Possibly the most contentious argument between the environmental community and society is Climate Change. An idea based on the greenhouse gases produced by power generation, factory production, modern vehicles, and combustion engines in general combine to emit enough carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), the primary greenhouse gases, to cause the temperature on Earth to rise significantly fueling damaging weather cycles. Weather cycles begin with an overall temperature increase that in turn warms bodies of water and melts ice on the poles, which create larger storms that drop larger amounts of water, that flood cities, that reaches the oceans, which are receiving more melted ice, that is raising their shores, and will eventually flood all the coastal cities and the planet. Whew! This is the expected result of continued use of fossil fuels, albeit a vastly simplified description of the mechanisms and effects. Overall the system has multiple avenues leading to cataclysmic effects for mankind, most of which can be diverted through adoption of solar power.
The two camps discussing this issue are the Climate Changers and Climate Deniers. Each have readied themselves with forests worth of white papers citing their respective cases. Climate Changers primarily rest their case on the work of the IPCC, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. A comprehensive group of international scientist and specialist on the environment that have poured of data that consists of age old core samples to modern day weather patterns, compiling it to produce climate models to predict what is in our future. Climate Deniers sit upon empirical data that shows cyclic patterns of absorption dissipation for gases, faulted predictions, inconsistencies found from Al Gore’s award winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, and a battery of heavily funded scientists refuting established research papers. Taking the two sides to account only leaves a stalemate that will be decided by a cataclysm with changers screaming, “I told you so!” as we all drown or are burned up by the lack of an ozone layer or a non-event and the doldrum roar of deniers screaming, “Where’s your doomsday?!”
All calm can be centered on an array of crystals placed upon roofs passively basking in the glow of a giant fusion reactor. When one steps away from the contention it is easier to let go of a right/wrong outcome and focus on a responsible one. Take in the goal, the world needs a fuel source for electricity to power modern conveniences and transport goods. It is easy to understand that to achieve the goal, pollution of water, air, and earth should not be the cost. Following the principle of “don’t ‘deuce’ where you eat”. As in the mining technique of fracking that contaminates water sources, increases incidents of earthquakes, and threatens water supplies. In order to fulfill both need and principle it makes sense to use the most reliable power source, the sun. Who’s light and heat power the environment that sustains the planet, with excess available.
Every Climate Denier understands that to pollute waters that are needed for recreation, drinking, and irrigation is a path to destruction. While every Climate Changer understands that electricity to power air conditioning units in the summer as well as heaters in the winter are vital to a comfortable life. Coming to an amicable solution for both brings solar power to the forefront. A technology that a spill of is just a sunny day, is derived from easily accessible silicon and advances with addition of rare earth elements that are even being are minimized with graphene. Encompassing a technology that is sustainable and non-polluting. Adoption of it on a utility scale is embraced around the world and slowly in the United States, but can be immensely accelerated through homeowners and businesses adding arrays to their rooftops.
There are other clean renewable technologies for power production and they can be used along with solar. Solar is the most widely accessible and has the ability to used on an individual scale in conjunction with utility scale clean technologies. Some that look at transitioning to this option say, “it is too little too late” to stop the runaway planetary destruction that has begun. They must be answered this way, to allow a defeatist mentality can not be condoned, particularly in this matter. There is no team player that even in the last minutes of the final quarter just throws in the towel. Los Angeles and New York both had horrendous smog issues a few short decades ago and today have clear skies. Beijing has been experiencing the same smog results due to extensive fossil fuel use and they look to renewables for their relief. The way to overcome this environmental damage is through a comprehensive energy policy that focuses on clean technology. Whether a Climate Changer or Climate Denier it is easy to see that going solar is a benefit for all involved. The argument is free to continue under roofs covered in solar panels powered by the warming glow of a fusion reactor ushering in a responsible future.
Go forth and spread sunshine,
Clifford T. Mitchem
Independent Energy Advisor
Clean Renewable Energy Worldwide
