China's going nuts

[ThreeOfSeven]

Don't see how. There are laws preventing that kind of gross pollution. Coal plants are shutting down (even though they burn pretty clean now), and clean natural gas is replacing it, so the air is much cleaner overall now.

Pollution control laws are being reversed as we speak.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

Yep, not just in power pants, but in everyone's coal stoves for cooking and heat. I burned coal for heat a long time ago, but I doubt anyone still does that in the US.

My aunt and uncle had a coal chute and bin in their home, but they didn't use it.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Pollution control laws are being reversed as we speak.

Excessive stuff that was never in the EPA's lawful purview.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

Excessive stuff that was never in the EPA's lawful purview.

With all due respect, regulations controlling mercury pollution will be relaxed, and I wouldn't want to live or raise children in those areas. Industries don't support cutting back on these regulations.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

With all due respect, regulations controlling mercury pollution will be relaxed, and I wouldn't want to live or raise children in those areas. Industries don't support cutting back on these regulations.

I understand and sympathize to a point, but where does it stop? We can't have a modern society without some risk. It's just the way it is; life isn't perfect. I've been around the block a few times and have learned that no matter how much environmental progress is made, radical environmentalists will always demand more, to the point of doing things that end up harming the environment. Because it's really not about the environment to them, but about political power. For example wind turbines. Those monstrosities are the biggest killers of raptor wildlife in existence. They are ecosystem destroyers (raptors, bats, insects) and harmful to human health (vibroacoustic disease caused by the infrasound they generate). Wind turbine companies are given a pass to kill thousands of bald and golden eagles with no consequences. Do we ever hear wailing from the environmentalists about that? No, but we do hear them wail if one bird gets killed by an oil slick. It's utter and total hypocrisy.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

and clean natural gas is replacing it, so the air is much cleaner overall now.

Enter fracking... and our ground water gets polluted, while earthquakes increase...

Anyways.. I'm not in disagreement with you... and HOPE for the best always!

We, you, me, & the BYC community for the most part... are doing our best with what limited resources and knowledge we DO have to... well, not contribute to the demise of our peoples and nations and only to better them.

But there is always a caveat to be considered with any so called clean energy alternative processes, IMO. And I'm sure there are many in EPA who mean well and are doing great work, but they really are misleading and just not very trustworthy as on organization to me... or rather than not trustworthy how about, also make mistakes but somehow get disregarded or covered up. The unfortunate thing about laws is the loop holes... oh ya... you can pollute that much you just have to pay the government fees (*cough* tax) to do so, or buy "carbon credits".. we kid ourselves that they care about what we breath, drink, etc... they care about financing their special interest projects... In all the years living in the valley, air only got worse not better. Populations keep increasing EVERYWHERE, somethings got to give.

That being said.. I LOVE living in northern California and value every aspect of life and the fortunate freedoms I do have! Sorry, no controversy intended... there were just alarms going off in my head as I read the posts and felt dismay over what's going on in our own back yard more than someone else... but ya gotta always be watching, and learning even from your neighbors... is my take away from this interaction.

ETA: Just saw your last post and we are very much on the same page... meaning you do get it a bit more than I realized at first.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Enter fracking... and our ground water gets polluted, while earthquakes increase...

This is another example. Fracking has done more to lower US CO2 output than any other technology in the world (not that I consider CO2 an environmental issue). The US is the world leader in CO2 reduction because of fracking. Why? Because it made gas so cheap that it made coal unprofitable, and it emits less CO2. In contrast Germany has spent well over 1/2 trillion dollars on renewable energy, and has nothing to show for it in terms of CO2 reduction, but they did succeed in making electrical energy costs triple what most Americans pay. California is headed down that same road.

Fracking doesn't pollute wells or cause earthquakes. The problem is the wastewater that they pump underground at very high pressure to get rid of it. That's probably what's causing the earthquakes. I am very much against that. They need to be made to clean up the water. That's what environmentalists should focus on, but they don't.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

But there is always a caveat to be considered with any so called clean energy alternative processes, IMO. And I'm sure there are many in EPA who mean well and are doing great work, but they really are misleading and just not very trustworthy as on organization to me... or rather than not trustworthy how about, also make mistakes but somehow get disregarded or covered up. The unfortunate thing about laws is the loop holes... oh ya... you can pollute that much you just have to pay the government fees (*cough* tax) to do so, or buy "carbon credits".. we kid ourselves that they care about what we breath, drink, etc... they care about financing their special interest projects... In all the years living in the valley, air only got worse not better. Populations keep increasing EVERYWHERE, somethings got to give.

Michael Moore (I think that's the right name. The guy who kind of looks like Jaba the Hutt and makes documentary films) just made a film about the renewable energy industry. As he was making it he started to realize that it really wasn't about the environment, but about making money. He became very disillusioned, and I think included that as part of his film. I'd really like to see it.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Back to China losing its mind...

I guess this is neighborhood grocery delivery

https://twitter.com/x/status/1228705330827350022

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

The healthy way to smoke.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1228282193144930304