Fossil fuels versus renewables. What is this really about?
When it comes to the climate catastrophe debate, much of the information being thrown at us doesn’t make sense. So, what’s really going on? Well, if Bill-372 passes, the federal government is willing to punish me for what you’re about the read. Since Ottawa wants to turn up the heat on sharing ideas, let me share nine bits of information with you that may help shed some light.
1. Fossil fuels and their by-products have elevated us to a standard of living that would have been impossible to achieve otherwise. Not that long ago it was a luxury to turn on the lights or afford a car. Today, we have all sorts of lights to choose from, as well as cars, along with hundreds of products that make our lives better, easier, and safer.
2. Fossil fuel production can coexist with farming and agriculture. In Alberta there are pipelines everywhere under growing crops and grazing animals. Pipelines coexist with wild animals too!
3. On the other hand, renewables displace farming and agriculture. And, wild animals.
Noise from turbines is not good for anyone or anything. Additionally, windmills need a huge footprint of rebar and concrete to hold them up which displaces a lot of good, fertile soil. The turbines also kill a lot of birds, ruin natural ecosystems, and cause a lot of damage when they break.
With solar, a large number of panels are needed to generate power. Some suggest animals can live in the same space but not everyone is convinced. One very good reason is hail damage. That’s a lot of broken glass for livestock to navigate through. Also, because sunshine is needed for plants to ripen, crops struggle to grow under these panels. Except maybe mushrooms.
4. Fossil fuels coexist with communities. Again, under the ground are all kinds of lines bringing energy to our homes and businesses. Lights and heat come on at the flip of a switch.
5. Solar can coexist with communities when installed on rooftops, however, there’s no way to come off the ‘grid’ entirely. Solar also isn’t affordable for everyone without subsidies. In other words, neighbors help to pay for it through taxes.
Wind also cannot coexist with communities. City people are not likely to appreciate all the dead birds, not to mention the significant safety issues when the turbines fall apart.
6. Wind and solar are no help when it matters most. As we experienced first-hand in January, both are completely unreliable and that’s completely unacceptable.
7. There is nothing ‘green’ about renewables. Have you seen what goes into building solar panels and turbines? Solar panels are made of silicon, metal, wire, and glass. Turbines are made mostly of metal and fiberglass, require a lot of lubricant made from fossil fuels to turn and, again, there’s all the concrete and rebar poured into the ground to hold it up. There is also nothing ‘recyclable’ about solar panels or wind turbines. But can they sure prop up a company’s ESG score!
8. ESG scores, meant to promote green energy, yet rooted in stupidity. Our province already has exceptional standards for producing oil and gas. Are there things we can do better? Of course. There always are. But to force companies to fill out arduous amounts of paperwork to prove they are working toward ‘net zero’, consulting the right quota of special interest group advisors, and governing themselves in a way that someone who knows nothing about the business tells them to is ridiculous. All this does is add exponential costs that are passed on to the consumer which does nothing to help make energy or anything else more affordable. Smaller companies and low-income families suffer the most.
9. Net Zero. Also rooted in stupidity. If oil and gas companies can produce their products at a higher standard, great, and they should. But we should wonder if photosynthesis is not taught anymore. What the government is trying to tax away and get gone is actually an essential element needed to sustain life. Additionally, scientists who can prove there is little to no correlation between human activity and ‘global warming’ or ‘climate change’ are ignored or silenced all together. That’s not good.
By the way, have you noticed how many big companies are divesting themselves from solar and wind? Or the number of green energy companies that have gone under?
Here in Alberta, we have the fourth largest proven oil reserves and an abundance of natural gas. Both are produced so cleanly and ethically there is no need to calculate an ESG score or worry about reaching ‘net zero’. Our global emissions are so small it doesn’t even register on a graph. In fact, with all our natural trees, flora, and crops, many argue we are a carbon sink.
So why does the federal government feel justified doing everything possible to shut down reliable fossil fuels, replacing them with unreliable renewables? Why are they so willing to sacrifice prime crop and grazing land to do so? The answer is unbelievably simple.
Energy and food security, which creates and sustains stability.
Secure and stable people aren’t easily controlled. Ask any narcissist. That’s what this is really all about. Being completely self-reliant offers countless privileges, not the least of which is affordability and poverty reduction. Alberta has an abundance of energy and food. We have the ability to create our own security and stability. We also have the people with the chutzpa to get things done. So, let’s get to work!
