STOP COAL NOW? What do you think?

[TLWalkerAIA]

Terry L. Walker, AIA:

STOP COAL NOW. Unclean coal and fossil fuel power plants are the agent of EVIL, just as the automobile is the agent of CHAOS. We can do better. I urge everyone to write the U.S. Congress and stop coal now.

The technology to clean the product of coal combustion is not feasible or demonstrated at this time. They say they can do it, but it has not yet been done as near as I can determine. Even if it is done in the future it is still a problematic energy alternative compared to better choices.

The post's here about global warming are too often examples of selective ignorance and bias. The statements reveal traitors to reason and strangers to the truth. Many clearly have an agenda, a brand of politics shared by many, to exploit the environment in the interest of profits, they will not give up, they will continue to deny that global warming is a true threat to civilization that is caused by man. They will continue to deny or postpone the conclusion that it requires corrective action. This agenda of denial can not be overcome by reason since it obviously exists by choice and serves a polarized political purpose coupled with a dogma divorced from physical fact & science and designed to serve special interests.

I would direct each reader of my post to simply use your computer and internet connections to read the information already in front of you. You have this power. If you want to dwell in the shadows and proclaim that some global liberal conspiracy exists, go ahead and live that way.

There is however, no debate that endures in the scientific community, except among fringe elements. The vast majority of scientists’, having examined the facts, agree that global warming exists and is caused by human beings. There is no conspiracy of scientists to perpetuate a global warming hoax.

Since just about every nation. and every scientist of every nation in the world, through the organizations and governments they work for, have already placed all the information and science on the internet, and in a massive amount of white paper in the journals, in much more quantity than anyone could ever ask for, regarding global warming and components of that phenomena; it is both pointless and redundant for persons to keep posting that ask this author and other authors to establish the credibility of the argument. It has already been done, there is no debate, human beings are the primary cause of global warming.

The credibility of Mr. Mazria and Mr. Gores facts and the science, has been established. There is no point to challenging their credibility. Like many others, I have read extensively the underlying white paper and I personally examined each fact. I am a conservative person. I know that Mr. Mazria is accurately presenting facts and Mr. Gore, despite the fact that he is a politician, has accurately covered the material and presented the truth about global warming. The science has been validated by the worlds most credible scientists and many architects like myself. The Nobel peace prize has been awarded to the UN panel on global warming (IPCC) and Al Gore, it is not awarded for "Best Propaganda of the Year", the content is closely examined, the facts are well established and the award is justly deserved.

The too frequent suggestion by agents denying that global warming is caused by human activity, accuses everyone that has not traded their SUV for a Smart Car or remodeled with solar panels of hypocracy & has therefore no right to advocate sound environmental policy and practice. This is a brand of rhetorical obfuscation aimed at damaging the credibility of others, to use tactic in place of fact and reasoned argument. I just can not respect that kind of rhetoric. It is simply vile.

The truth in physical terms is that Coal Power is dirty. It always has been. It will contribute to global warming. Coal can not economically be cleaned up. The co2 and other carbon based products of burning the coal, can not be scrubbed or separated and then stored somewhere on earth for the next 250,000 years. It will not work. The damage from such COAL power plants is beyond the scale of our capacity to overcome with good building practices. The efforts of Architecture 2030 are negated by the construction of these power plants. It is beyond our capacity to correct the damage they will add to the existing problem.

Coal plants, built in the context of known established science, are an act of deliberate "war" on the Earth itself and all the life on it and that includes all the human populations that dwell on this planet. In short it is evil, the deliberate destruction of god's harmonious creation for proffit.

The persons promoting coal are doing so with profit motives, and use lies and deciet to achieve their objectives in the context of known science and published facts about the damage this will cause. They know they are damaging the Earth and I want to invite and propose a public debate, between promoters of these coal power plants and a panel composed of credible scientists from around the world. Let us argue the cost impact of "the least expensive alternative" in a public forum. There is a cost paid in human health that is not in their numbers.

For the sake of God's creation and Peace on Earth, please find a clean acceptable alternative to building coal power plants. Stop the lies and insanity! This is not a business as usual situation. STOP COAL NOW. What should we do?

[csintexas]

Currently there is no good alternative to coal, solar and wind power can augment coal power but not replace it. Here in Texas even people are starting to resist more coal plants but the population is increasing pretty fast and so power plants will probably have to be built in the future.

There is great potential in reducing our consumption but I don't see that happening until the problems get much worse than they currently are. Of coarse if each couple limited themselves to one child we could fix our problems fairly quickly without having to ration resources.

[Antisthenes]

i agree no more coal

coal is the only energy source that can put us over 450 million parts carbon dioxide in the air and trigger major sea rises from the data i have seen

being conscious to every day live in a smaller footprint helps.

[P.C.]

Sorry to say, but I kind of lost fait in many of the things I heard -- for one I am not sure the sea will rise at all. Think about it ,it's one of those things ,where you suddenly realise, that there are other options and you only thought of one.

They don't even know what is inside the earth emagine, emagine it is not solid but fluid in some way --- then would the sea rise or the globe just become bigger, with perhaps lower sea level.

How are those coal pover plants, isn't the smoke cleaning much better today, is it realy harmfull, or is it fuel to ballance the good times, to have that carbon dioxide here ? If we stopped the engine, wouldn't things become even vorse, isn't we allready at the doorstep, into fabrication and realisation of the digital wins, --- I just say so becaurse I heard that many wierd stories, like that one about the pyramides made from huge chipped stones.

[csintexas]

Nova had an interesting show about solar power last night which talked about the problems.

Germany is heavily subsidizing solar power and is working to a goal of (something like) 20% of electrical generation by 2040 where as the USA has less than 1% (the equivalent of two coal plants). They also pay very high energy costs.

With good design and management we could probably attain 50% of energy production through solar and other renewable energy sources within 50 years.

As I said above we are adding one major city every year in population growth even if we totally powered everything new with solar we will not lose any coal plants.

We also need to consider the fact that we have exported the majority of our manufacturing to China and other places.

[TLWalkerAIA]

OK, you are smarter than this.

The statement that there is no good alternative to COAL is deeply disturbing. I guess that means that coal is pecieved as less expensive and therefore better than renewable energy. Short term cost thinking. When all other criteria except financial short term costs are ignored which includes important stuff like... human life quality, the damage to the environment and COAL'S contribution of co2 to accelerate global warming and so on... then COAL is the stand alone choice. BRILLIANT & OBVIOUS on the surface, but in reality there is no future in it.

Coal is not even a rational choice economically when you do factor in just the human health care costs that must be carried over the life of the plant. There is a greater cost than this medical cost however, and that is the cost of embracing old technology in favor of new renewable energy technology. You trade the future away. There is a cost associated with building a future dependant on non-renewable COAL rather than on free renewable energy.

In Seattle we have a lot of energy from the hydroelectric facilities. This is renewable electrical power. Our rates are much lower than yours here because of that. They were built a long time ago and they are paid for now. We have power to sell when other states run out. Texas has more sunlight than COAL. They have more than we do. They have enough that they could produce power for the entire nation. Solar infrastructure cost will pay off in twenty years and go on producing for another 80 years with only 5% maintenance cost per year. It does this with No health care burden and no limit on the size of the power plant. There is no federal legislation in the future that will moth ball the solar power plant. Solar rooftop power plant is much better than hydroelectric!

You can not manufacture GREEN products with COAL POWER!
What is it that happened down there that destroyed intelligent life in Texas? We have noticed a curious smell and a haze in the air.

Between your Coal plant and the house Chris you will have 50% line loss! Half the dirty energy you generate with COAL is lost in transmission. COAL is high waste and high maintenance. You can not keep the buildings or their systems clean if you have theese plants in town and your lungs will get their fair share as well.

We are on the advent of the SOLAR AGE. Build the roof top Power plant and the delivery system to your home is TWICE as efficient. We think clean renewable power is the only financially feasible power source.
STOP COAL NOW!

PEACE
TLW

[TLWalkerAIA]

Texas is growing fast. We are growning here also. Growth is good typically. I know that some business leaders are fighting COAL. I know you are a progressive thinker and hope you accept my comments in good humor.

[Antisthenes]

Edward Mazria, AIA
has some great stuff to say on coal too with his 2030 initiative

http://www.architecture2030.org/2030_challenge/index.html

[csintexas]

It isn't an issue of cost or what is best. We simply don't have the ability to store enough power to replace coal plants.

Have you ever seen a picture of the USA at night from space?

With good design and conservation we could probably achieve a 50/50 mix though.

[Antisthenes]

NetZero being the goal.

reduction, not just conservation and alternatives i would say.

[csintexas]

That should definitely be the goal. Here in Texas they are experimenting with using underground caverns to store air compressed using solar energy to use when solar energy is not available.

We may not be able to stop using coal now but if we work toward that goal we may be able to within a hundred years.

[lekizz]

Coal is a valuable finite resource so, of course, it makes absolute environmental sense to reduce its use wherever possible and use it only when there is no practical alternative.

But, certainly, the arguments against coal (in the UK in particular) are often hijacked by people who advocate nuclear power, or dislike the well organised labour of the coal miners. You have to watch out who your bedfellows are when you join the anti-coal crusade.

I'm just wondering whether TLWalker has actually traded-in his SUV ;o)

[gleearch]

I agree with TLWalker. Coal is bad and so is nuclear.
We all have our part to play. Buildings are part of the problem. Wherever possible try to design energy efficient buildings. By helping reduce the need for energy, we can help stem the tide of power plant construction.
At the same time, we should continue to write our legislators to stop the use of both coal and nuclear power.
Yes, solar and wind cannot provide all the power we need presently. But they continue to make improvements in the technology and if we do our part and advocate for more energy efficient designs and convince our clients that this is the right way to go, we become part of the solution.
Forget the rhetoric from the lobby groups, use your own ability to research and understand the issues.
We moved to an urban area to take advantage of mass transit. This year I have driven less than 1000 miles and will soon trade in for a hybrid. Though the 94 miles/ gallon hybrids are due out in a couple of years and plug ins have been shown to be greener. But we do what we can for now rather than sit on the sidelines.

[psudonym]

TLWalker,
I suggest you read Unstoppable global warming every 1,500 years. It is easy enough to find. In fact you can find posted discussions on the book without have to buy it. Al Gore's movie is more science fiction than science.

"Unclean coal and fossil fuel power plants are the agent of EVIL,"

"This is a brand of rhetorical obfuscation aimed at damaging the credibility of others, to use tactic in place of fact and reasoned argument. I just can not respect that kind of rhetoric."

It sounds like you don't respect yourself. There is plenty of junk on the internet and people find what they want to hear.

[csintexas]

It seems to me you are engaged in the same "rhetoric" you accuse others of.