Month: April 2009

In his Wall Street Journal column today entitled, “Can Small Cars Overcome Crash Fears?“, Joseph B. White suggests pricing trucks out of the range of people who want to own for non-work reasons:

The government should also require large pickup trucks to be substantially more efficient, which would also likely make them more expensive, Mr. Wenzel says. People who could prove they need a truck for work could get a tax break to offset the added cost, but not people who want to use a truck as a personal commuter vehicle, he says.

“If people want to use trucks as cars,” he says, they should be considered “a luxury item.”

No thanks, Mr. White. Safety is not a luxury item.

The Financial Times reports today,

EDF, France’s nuclear energy operator, paid investigators to infiltrate the anti-nuclear movement around Europe, according to testimony given in a French judicial investigation.

The investigation is looking into whether the state-controlled group condoned illegal practices as part of a surveillance operation…

The work involved “a web watch, completed by on-the- ground work” that he described as “going to meetings, to demonstrations” and “taking the temperature of these organisations”.

But before the greens get all self-righteous about this, let’s review some recent Greenpeace criminality:

• 7 from Greenpeace arrested after high-profile stunt at Kimberly-Clark
• Greenpeace activists arrested over whale meat theft
• Guy in polar bear suit arrested during Greenpeace protest
• Marshall Islands Arrest Greenpeace Activist At Missile Range
• Greenpeace activists arrested for trying to board British nuclear sub

There shouldn’t be anything wrong with a nuclear power company simply gathering information about groups that pose very real threats to the security of its facilities.

Click here for EPA’s summary of the science that allegedly justifies its endangerment finding concerning greenhouse gases.

The EPA announced today that,

With Earth Day only a few days away, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is kicking off the 2009 “Change the World, Start with Energy Star” campaign to educate kids and their families about how to save money and fight climate change through energy efficiency.

“People of every age have a part to play in confronting climate change,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Using Energy Star to cut electricity usage and costs, and educating young people and their families to make a difference — big or small — is how we make real progress.”

But even Consumer Reports says Energy Star is a dubious program. In September 2008, the consumer watchdog spotlighted flaws in the program including that product qualifying standards are lax ─ for example, until recently, 92 percent of dishwashers qualified. If all virtually all dishwashers are “efficient,” is anyone really saving any money on energy use?

Consumer Reports also reported that the product testing programs are out-of-date and companies are responsible for testing their own products ─ without any independent verification. When testing an LG-brand French-door refrigerator that was labeled as using an Energy Star compliant 547 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, Consumer Reports found that the actual energy use was twice what was advertised. Apparently the government testing procedures call for refrigerators to be tested with their icemakers turn off. That, of course, is probably not how most people use their refrigerator.

Energy efficiency advocates routinely overpromise and under-deliver, according a report from the Congressional Research Service. While numerous private and government sources have claimed that 25- to 30-percent gains in efficiency are possible over a 5- to 15-year time horizon, according to the CRS, “the diffuse nature of efficiency opportunity and the economic complexity of decision making” has historically made moving beyond the 5 percent to 7 percent electricity savings range “a persistent challenge to conservation proponents.” Although more aggressive policies could be attempted, the CRS says, there is “little track record upon which to base projections of future effectiveness.”

Government brainwashing kids with dubious politically-based ideas isn’t education; it’s a form of child abuse.

Dog supply purveyor Planet Dog issued a media release today touting its virtual trade show as a way for retailers to reduce their “carbon pawprint.”

Company president Stephanie Volo said,

“We’ve been working on ways to reduce our carbon pawprint and less travel is one solution. We’re making some of the industry’s most eco-friendly products and running our company with that same mentality.”

A few thoughts:

• Since when is traveling a crime/sin? Many people enjoy travel.
• What about all the people whose jobs depend on travel?
• I guess Dog Planet doesn’t want to sell to many of its pet travel products.

CNN reports,

President Obama unveiled his administration’s blueprint for a new national network of high-speed passenger rail lines Thursday, saying such an investment is necessary to reduce traffic congestion, cut dependence on foreign oil and improve the environment.

The greens oppose transmission lines for renewable energy projects. So let’s just say that I’m a tad skeptical of them allowing new rail lines to be constructed. Remember, the greens don’t want you traveling; they want you locked in your planned community box. And remember the green whose idea of travel was staying home and exploring yourself?