An old Rant by Arnold Schwarzenegger and i love it Go Arny!!!

[cookielovers]

Some people may know that in his time as Governor of California and ongoing Arnold Schwarzeneger has been a huge supporter of green initiatives. I recently read this article he wrote on his facebook page from 2015 and thought I would share it as he is so spot on.

I don’t give a **** if we agree about climate change.

Arnold Schwarzenegger·Monday, 7 December 2015
I see your questions.
Each and every time I post on my Facebook page or tweet about my crusade for a clean energy future, I see them.
There are always a few of you, asking why we should care about the temperature rising, or questioning the science of climate change.
I want you to know that I hear you. Even those of you who say renewable energy is a conspiracy. Even those who say climate change is a hoax. Even those of you who use four letter words.
I've heard all of your questions, and now I have three questions for you.
Let's put climate change aside for a minute. In fact, let's assume you're right.
First - do you believe it is acceptable that 7 million people die every year from pollution? That's more than murders, suicides, and car accidents - combined.
Every day, 19,000 people die from pollution from fossil fuels. Do you accept those deaths? Do you accept that children all over the world have to grow up breathing with inhalers?
Now, my second question: do you believe coal and oil will be the fuels of the future?
Besides the fact that fossil fuels destroy our lungs, everyone agrees that eventually they will run out. What's your plan then?
I, personally, want a plan. I don't want to be like the last horse and buggy salesman who was holding out as cars took over the roads. I don't want to be the last investor in Blockbuster as Netflix emerged. That's exactly what is going to happen to fossil fuels.
A clean energy future is a wise investment, and anyone who tells you otherwise is either wrong, or lying. Either way, I wouldn't take their investment advice.
Renewable energy is great for the economy, and you don't have to take my word for it. California has some of the most revolutionary environmental laws in the United States, we get 40% of our power from renewables, and we are 40% more energy efficient than the rest of the country. We were an early-adopter of a clean energy future.
Our economy has not suffered. In fact, our economy in California is growing faster than the U.S. economy. We lead the nation in manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, entertainment, high tech, biotech, and, of course, green tech.
I have a final question, and it will take some imagination.
There are two doors. Behind Door Number One is a completely sealed room, with a regular, gasoline-fueled car. Behind Door Number Two is an identical, completely sealed room, with an electric car. Both engines are running full blast.
I want you to pick a door to open, and enter the room and shut the door behind you. You have to stay in the room you choose for one hour. You cannot turn off the engine. You do not get a gas mask.
I'm guessing you chose the Door Number Two, with the electric car, right? Door number one is a fatal choice - who would ever want to breathe those fumes?
This is the choice the world is making right now.
To use one of the four-letter words all of you commenters love, I don't give a damn if you believe in climate change. I couldn’t care less if you're concerned about temperatures rising or melting glaciers. It doesn't matter to me which of us is right about the science.
I just hope that you'll join me in opening Door Number Two, to a smarter, cleaner, healthier, more profitable energy future.

 

[WannabeOwner]

I agree with Arnie's points; I'm not a climate-change sceptic, but my Eco journey started before that was such a controversial buzz word and at that time my concern was that non-renewables were running out - who knows when Peak-Oil and Peak-Anything-Else will be, but I found David MacKay's book "Sustainable Energy - without the hot air" very persuasive along with a great video by Dr. Albert A. Bartlett's presentation on "Arithmetic, Population, and Energy" about exponential growth

Executive summary:

1) Exponential growth is hard to visualise. Imagine:
Some bacteria are growing in a container.
Size/etc. of container not relevant, just that the population doubles every minute and the container will be full at midnight.
When will they panic? At 5 minutes to midnight the container is only 3% full.
If at 11:59 they find 3 additional containers (i.e. 3-times the size of all previously known resources) it will last them until 12:02

2) if consumption is growing at, say, 5% p.a. then usage doubles every 70 / 5 = 14 years AND in that 14 years we use more than the TOTAL used before that. So at the point of peak oil we have 14 years until it is all gone.

Historically, until around 1980, growth was 7% (i.e. doubling every decade) and since then its been about 2.5% i.e. doubling every 28 years)

My additional points include:

Energy self sufficiency (I would do the same with Food too)

I think that helps our balance of payments, not having to go to war for Oil, and not concentrating huge funds in countries where, eventually, someone / some-group will spend the fantastically huge amounts of excess money on some fundamental ideology.​

I don't want my children, grand-children or great-grand-children telling me "You knew there was a problem and you did nothing about it" 'coz by then, if they are saying that, it will clearly be too late.

Side note: I want to be able to afford my lifestyle throughout retirement. Reducing the energy consumption of my house / transport is a big part of achieving that by insulating me from fuel cost rises.

 

[cookielovers]

Really good Points WannabeOwner. I suspect people are motivated by a lot of different reasons. Like you I have been making the changes that make me less dependant on oil. Investing in Solar, enegy efficiciencies including insulation, lighting changes, electric cars, and energy storage make me feel good that I am supporting these industries that we are going to need now and into the future. I also think reducing my costs moving into retirement is a good idea.

 

[aesculus]

Don't forget: A republican in California looks like a democrat everywhere else.

It will be interesting to see how Arnie and Trump deal with the Celebrity Apprentice. Friction is already starting to build.

 

[deonb]

Historically, until around 1980, growth was 7% (i.e. doubling every decade) and since then its been about 2.5% i.e. doubling every 28 years)

Oil growth is not unbounded exponential. Once a certain lifestyle level has been reached, consumption stops growing. The per capita oil consumption of the U.S. is essentially unchanged since 1975.

For any oil consumption to increase beyond that, population has to increase, but there is good reason to think it will cap at around 11 billion.

 

[WannabeOwner]

The per capita oil consumption of the U.S. is essentially unchanged since 1975

agreed, but emerging economies like China etc. growing.

I perceive Oil growth slowing as renewables (and energy efficiency) reduce oil consumption ... and then Oil price falling as Suppliers fight for market share ... and then even harder to get people to switch to Eco alternatives - hopefully Eco will be the cheaper / better option by then so the point will be moot.

I too don't see population growing [in developed countries]. Good job, space is finite!

 

[WannabeOwner]

enegy efficiciencies including insulation

A hobby-horse of mine. Retro fit is SO difficult that it is much easier to new-build if a site comes on the market (or, perhaps, knock down and re-build, but the wastage involved in that horrifies me)

We built a Passive House extension which we can hibernate into in the winter which avoided us having to try to upgrade the whole house. Luckily the South side of the house was just garage, so we could build south-facing.

I recommend this book - not available from conventional sources, thus not cheap. All the technical mumbo-jumbo is there, but in breakout boxes so can be ignored by laymen. It covers everything from concepts to how to manage a project where none of the Trades are familiar with the concepts (as was the case with us; we did use quality Trades though!, and a Passive House consultant to make sure stuff didn't get overlooked)

The Passivhaus Handbook

I don't know how hard it is to find examples locally around the country, so if anyone is interested and wants to pick my brains pls send me a PM