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The mainstream

The same pessimism--or disinterest--

from any source is put usually have

applies to geoengineering approaches to

negative environmental side effects

environmental

address atmospheric concentrations of CO

as well. Bulldozers that ran on

2

movement sup-

instead of reducing fossil energy combustion.

hydrogen generated by solar power

ports those car-

The National Academy of Sciences conclud-

could still destroy wetlands and old-

ed in a 1992 study that such geoengineering

growth forests.2 0 6

bon-free energies

options as reforestation, stimulating ocean

that are the most

biomass with iron, and screening sunlight

Ehrlich has stated elsewhere, "In a country

"have large potential to mitigate greenhouse

like the United States, there is not the slight-

expensive and the

warming and are relatively cost-effective in

est excuse for developing one more square

least reliable.

comparison to other mitigation options."2 0 3

inch of undisturbed land."2 0 7 To Ehrlich the

inherent energy use of such development

This raises the following question: are the

would be environmentally destructive as well.

real concern and mission of mainstream

Yet a moratorium on development, ironically,

environmentalism to reduce climate change

would condemn renewable energy technolo-

and eliminate the risk of radiation or to

gies in particular, since they require much

arrest the high levels of global development

more space and pristine acreage than do con-

and population sustainability that increas-

ventional power plants per unit of output.2 0 8

ingly abundant energy affords?

Environmentalist and fossil fuel critic

Another example of the environmental

Paul Ehrlich believes that "giving society

tension created by environmentalist energy

cheap, abundant energy . . . would be the

goals was stated by a former executive of US

equivalent of giving an idiot child a

Electricar: "I worry that the focus on produc-

machine gun."2 0 4 And when cold fusion

ing zero-emission cars distracts us from con-

centrating on redeveloping decent mass tran-

seemed briefly to be the ultimate renewable

sit."2 0 9 If the most optimistic scenarios with

energy, the environmental movement

recoiled in concern. Jeremy Rifkin spoke for

hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles play out in several

many when he told the Los Angeles Times

decades and inexpensive, environmentally

that cold fusion was "the worst thing that

benign driving becomes the norm, will envi-

could happen to our planet."2 0 5

ronmentalists rejoice or be concerned about

the side effects of affordable, decentralized

The cold, hard fact remains that the main-

mobility?

stream environmental movement supports

All energy technologies should be evalu-

those carbon-free energies that are the most

ated realistically in the short run and opti-

expensive and the least reliable. Wind and

mistically but realistically in the longer run.

solar power are not only costly on a per unit

In this sense one can be optimistic about all

basis but have low capacity factors, are site

energies and their technologies, conven-

constrained, and are intermittent. Nuclear

tional and unconventional, yet still appreci-

and hydro, which enjoy much less environ-

ate the current sizable competitive edge of

mentalist support, on the other hand, can be

the former. Such an appreciation is not a

flexibly generated on a mass scale.

call for companies to forgo being "venture

Indeed, higher prices and less availability

capitalists" to seek out new energy tech-

translate into less usage, which is conserva-

nologies and alternatives that currently are

tion by another name (enforced conserva-

out of the market. The public policy issue is

tion). Ehrlich and others have complained

not whether the completely new should

about the environmental impact of energy

overthrow the old. There is always the

from any source:

chance that revolution will join day-by-day

evolution. The call is to establish and pro-

No way of mobilizing energy is free

tect market institutions to encourage

of environmentally damaging side

research and development in a nonpolitical

effects, and the uses to which energy

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