Green is alive and kicking. But it’s in a very different state than just a few months ago. Actually it’s not in a different state, it’s in different countries. All but the US. You know: Denmark, and China.
When the climate bill was killed in the Senate, they world changed. Important incentives that affected consumers, home owners as well as businesses expired at the end of 2010. Cancun was hobbled from the start. Don’t invest in clean energy for now (unless you’re shorting).
So now in the US we wait to see how the rest of the world will Raymond lunch. All we can do is take a different tack.
The EPA has teeth and has bared them several times, this week vetoing a previously approved mountaintop removal coal mining permit, for example. I am glad they have these teeth, but it’s not a solution, just a firewall.
In an odd paradox, the tool left to the EPA after the climate change bill was scuttled by Republicans not wanting regulation was an EPA whose only weapon was regulation. At the same time the business friendly, conservative created Cap and Trade approach, which would have provided predictable, incremental change was killed. So the more fickle act of regulation is now what businesses got.
Massey Energy and I are both sad about that outcome. Strange bedfellows.
Meanwhile, our old friend, oil prices, are sticking over $90/bbl and gasoline prices continue to creep up. Weather events continue to be extreme and unusual, consistent with predictions of climate change science. GM and Nissan have electric cars for sale. We continue to subsidize mortgage interest, but have revoked incentives to make homes more efficient. Odd.
Business is back to usual. Let’s hope the true believers in market forces are right. All indications are that they are wrong, but don’t let the facts get in the way of political expedience and dogma. If they are wrong, the dogmatists, we will have caused the US to lose an edge that will be hard to regain. To China!
Irony? More like stupidity
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tom Harrison. Tom Harrison said: A New Time For Green http://goo.gl/fb/dUgB2 [...]
Pingback by Tweets that mention A New Time For Green | Five Percent: Conserve Energy -- Topsy.com — January 16, 2011 @ 11:52 pm
Tom, it’s funny that you and I are both putting up policy pieces so early in 2011, mine is on how un-sustainable plolicy is made and we both mention mountain top coal removal.
I’m more than a little frustrated at the lack of sustainable leadership in this country. Politicians claim they want jobs, but only if those jobs are immediate so the voters will be happy in 2012. They don’t really care about long-term, sustainable jobs. You know, the ones that are actually good for America.
So, as always, money talks. We just figure out how to grease the politicians palms and they’ll vote in favor of sustainability. Meanwhile the Chinese don’t have to worry about getting re-elected, they just have to worry about a strong China, so they move toward sustainability. Funny.
Comment by Chris — January 18, 2011 @ 4:45 pm
I dont think we will all truly become green unless a big shift in ideas happen. And the end of oil could be that big thing. But for the time being, to many people dont really care still. Its a shame but true!
Comment by Business Gas Prices — January 19, 2011 @ 2:08 pm
This information is valuable and of great use to the readers. Thank you for sharing and keep up the good work. We all hope we keep the edge.
Comment by Wade Lawson — April 6, 2011 @ 3:45 pm
I believe that our future is decided by the use of renewable energy in larger measure. It is already late, but I think we can still save our children’s future.
Comment by Models For Green Energy — September 17, 2011 @ 5:54 am