Monday, September 28, 2009

Cost of Saving The Planet

By Douglas V. Gibbs

The environmentalists are convinced that humanity is a parasite. Earth would be better off without us. They support population control, and reverting humanity back to the days before industry. If you aren't as whacky as the greenies, they argue, then you don't care about the planet. Earth is dying, and we need to send in a green, hybrid driving calvary to save it. From mercury laced flourescent light bulbs, to global efforts to reduce "carbon footprints," the green people intend to do whatever it takes to give Mother Nature a breath of fresh air. After all, every time a human exhales carbon dioxide, and weeping Indian loses his wings.

A phone call from my friendly neighborhood energy provider urged me to become green. The female voice on the other end of the line asked me how old my heating and air conditioning unit is, and I admitted that it was as old as my house. I could almost see her recoil in dismay when she realized that someone was actually willing to keep the same appliance after all these years, and was not willing to apologize about it. The woman went on to explain to me how much energy older units use, and in an attempt to be more "green" we need to replace our older units with newer, more efficient, ones. She then went on to explain how much money I will save with my new energy efficient system, should I decide to make the change.

"How am I supposed to afford buying a new heating and a/c system," I asked, "while in the middle of an extremely trying economic downturn?"

"I am glad you asked," she responded. "In order to assist with the change to Earth-friendly appliances, we can offer interest free financing. . ."

Credit. That's the answer to not being able to afford this new, greener, planet saving unit? Isn't borrowing money without the ability to repay the loan what got us into this economic mess in the first place? And the unit she was offering doesn't come cheap, either.

That's a lot of green to be green.

"Fact is," I explained to the woman, "my energy bills stay relatively low. I rarely turn on my air conditioner. In fact, I have found a fantastic method for keeping my costs down that you may wish to pass on to your other customers."

"Really?"

"Yeah," I said. "You see, I have these square things in my walls, and some of my doors, called windows. I reach for them, unlatch them, and slide them open to let the fresh air in, rather than turning on my a/c. Then, when it gets really warm, I switch on the ceiling fans. The air conditioner only comes on when the temperature gets into the triple digit zone. Windows are amazing. They are super efficient, too. You ought to try them sometime."

I was reluctant to mention the swimming pool. The pool also provides wonderful relief from the heat.

She laughed, realizing I was not going to budge, and thanked me for my time.

I got to thinking later, however, that with Obama's Cap and Trade scheme, if I was an excessive heating and a/c unit user, even with the efficient units, my energy costs were sure to go up, regardless. Opening a window will always remain the most economically sound method, regardless of the rise of energy costs.

The phone call from my energy provider was not about saving me money, or making life easier on me. Their agenda was to sell new units. The selling point was the "green" hysteria, and the mythical "climate change" crisis. They figure even in the most difficult economic times, if they make the need to save the planet sound urgent enough, people will shell out money they don't have, or take loans they can't afford, to save the planet.

Hysteria is an amazing tool for controlling a population's behavior. The government knows that if they convince every one how dire the environmental crisis is, people will be willing to pay money they don't have for increased energy costs in order to save the suffering planet.

Part of Barack Obama's policy of change is to get America to buy into the man-made Global Warming myth (as worldwide temperatures continue to cool). One of his plans to save the planet is Cap and Trade. Planet Saving Cap-and-Trade Costs, however, Could Hit $300 Billion Annually, admits the U.S. Treasury. And, Obama has been saying all along that energy costs will skyrocket should Cap and Trade be put into place.

But why would the U.S. Government spend so much money, and raise costs on you and I, if man-made global warming is not true?

First of all, they have bought into the lies regarding mankind's ability to change global temperature by producing less than one percent of the total greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Secondly, Cap and Trade is a lot like Obama's other proposals. It has nothing to do with "saving the planet," and everything to do with controlling your behavior, and adjusting your behavior by putting a leash on your wallet. That, coupled with crippling the U.S. Economy through inflation-inducing fiat money being fed into the system, is a part of the design to destroy capitalism, and force America into a new, socialistic, global government.

Ultimately, however, the real cost of trying to save the planet that doesn't need saving is applied by creating an outrageous loss of liberty.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

Breaking News: Treasury Admits Global Warming Cap-and-Trade Costs Could Hit $300 Billion Annually - Competitive Enterprise Institute, Christine Hall

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