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

Thu Aug 24 15:50:16 PDT 2006

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

  Tom,

  Governments don't solve problems, individuals and entrepreneurship  does. All government can do is stand in or out of the way, or move  problems from one location to another. 

 Let the free market  determine WHAT alternative fuel we will use. Setting a fixed price of  $7.50 per gallon in the next 5 years, lets the market know what the  going  rate will be and they can invest and plan better. If the  government forces people to buy bio-diesel and someone comes up with a  better more economically and environmentally sound method, we couldn't  use it. The first of a new technology is usually not the one society  sticks with. Let the capitalists present us with there different  options, put them on the market, and then let Americans pick one, two  or three options. Maybe even having two different types of cars, a Coke  and Pepsi competition driving down the prices, instead of one fuel  source. 

  Best,

  _DJA

Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com> wrote:              v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}            st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }                              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  Arnold 

        To: Nils Peterson  ; 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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