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Tree-huggers v nerds
The Economist ^ | Feb 12th 2009 | Not Named

Posted on 02/16/2009 7:55:40 PM PST by USFRIENDINVICTORIA

As the planet heats up, so do disputes between environmentalists

LAST December California approved a power line between San Diego and the Imperial Valley—a spot blessed with sun, wind and geothermal energy resources. {snip} Its builders would be banned from harming burrowing owls or rattlesnakes. It is just the sort of green infrastructure project that might be expected to delight environmentalists. Their response? An appeal and a petition to the state Supreme Court.

“Environmentalists have never been a well-mannered lot”, says Terry Tamminen, who has advised Arnold Schwarzenegger on climate change. But they seem to be becoming more ornery. A growing fear that the environment is on the brink of collapse is making many greens less willing to compromise, even with each other. And George Bush’s departure from the White House has removed a common adversary.

A more profound difference has to do with how the problem is diagnosed. {snip} The big divide is between those who fret about measurable changes in greenhouse-gas emissions and those who worry more about harm to natural habitats, whether caused by global warming or anything else. The first group—call them the environmental nerds—includes people like Al Gore and Mr Schwarzenegger. The second group—call them the tree-huggers—includes the Sierra Club, the Centre for Biological Diversity and other established conservation groups.

The dispute is likely to intensify in the next few months as Washington weighs in. This week Congress reached a deal on a stimulus plan that encourages the construction of yet more power lines. Barack Obama wants to create green jobs, but he needs to create jobs above all, and quickly. Environmentalists, who know how to hold up big projects better than anybody, will not be bounced so easily. A shame: after all, the greens are winning.

(Excerpt) Read more at economist.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: environmentalists; gorebots; porkulus; solarenergy; windpower
Popcorn time.

The "nerds" (gorebots) want massive "green energy" projects. The "tree huggers" are tilting at the nerds' windmills. They continue to: dream the impossible dream; fight the unbeatable foe; try to reach the unreachable star.

Expect big fights, as meagabucks become available for alternate energy mega projects; through Obama's spendulus packagage.

This is an excerpt -- the whole article is a quick and illuminating (low-wattage) read.

1 posted on 02/16/2009 7:55:40 PM PST by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA
The map that accompanies the article:


2 posted on 02/16/2009 7:56:39 PM PST by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA
Tree-huggers v nerds

No matter who loses, we can kick the winner's butt. :)

3 posted on 02/16/2009 7:56:55 PM PST by Darkwolf377 (Pro-Life Capitalist American Atheist and Free-Speech Junkie)
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA

There is no such thing as an “environnmentalist: - there are plenty of “people-haters,” though.

Folks who’d much rather humanity would all die off.


4 posted on 02/16/2009 8:01:14 PM PST by Redbob (W.W.J.B.D.: "What Would Jack Bauer Do?")
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA
Tree-huggers v nerds

Actual footage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJUhrwS5650

5 posted on 02/16/2009 8:01:45 PM PST by Darkwolf377 (Pro-Life Capitalist American Atheist and Free-Speech Junkie)
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA
"As the planet heats up..."

Which planet are these idiots at the Economist talking about?

6 posted on 02/16/2009 8:02:20 PM PST by FlingWingFlyer (Have You Punched A Democrat Today? - Do it for the children.)
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA

Aha. It’s the “save the climate” fools vs the “save the animals” fools.

I love it. Someone should send in the “reduce the population” fools to take care of both of them.


7 posted on 02/16/2009 8:03:08 PM PST by mamelukesabre
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To: mamelukesabre

LOL. That scenario would make a great action flick.


8 posted on 02/16/2009 8:04:41 PM PST by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA
The second group—call them the tree-huggers—includes the Sierra Club, the Centre for Biological Diversity and other established conservation groups.

Most people (particularly in the MSM) fail to realize that the first true conservationists were hunters and outdoorsmen. I guess that such "irrelevant data" would just cloud the issue.

9 posted on 02/16/2009 8:05:04 PM PST by Stonewall Jackson (We failed, but in the good providence of God apparent failure often proves a blessing.-Robert E.Lee)
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To: FlingWingFlyer
Shush .... never interrupt your enemies, while they're fighting amongst themselves.
10 posted on 02/16/2009 8:06:15 PM PST by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: Stonewall Jackson

Good point! Support Ducks Unlimited.


11 posted on 02/16/2009 8:07:01 PM PST by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA
More Cowbell!
12 posted on 02/16/2009 8:12:08 PM PST by BallyBill (Serial Hit-N-Run poster)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Ping.

You might find this interesting — another front opening up in the AGW wars.


13 posted on 02/16/2009 8:14:28 PM PST by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA

Screw them all. Let them sit in the dark.


14 posted on 02/16/2009 8:16:45 PM PST by Nathan Zachary
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To: Stonewall Jackson
Most people (particularly in the MSM) fail to realize that the first true conservationists were hunters and outdoorsmen. I guess that such "irrelevant data" would just cloud the issue.

You got it. Outdoorsmen; hunters, fishermen, through license fees and special taxes on guns, ammo, and fishing tackle, pump more money into protecting the enviroment than all the dreadlock, beany cap, down coat, wearing, "Greenie" eviro types could ever hope to muster.

15 posted on 02/16/2009 8:18:33 PM PST by Inyo-Mono
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA
"Good point! Support Ducks Unlimited."

Even they've become Tree huggers, buying up land and posting no hunting bird sanctuaries on the few scare public hunting areas left.

16 posted on 02/16/2009 8:19:48 PM PST by Nathan Zachary
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA

Go nuclear, Save the Raptors : (

http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/07/24/new-data-shows-bird-kills-up-in-altamont/

http://www.windaction.org/documents/13936

http://www.nationalwind.org/publications/wildlife/avian98/03-Hunt-Golden_Eagles.pdf

http://www.wind-works.org/articles/NRELBirdReport04.html


17 posted on 02/16/2009 8:21:18 PM PST by happinesswithoutpeace (You are receiving this broadcast as a dream)
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To: happinesswithoutpeace

Bird kills, aesthetic impact, maddening noise — if wind power were subjected to the type of environmental review that oil, gas, coal, hydro, or nuclear projects have to face; Don Quixote could retire.


18 posted on 02/16/2009 8:37:14 PM PST by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: Inyo-Mono

That is for sure a fact in Colorado. There would be no money spent on conservation if it weren’t for hunters and fishermen buying licenses, camp ground fees, etc...


19 posted on 02/16/2009 9:07:32 PM PST by CIDKauf (No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.)
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA; proud_yank; FrPR; enough_idiocy; Desdemona; rdl6989; Little Bill; ...
 


Beam me to Planet Gore !

20 posted on 02/17/2009 1:53:09 AM PST by steelyourfaith (Hope + Change = PORKULU$)
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