Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The Earth Day Blues
It's hard to get excited about Earth Day when the answer to one of our greatest environmental challenges is sitting right in front of us, and our policy makers can't see it through the smoke screen put up by the energy establishment. What could make more sense than utilizing above-ground waste streams to create a renewable, reliable, cost-effective, environmentally sound, domestic source of energy, that also arrests global warming in its tracks and solves the solid waste management crisis at the same time? Duh. Who wants that? Especially when we can continue to wage oil wars, divert our crops, add more carbon to the atmosphere, and wallow in a planet's worth of solid waste? So instead of celebrating Earth Day with a rousing chorus of "yes we can," I ruminate about the wayward path our national leaders are taking us down, and hope they get tired enough of clearing the garbage out of their sneaker treads to recognize and embrace the solution.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
4 comments:
I have followed your company from time to time since someone gave me the original Discovery magazine article.
One thing I don't understand in your argument here is this. With oil at well over $100 per barrel, why do you need any government help? You advertise your process as 80% efficient. The feedstocks are pretty much free. If $100 per barrel oil does not make it possible for you to make a profit without government subsidies, how high will it have to go?
That is a logical question, however the waste in the USA is not free. In fact it is pegged to soybean prices which have skyrocked more than oil. The other thing that distorts the landscape for new companies trying to make an impact is the fact that traditional oil recieves over $5.00 per gallon in subsidies. Alternative fuels like ours do not. Ther is a great report funded by DOD and DOE "The Real Hidden Cost of Oil" that gives some insight how BigOil makes the rules.
We are just modern day slaves to BigOil.If the government levels the playing field more of our plants go on line. Thanks for the great question! When something does not make sense there is usually a good answer...
I must respectfully say that you did not answer my question. I understand that the government subsidizes oil and certain favored bio fuels like ethanol more heavily than most Americans realize. But my question was, how expensive does oil have to be before your technology competes with it, in spite of these subsidies? I ask this because I think that the best solutions to our future energy needs will probably be found and implemented in spite of the government, not with its help. And as a nation our future security demands that we develop energy sources that do not involve paying huge sums of money to countries that want to destroy our way of life.
It is not a simple answer. If oil tracks upward so does the cost of doing business. Our own energy cost, the trucking in and out of the plant, municipal services [they need to pass on energy surcharge] all are a factor. I say to you that the current government subsidies are over $5.00 per gallon over the pump price. When will we stop this practice and allow new technologies that can help get equal treatment.
I think that the current prices do help but a oil rising cost is felt at every level, even our cost of doing business. I hope this helps. Hard to just pick a number...
Post a Comment