Comments on: Energy Spot flaws

By: Clarence

Clarence — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 00:19:09 +0000

Environmentalism is a noble cause but is never well executed. It relies on a simple monochromatic world, that ignores the myriad interconnections of both science and economics.

I like this brief passage from Matt Ridley:

“Because we get coal out of the ground, we do not have to cut down forests; because we use petroleum we don’t have to kill whales for their oil; because we use gas to make fertilizer we don’t have to cultivate so much land to feed the world”.

It reminds me of the numerous emails which enjoin me to avoid printing so as to save the trees. The object is to allow pinus radiata plantations to age a little more before being replanted. But how does this help the environment or the economy?

The aging pines will extract less CO2 than a vigorous young replacement and forestry workers (as well as all those downstream workers) lose their jobs.

By: John in NZ

John in NZ — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 01:38:29 +0000

It was more the fact they dont know the difference between anthropomorphic
and anthropogenic.

By: Richard C (NZ)

Richard C (NZ) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 19:23:25 +0000

>”Ms Fitzsimons said the company could use wood to fire its plants instead of coal.”

Ms Fitzsimons is apparently misinformed (or is it just anthropomorphism?). The coal is used to raise steam for which large amounts of energy is required:

Energy density of coal – 24 MJ per kilogram
Energy density of wood – 16.2 MJ per kilogram

Fonterra – “Wood pellets have been trialled as an alternative fuel but have not been found to be viable”

http://www.fonterra.com//wps/wcm/connect/2db17c0044921e45b72ff77cde4449c0/Fonterra+Energy.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

By: John in NZ

John in NZ — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 17:50:23 +0000

The greens are attacking Fonterra for wanting to use coal.

They say “The crux of the argument is that coal adds to anthropomorphic climate change when more sustainable fuels could be used. ”

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/8380942/Protesters-take-on-Fonterra-over-coal

Anthropomorphic?

By: Mike Jowsey

Mike Jowsey — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 06:23:01 +0000

Careful Andy! Lewandowsky might write a paper about you. Or me too, because I agree with everything you say. Many of my friends and neighbours up here in North Canterbury are growing huge gardens, raising stock for milk, wool and meat, and finding out ways to become more and more self-sufficient (power included). It just makes sense. At our house have probably 100 dinners a year where everything served is off our land. Most of the other dinners have some portion of our own produce. It’s organic, hard labour, and immensely satisfying. I’m not a “preper” by any stretch, but it makes sense to distance oneself from reliance on the supermarkets, banks and bureaucracies.

By: Andy

Andy — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 05:42:24 +0000

The problem with leadership is that we – NZ – and the west in general – have been overly pandering to the welfare system.

The point we have reached in the USA and the UK is that the majority are on some kind of government handout and will vote for the party that gives the most handouts. In effect, society cannibalizes itself. Crazy “right wing” talk I know

Unfortunately, I don’t see an easy or a happy outcome to this. History tells us that it will end in war or revolution.

FA Hayek – The Road to Serfdom, is a sobering read, because it feels like it has been written today, yet was written a long time ago

NZ is at least lucky that we have plenty of natural resources – hydro power, fertile land etc.

We recently had dinner with our “salt of the earth” neighbours, where everything on the table was hand grown or hand produced by them: lamb, veges and wine.

It restored my faith in humanity, briefly at least

By: Mike Jowsey

Mike Jowsey — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 05:13:41 +0000

We need true leadership. Too many caretaker, puppet prime ministers in succession. NZ needs real cuts in bureaucracy and welfare – get back to a budget surplus and stop selling off assets that our grandfathers paid for and built. And stop pandering to the Maori elite. Where is the leadership?

By: John Robertson

John Robertson — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 04:15:07 +0000

Bureaucrats are like weevils, they build more bureaus so their population can grow.
If money is collected by government under threat of violence or restriction its a tax.
If an agency is funded by govt, its a government bureaucracy, regardless what name is used.
Government employees never pay tax, they are lied to about their rate of pay.(same pocket)
These Quango’s are nothing more than payback your supporter systems, using taxpayers money.
The management and directors will all be political hacks and moneymen.
The staff? Most likely true believers with zero work experience.
This EECA sounds like a classic waste of skin operation.
These off shoots of the CAGW religion are every where.
And never mind the $20 million, your political masters needed it more than you.

By: Alexander K

Alexander K — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 08:01:33 +0000

Successive NZ Governments seem to leave in their wake a trail of ‘initiatives’ that are designed to place a large number of individuals in work as permanent staffing of Quangos, each Quango doing nothing more than perpetuating each particular ‘initiative’. Each Quango comes fully equipped with a supply of grants and the skills and knowledge to acquire more. These are nothing more than the normal trappings of a Socialist State which is terrified of private enterprise and which can create and control everything, with the exception of worthwhile, productive industries which produce real goods that will enrich the nation-state rather than feed off it. The situation, sadly, is normal. These Quangos are a brilliant device for soaking up unemployment, too!

By: David

David — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 18:26:42 +0000

In essence, this is a tax-payer funded industry lobby group”

Yep, and it isnt the only one we have. All stacked with useless people whose sole job seems to be to extract more money off us.
Check out the scams the anti smoking lobby get away with. And NIWA…..