[Vision2020] Inconvenient Truth -- What WE REALLY HAVE TO DO

Thu Aug 24 11:54:58 PDT 2006

One good idea would be to re-invest in bio-diesel research.  The program was
promoted and supported under the Clinton administration and terminated under
the Bush administration.

Simply coming up with an alternate fuel source will not work.  It needs
government support.  

Remember the "Get the Lead Out!" campaign that was mandated by government
policy?  It worked.  If the government mandates that all vehicles will be
fueled with bio-diesel by the year 2012, you can bet your last gallon of
regular gas that Exxon, Standard Oil, etc. etc. will do their best to get
into the bio-diesel market.

Has anybody got any ideas on how to develop some SERIOUS interest in
alternate fuels, the kind of ideas that will "spark a fire" of major
interest within the George "All for Oil" Bush administration?

Tom Hansen

Moscow, Idaho

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving
safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in
sideways, chocolate in one hand, a drink in the other, body thoroughly used
up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO. What a ride!'"

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From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Art Deco
Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 11:41 AM
To: Vision 2020
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Inconvenient Truth -- What WE REALLY HAVE TO DO

God (alleged, choose the one that pleases you most) save the Queen!

Donovan and I agree on at least some fundamental outlooks.

1.    There is a limited amount of terrestrial/atmospheric resources.  There
are and will be too many people competing for these resources.  Further,
overuse of some of these resources creates life/quality of life threatening
environmental problems for all plants and animals including humankind.
Think about this:  What would happen if at least half of the world's human
population lived at the same standard of resource usage as the US and
western Europe?

2.    Petroleum resources are not only quite limited, but their uses are a
leading cause of many life/quality of life threatening problems.  Hence, a
very high tax on such products may help motivate a search for much better,
kinder to the earth, plants and animals (including humankind) alternatives,
and also decrease their usage and the associated problems.

However, I also think the pessimistic outlook of Nils that we lack the
political will to do what needs to be done before it is too late is also
accurate.

Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
deco at moscow.com

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Donovan <mailto:donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com>  Arnold 

To: Nils Peterson <mailto:nils_peterson at wsu.edu>  ; vision2020 at moscow.com ;
areaman at moscow.com 

Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 9:30 AM

Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Inconvenient Truth -- What WE REALLY HAVE TO DO

Niles writes:

"I doubt we'll find the political will to 

take the scale of actions Donovan suggests."

Niles, if we lack the will to do what it takes to save the Earth,

then the Earth is surly doomed. 

Dan Carscallen writes:

"Hey, you gotta start somewhere."

What's the point of building a catapult to go 1/4 the way

across a canyon we must cross, you are better off staying where you are. We
will

not save the Earth if this generation does not do something drastic

and soon. 

The only reason buses have real ridership is because of economic

necessity of the riders. 

Nobody WANTS to ride a bus. They smell, they are crowded, unsafe, unclean,

inconvenient, slow, and uncomfortable. People do it mostly because it is
their best

option, not because they are trying to save the Earth.

If you really want to raise bus ridership raise gas prices, make them clean,

safer, more convenient,
 and much more comfortable. Add cushy seats that have

online access, more buses, more locations, and give them their own lane.

For Moscow, a trolley on the old railroad tracks would work nicely.  

Best,

_DJA

Nils Peterson <nils_peterson at wsu.edu> wrote: 

Thanks Dan for sharing information on Valley Transit ridership. I understand
that they have a new route for commuters from Lewiston to Moscow. Perhaps we
need periodic reminders of the data that these systems are growing.

And thanks for pointing out that we can, and need, to start small -- because
without that personal action, I doubt we'll find the political will to take
the scale of actions Donovan suggests.

On 8/24/06 8:13 AM, "areaman> wrote:
Donovan says:
"You guys are thinking so small, so tiny. It doesn't help save the earth
even a day to do these tiny things."

Hey, you gotta start somewhere.

An aside to Joe: Believe you me, my good buddy Tom LaPointe is getting
the word out there as far as Moscow Valley Transit is concerned. Would
he like more people to ride the bus? Heck yes, but I'm here to tell you
that I've seen charts and graphs and whatnot presented by Tom that shows
nothing but increasing ridership for Moscow Valley Transit. While I'm
not a guy who would normally ride the bus -- various reasons, including
a short bicycle or motorcycle commute to work -- I'm all in favor of
having that option for people.

DC

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