of these green jobs are propped up on the backs of Chinese debt, since they are taxpayer subsidized on borrowed Chinese money.
If we really want an end to capitalism, as Van Jones espouses, why not go all in and just have the State takeover all industry?
And since the Right apparently is just "poisoning the national discourse" and disseminating "hate", we could have the State have one media outlet, and ban the Internet.
That way we could really focus the citizenry on Our Collecitve Goals, right?
There are certainly dangers associated with a too cozy relationship between Government and Industry. Ask any Socialist Block refugee; they'll give you chapter and verse!
But, seriously, don't you think it's a bit ironic to go completely over the top Libertarian absolutist.... in an Internet (aka DARPANET) post?
It seems that what you are suggesting is a long term goal rather than short term. People need employment now to survive and spend. Tax collections will be way down next year. What will happen then?
Your numbers are dubious. So is this statement.
"Only one-sixth of the world's top renewable energy manufacturers are based in the United States, which means we are losing out on millions of new jobs. That's why both major labor unions and leading business groups support the passage of clean energy legislation."
The house cap and trade bill is a joke. It's a give-away to coal companies and utilities. It takes too long to implement. It contains dangerous protectionist nonsense. House leadership should be embarrassed.
Finally we should pass cap and trade to save the planet not to fool ourselves into thinking 9.7% unemployment can be fixed with mythical green jobs. Jobs will be lost and gained just like they always are. The rust belt under a scheme to price carbon would have to shed more jobs; that's just the way it is. Pricing carbon should help save the planet. Don't promise things like jobs that may never materialise. Tell Pelosi to fix the House bill; it's a shame as it stands today.
For the republicans that like to call cap and trade "cap and tax", fine just keep sending $ to Chavez and Saudi Arabia. Republicans should get behind a carbon tax or cap and trade scheme just to stick it to Iran (our demand pushes up world prices even if we don't buy Iranian crude). We can all give the finger to Chavez but we need a real cap and trade bill.
Automobiles are a universal love affair across the planet. 4 Steps to Revive the Auto Industry and the Economy is a brief article that outlines a suggested Chava Energy program in that arena that just might dramatically change humanity’s assumptions about energy. And thereby encourage optimism about humanity’s future, as well as the still uncertain global economy. Chava is a domestic firm. See www.aesopinstitute.org
It reflects little known breakthrough technology that opens paths to cars that need no fossil fuel or recharge.
Later, advanced versions can turn cars into power plants, wirelessly able to sell power to the local utility when parked.
Imagine the impact of cars and trucks that can pay for themselves! Millions of well paid jobs are likely.
See: www.chavaenergy.com for even more information. Look under the Heading HOW?
Of course Mr. Carpinski is correct.......
Make no mistake about it.... an absolute REVOLUTION in energy technology, energy conservation technologies and systems, massive changes in transportation and infrastructure,packaging food production and EVERY other aspect of human endeavor is already underway.
For the developed world (overdeveloped actually) denial of the facts is rapidly becoming unsustainable.All of these new devices tecnologies,fuels, and processes WILL be developed and marketed AT A PROFIT by someone.
Take your most cynical, greedy, selfish stance....'Ya know...... "Climate change is a myth, the heck with the grandchildren.....we DESERVE to have our Hyper-consumptive lifestyle for the same reason Fido the dog licks himself...... BECAUSE WE CAN!!... fine
Even granting you all that......Wouldn't it be to our advantage to get out front in development and marketing all the above? Why?....see: Fido the dog; above...BECAUSE WE CAN!
But we're no longer the only ones who can.........other nations will CLEAN OUR CLOCK.....if we remain asleep.....
NOTin a guerillia, conventional, or even STAR war,.....
But in the economic competition between 6-7 BILLION people on a very small planet with finite resources.
National security?
Of course a saner view would be to ask this question
What sort of idiot would NOT embrace an industrial and social policy that would preserve and IMPROVE the plantet.. (grandchildren?)........ameliorate hunger and suffering.....and make the US the leading producer of all the things the world most wants to buy.?
HINT: They won't be morgatge derivatives
tm
"Only one-sixth of the world's top renewable energy manufacturers are based in the United States" and as long as we play the socialistic song about raising taxes on the upper, middle class and businesses, it will stay that way. California is a classic example of what happens when you take an anti-business stance. People are flooding out of the state for the first time in history....
California is a perfect example of what happens when you let Conservatives bankrupt the governmnet till the plutocracy can drown it in a bath tub.
No California is an exercise in direct democracy nothing more. What happens when you limit property taxes (libertarian) then unions force mandatory spending on schools @ 40% of the budget (quasi socialist). You then collect almost all of your taxes on income and capital gains; both go way down during a recession. This is done by having voters amend the state constitution. Then through the magic of gerrymandering no seats are competitive and representatives are either anti-tax nuts or big government wackos; nothing ever gets done.
California is a lessen on the dangers of direct democracy. I hope William Greider is paying attention when he tells us to democratize the federal reserve (yeah that would work just like CA).
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