[Gasification] [Stoves] Thanks to Tom Reed for His PerspectiveSetting Remarks on Methanol, the "Other" Alcohol

[Harmon Seaver]

On 7/6/06, Peter Wilson <petergwilson at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Well said. I especially agree with you about the hypocrisy of blaming the
> current energy shortages on China and the rest of the developing world. I'm
> no fan of fossil fuels, but those countries have every right to expect
> Western standards of living. The Western world has set the example that
> others strive for, even if in the end it may result in the destruction of
> much of the planet. Although China and India have much better gasification
> technology than the west - we could learn a few things off them.
>

    Absolutely, all of the 3rd or "undeveloped" world, should be free
to develop as much as the "1st" world has -- the problem is that the
US, in particular, had a huge benefit of cheap energy -- cheap oil
primarily -- which created the living standard and economy we see here
today. Obviously, that is ending -- so for the rest of the world which
is now booming and trying to achieve the same thing, it's just a bit
late.
     And, at the same time, the rich suburban lifestyle here in the US
is about to become a huge albatross around the neck of the US
population. Nat gas and oil, which heats most US homes, is going to
become hugely expensive in the next few years. Nat gas might just quit
totally -- so what will those homeowners do?
      What will the trucking industry do when fuel is $10-20 @ gallon?
Biofuels are great, but it's really "too little -- too late".  I mean,
biofuels are great for me, I'm not too worried personally, as I can
grow my own biodiesel, my own ethanol, and certainly all my own food.
But biofuels (likewise wind and solar and....) won't even come close
to making a difference for most of Amerika.




-- 
Harmon Seaver