2 ms·

Dumping energy into desalination (and water transport) to continue farming in the desert will only increase our massive global warming problems. Again a bad, ri

Dumping energy into desalination (and water transport) to continue farming in the desert will only increase our massive global warming problems. Again a bad, risky solution.

maxerickson 5y ago
No it won't, heat from the sun (and radiation away from the planet on the dark side) completely dwarfs human energy utilization. Climate change is happening because of changes to atmospheric composition, solar panels aren't going to have a massive impact on that. Austerity is the bad, risky idea that isn't a solution to anything.
- simiones 5y ago
  > solar panels aren't going to have a massive impact on that Solar panel production, like all industrial activity, is pumping more CO2 into the atmosphere, not to mention other pollutants - from mining, factories, transport. Besides, we need to replace all fossil fuel energy generation as quickly as possible with renewable energy generation. Adding any extra energy consumption makes this vital goal more remote. Perhaps once 100% of energy is produced from renewable sources with 0 carbon emissions, we could think about starting to grow energy consumption again. Before that, thinking about huge new industries like this is completely irresponsible. While austerity as a solution to monetary crises is completely counter-productive and a non-solution, it is unfortunately mandatory to avert the worse effects of the climate crisis. We have run out of time entirely, unfortunately, ignoring and hiding this crisis for the past 50 years. Stagnating and even reducing consumption is the only possible response today that can prevent the worse effects of global warming.
  - imtringued 5y ago
    It is interesting how there are no people willing to save capitalism but there is an endless quantity of people trying to keep 20th century capitalism alive just a tiny bit longer.

2 ms·

Dumping energy into desalination (and water transport) to continue farming in the desert will only increase our massive global warming problems. Again a bad, ri

by simiones 5y ago

Dumping energy into desalination (and water transport) to continue farming in the desert will only increase our massive global warming problems. Again a bad, risky solution.

maxerickson 5y ago
No it won't, heat from the sun (and radiation away from the planet on the dark side) completely dwarfs human energy utilization. Climate change is happening because of changes to atmospheric composition, solar panels aren't going to have a massive impact on that. Austerity is the bad, risky idea that isn't a solution to anything.
- simiones 5y ago
  > solar panels aren't going to have a massive impact on that Solar panel production, like all industrial activity, is pumping more CO2 into the atmosphere, not to mention other pollutants - from mining, factories, transport. Besides, we need to replace all fossil fuel energy generation as quickly as possible with renewable energy generation. Adding any extra energy consumption makes this vital goal more remote. Perhaps once 100% of energy is produced from renewable sources with 0 carbon emissions, we could think about starting to grow energy consumption again. Before that, thinking about huge new industries like this is completely irresponsible. While austerity as a solution to monetary crises is completely counter-productive and a non-solution, it is unfortunately mandatory to avert the worse effects of the climate crisis. We have run out of time entirely, unfortunately, ignoring and hiding this crisis for the past 50 years. Stagnating and even reducing consumption is the only possible response today that can prevent the worse effects of global warming.
  - imtringued 5y ago
    It is interesting how there are no people willing to save capitalism but there is an endless quantity of people trying to keep 20th century capitalism alive just a tiny bit longer.