Coal Power and Global Warming

Stardate 8272.80

This is an advert I received from the New Yorker Magazine. Interesting... Sources included for the buffs...

GLOBAL WARMING

Think You’re Making a Difference?

Think Again.

There are 151 new conventional coal-fired power plants

in various stages of development in the US today.

HOME DEPOT

Home Depot is funding the planting of 300,000 trees in cities across the US to help absorb carbon dioxide(CO2) emissions... The CO2 emissions from only one medium-sized (500 MW) coal-fired power plant,in just 10 days of operation, will negate this entire effort.

WAL-MART

Wal-Mart is investing a half billion dollars to reduce the energy consumption and CO2 emissions of theirexisting buildings by 20% over the next seven years. If every Wal-Mart Supercenter met this target… The CO2 emissions from only one medium-sized coal-fired power plant, in just one month ofoperation each year, would negate this entire effort.

CALIFORNIA

California passed legislation to cut CO2 emissions in new cars by 25% and in SUVs by 18%, starting in 2009.If every car and SUV sold in California in 2009 met this standard… The CO2 emissions from only one medium-sized coal-fired power plant, in just eight months ofoperation each year, would negate this entire effort.

EVERY HOUSEHOLD

If every household in the US changed a 60-watt incandescent light bulb to a compact fluorescent… The CO2 emissions from just two medium-sized coal-fired power plants each year would negate this entire effort.

EDUCATION

The Campus Climate Challenge calls for all college campuses in the US to reduce their CO2 emissions to zero.If every college campus building in the US met this challenge… The CO2 emissions from just four medium-sized coal-fired power plants each year would negate this entire effort.

NY, ME, VT, NH, MA, CT, RI, PA, NJ, DL, MD

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is a cooperative effort by 11 Northeastern andMid-Atlantic states to reduce their CO2 emissions to 1990 levels by 2014... The CO2 emissions from just 13 medium-sized coal-fired power plants each year will negate this entire effort.

CONGRESS

Congress is considering many climate change bills this year to reduce US carbon dioxide emissions... The CO2 emissions from any new coal-fired power plants work to negate these efforts.

THERE IS A ‘SILVER BULLET’ FOR SOLVING GLOBAL WARMING…

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

NO MORE COAL

Without coal, all the positive efforts underway can make a difference.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Over an 11-year period (1973–1983), the US built approx. 30 billion square feet of newbuildings, added approx. 35 million new vehicles and increased real GDP by one trilliondollars while decreasing its energy consumption and CO2 emissions. We don’t need coal, we have what we need: efficient design and proven technologies.

Today, buildings use 76% of all the energy produced at coal plants.

By implementing The 2030 Challenge* to reduce building energy use by a minimum of 50%,we negate the need for new coal plants.

Make a Difference: Protect Your Efforts.

* Issued by:  2030, Inc./Architecture 2030 • The 2030 Research Center • www.architecture2030.org

NOTES
1. Emissions Source: US Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2005.
2. Building Sector Data Source: 2006 Building Energy Databook, EIA.
3. 1 Quad (quadrillion Btu) = approx. 60.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (MMT CO2).
4. One medium-sized (500 MW) conventional coal-fired plant emits approx. 3.2 to 4.0 MMT CO2 a year.
5. One billion square feet of existing building area in the US is responsible for approx. 7.68 MMT CO2/yr.
6. Home Depot: Home Depot has funded the planting of 300,000 trees in cities across the US. Each tree will absorb and store approx. one-third of a ton of CO2 over its lifetime.
7. Wal-Mart: Wal-Mart, the largest “private” purchaser of electricity in the world is investing half a billion dollars to reduce the energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of their existing buildings by 20% over the next 7 years. "As one of the largest companies in the world, with an expanding global presence, environmental problems are our problems," said CEO Lee Scott.
a. Total US building area for all Wal-Mart Supercenters: 437,019,000 square feet (sf).
b. Total US building area for all Wal-Mart stores: 630,494,000 square feet (sf).
8. Every Household:
a. There are 110 million households in the US today.
b. Changing one 60-watt incandescent light bulb to a compact fluorescent saves approx. 156.6 pounds of CO2 each year.
9. Education:
a. The Campus Climate Challenge, a growing student movement in the US, states that global warming “is our problem, and it’s up to us to solve it, starting right here on campus, right now.”
b. Assumption: 3.5 billion sf of existing college campus building in the US.
10. California:
a. California, which makes up over 10% of the country’s new vehicle market, passed legislation to cut GHG emissions in new cars by 25% and in SUVs by 18%, starting in 2009.
b. A 25% reduction of emissions in cars and 18% in SUV’s sold in California in 2009 is approx. 2.3 MMT CO2.
11. ME, VT, NH, MA, CT, RI, NY, PA, NJ, DL, MD: The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is a ‘cap and trade’ cooperative effort by eleven Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by 2014.
a. Carbon dioxide emissions in 1990 equal 842.04 MMT CO2.
b. Carbon Dioxide emissions in 2003 equal 889.42 MMT CO2.
12. Real GDP (Year 2000 dollars) in 1973 was $4.341 trillion and in 1983, $5.423 trillion. (Source: Economic History Services)
13. Number of vehicles in operation in 1973 was 111.217 million and in 1983, 147.104 million. (Source: US Energy Information Administration)
14. From 1973 to 1983 approx. 19.7 billion square feet (bsf) of residential building and 13.3 bsf of commercial building were built. (Source: US Census, EIA)
15. Total US energy consumption in 1973 was 75.7 quadrillion btu (Qbtu) and in 1983, 73.0 Qbtu. (Source: EIA)
16. Total US CO2 emissions in 1973 was 4685 million metric tons (MMT) and in 1983, 4331 MMT. (Source: EIA)

So long privacy

Stardate 8198.10

The announcement that certain government agencies are seeking (pdf) the abilty to gain personal information from telecommunications companies without court orders is terrifying to say the least. Our clone government has learned nothing from the morons in the White House south of us? You would think that after the fallout from illegal wiretapping and spying on their own, the US experience would rub off a little... guess not.

And don't go and say that if a citizen has nothing to hide they shouldn't care. Balderdash!