Sustainability and Politics: How an EPA Plan to Reduce Carbon Emissions is Playing Out in Coal Rich Wyoming

Saturday, January 17, 2015

How an EPA Plan to Reduce Carbon Emissions is Playing Out in Coal Rich Wyoming

Here The EPA is just doing their job. The article here includes a couple points of view included which are pretty good. (As per the comments, a Democrat should have been quoted to counter-balance the GOP quote). That one climate denier politician Rep. Lummis supplies the most ignorant quote. But interesting that the farmer and even some of the coal 'advocates' seemed genuinely concerned and apologetic about the pollution -- health and climate destruction -- coal provides. Nice if they have developed absorbing towers, why are these not used more commonly even if expensive? We all know that the coal industry is one of the most profitable in the world, why can't some of the profits be used to install and use these pollution control devices? It's not necessarily the source people have the biggest problem with (although of course coal mining has its own dangers and mortality rate) ... it's the pollution. And obviously if the pollution cannot be adequately or affordably controlled the black junk has got to stay in the ground until it can.

The most meaningful exchange:

"Professor Harold Bergman specializes in environmental toxicology.

HAROLD BERGMAN, University of Wyoming: Wyoming can file 100 lawsuits a month if they want, and it’s not going to change a thing. This is going to get fixed. It absolutely must.

LEIGH PATERSON: He says Wyoming lawmakers need to recognize the realities of a changing climate.

HAROLD BERGMAN: The consequences for the coal industry, for instance, are going to be severe, and they have to begin adjusting for it now. If they don’t, we’re going to be blindsided."

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I've been thinking some about the Winter Solstice, the Mayan end of the 30,000-year-cycle on 12/21/12.

What if in fact the world did end? Even though this probably will not happen, to live consciously it is honest for us to take a bit of an inventory.

Am I happy with how I've lived my life? (Yesterday, I thought mostly yes, with some areas for improvement, as below.) Are there changes I would make?
Would I have tried to forgive those that were hostile or disappointing to me?
Would I spend more time with those I loved the most, telling them that, feeling that more?
Would I be happier, grateful for what I have, what I've experienced, the joy, the beauty in this world?

Maybe the answer is yes to all of the above.
So this time can serve as a point of rebirth for all of us. If we think about it.

Because somewhere along the line I realized I think maybe mankind deserves it. !
The way we are killing each other, killing the planet.
How selfish we are, and snotty to those around us. Petty, competitive. Why is this? Do we have to behave this way? (I say no, it greatly detracts and misdirects energy from the full-time celebration in which we could engage, the great multi-cultural, multi-rhythmic dance we can sustain here.)

Maybe God or the Great Universe is fed up, and will pull the rug out from under us.
Don't think I can say we could blame Him/Her/It.

But it probably won't happen. (Probably not! This time.)

Still we are finite on this ride.

It is a time to think, am I happy with how I've lived my life?
Hopefully most of us can say yes.

For the part of us that have a little worry, a little sadness....
This is the time to be present.
This is the time to be the person you want to be, that can die at peace, that can hope to every day be able to look yourself and the Universe in the eye and say, how beautiful, smiling, and thank you. Let's do that.