Monday 4 May 2009

Cap and trade, a modest proposal


I have an idea about all these carbon taxes and cap and trade bills. When a politician says that the rest of us need to cut back on our energy usage, they only mean us plebs. The high and mighty will go on paying lip service to the concept and be as profligate as before. Energy and water rationing will be the lot of the common herd; us everyday folk may have no option but to freeze / bake / starve in the midst of potential plenty.

All the proposals for energy reduction are based on the so-called 'science' behind anthropogenic theories of climate change which is, as regularly demonstrated here, deeply flawed. The catastrophe's constantly prognosticated by politicians and certain parts of the media have consistently failed to appear. The climate shifts and changes all the time and with our current level of understanding we're still not sure why. To blame all the climate shifts / changes on a gas that comprises 0.385% of Earth's atmosphere which only absorbs energy in two narrow bands of the electromagnetic spectrum is quite frankly technically illiterate. What about the latent heat of the oceans, solar radiative forcings, the water cycle, volcanism and the weakening magneto and solar photosphere effect on cloud formation? Not to mention that the Earth radiates heat off into space quite rapidly. If the Sun suddenly went out we'd all be human popsicles in very short order. Even if the CO2 levels were ten times their current levels. Thus spake the laws of thermodynamics.

I only did physics to what might be called post secondary level (3 years UK Technical college), but it's blindingly obvious to me at least that CO2 is not a significant climate driver. To tax it's production and / or limit economic / industrial activity on this premise alone is therefore ludicrous. I understand and agree that we have to reduce pollution, and reducing airborne particulate matter and noxious chemicals in the environment should be a priority. However, this maniacal focus on a trace atmospheric gas is quite frankly barking. Sorry, but I go by the physics, not the rhetoric.

Some explanation of my personal background is in order here; I grew up in houses without regular hot water / heating. I remember the rolling power cuts and three day week of the UK in the 1970's. It's not very pleasant learning to shave with cold water, using recycled candles and hurricane lamps for light and heat. Wearing five layers of clothing and still having water vapour freezing on the walls inside your room. I've been there involuntarily, and it isn't funny. To even suggest we should go back to this standard of living voluntarily on the back of misleading computer models and fudged data is ludicrous, hence this proposal.

The core of my suggestion is very simple; all the people (Politicians, activists, media) who espouse the view that climate change is all man made should have happen to them what will happen to the rest of us when their ill founded legislation really bites; energy and water rationing. Every political conference hotel; cut off their hot water so they have to take cold showers to 'save energy'. Shut off the water to their houses at the mains. No fuel for presidential style motorcades or private jets, let them use the train, ride bicycles or walk. Off with their heating and air conditioning. Let the freeloaders see what it's like to go without. Them and the mainstream media. Cut all heat to the media channels which promote the catastrophic climate change agenda. Let Ehrlich and all the other doom mongering Malthusians fall on their own swords to help cut the world population (Can I watch? Please, please - I'll bring my own popcorn). Let the Gore's, Hansens and Suzuki's and all their disciples cycle to work and do without hot water like they appear to want the rest of us to do. Let those who call the sceptical side of the argument 'deniers' spend some time living with the consequences of their espoused policies (And no cheating - you'll be watched closely). Ration the heating in the Economics and Social science departments of all Universities (Engineers generate their own heat). Yea and verily, get thee to a wind powered commune (Somewhere in the Northern Territories would be my suggestion). Let them eat Carbon credits (And no ketchup or take-outs.) Send them to hug real live Polar Bears and see what happens.

You can call me a dreamer, but I'm not the only one......

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