Posted on 09/01/2020 11:52:50 AM PDT by george76
Most people seem to believe that wind and solar panels produce no waste and have no negative environmental impacts. Unfortunately, these people are wrong.
In reality, everything that humans do has an environmental impact, whether it be mining, using a coal-fired power plant, or even tourism. When it comes to energy and environmental policy, the real question to ask is not “will there be an impact?” but rather, “can the impacts be minimized?” ...
Because everything has an effect on the environment, it is important that everyone understands the impacts of all energy sources so we can make the best possible energy decisions. We are constantly making trade-offs in our lives whether we recognize it or not.
...
Unlike other forms of electricity generation, like nuclear plants or coal plants, there doesn’t seem to be any foresight on how to deal with the waste that will be generated when solar panels and wind turbines reach the end of their short lifetimes. Remember, nuclear plants can run for 80 years, as can coal plants with proper maintenance and upkeep, but even the best wind turbines and solar panels will last for just 25 years, creating staggering amounts of waste products.
...
solar panels are expected to generate 866 times more waste in the next 30 years than nuclear power has generated in the last 50. And unlike nuclear waste, which is safely stored on site, nobody knows what will happen to these solar panels at the end of their useful lifetime because solar panels are not easily recycled.
...
Unfortunately, most people still don’t understand that wind and solar require enormous amounts of metal, and that much of this metal is mined in Third-World countries that have few protections for workers or the environment.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanexperiment.org ...
“Gee,,,we never thought of that”
Send them to Greta Gurnberg’s house.
Send them to Greta Gurnberg’s house.
I have friends who live in a nicer, much more upscale neighborhood than I do.
Their neighbor across the street just installed giant hulking solar panels on his roof.
You guessed it, his front yard is full of Democrat yard signs too.
Yes, they never thought through all of the impacts of rushing to solar and wind power.
I was talking to someone who wants to see major switches to electric cars. He said how electric cars are pollution free and how green we would be, if only we had millions of electric cars on the road.
I silenced him, by saying that, our power grid could not accomodate literally millions of electric cars being plugged in to recharge every night. I also pointed out that significant amounts of electricity needed to recharge electric cars would be generated in fossil fuel power plants.
He said, well, we would have to work through a transition period, then started talking about something else.
Throw them into a Hawaiian or Mexican volcano
I understand there are areas of Texas where the hail can damage a roof, so I would imagine the solar panels wouldn't fair much better.
They can’t be recycled?..................
Is there a “law of unintentional consequence”, yes there is!
Howls, Bruce. Howls of derisive laughter.
Not true. Electricity is an endless resource. It comes from the wall.
Scoldylocks has been out of the news for awhile. She go back to school finally?
DOH! Sort of like the composite windmills. Can’t do anything with them. Not to mention the nasties made when making all these earth saving products. They must have been invented on the Island of Moronica. Or perhaps Dumbassistan.
I think nuclear power should be a major part of our energy future.
I know I’m in a minority thinking that way. Nuclear produces no greenhouse gases, but that doesn’t matter to the enviro extremists who make policy nowadays.
The fact is, there is no perfect zero emission, zero environmental impact form of energy anywhere. We can and should minimize environmental damage. But the enviro extremists take a concept of clean environment way too far.
You should see the blank stares I get when I explain the fallacy of solar/wind power to my family.
I said, you do understand that since it’s overcast and the wind is not blowing, the only reason we have electricity is because there is a turbine spinning somewhere right now? And that turbine is almost certainly powered by coal, gas, or nuclear energy?
Crickets. I hope it’s sinking in.
“Throw them into a Hawaiian or Mexican volcano”
Greentards? A bold idea, but it sounds promising.
Let’s not even consider the batteries that also die with even greater frequency than the solar panels!
Anyone remember when the greenies got us to switch from paper to plastic? From incandescent bulbs to mercury laced fluorescent ones? From capitalism to communism?!
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