Silver Linings Part II: Germany to Dump All Nuke Plants by 2022, Swiss by 2034.

Lots of VERY interesting things happening these days in the wake of the nuclear meltdown in Japan.  As reported in my last post, the Japanese government is expected to announce plans to require all new buildings and homes to be fitted with solar panels by 2030.

Not to be outdone, the Germans are planning to wind down their nuclear programs completely.  In the aftermath of Fukushima, Germany is crafting a plan to replace its nuclear program with renewable energy sources - and to shut down all 17 of its nuclear reactors by 2022.  Replacing the power generated by these plants will of course be a significant challenge, and will represent Europe's largest commitment to transitioning to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydroelectric power.

Switzerland has also re-evaluated its commitment to nuclear energy since the accident in Japan.   Last week, the Swiss decided to shutter their five reactors once they complete their useful lives - and not replace them. 
The reactors will be shut down gradually as they reach their average life span of 50 years, indicating that the last plant to cease production will go dark in 2034.


I hear the lobbyists for the nuclear industry are burning up the phones to the Reichstag to thwart this plan.  Actually, I'm just imagining that - but fully expect it nonetheless.  Germany, Switzerland, and Japan - doing their part to make the world a greener, more sustainable place.  Thanks for helping us breathe a little easier!

Hello, Washington, are you listening?!?

Silver Linings: Japan to require solar panels on all new homes by 2030.

Now THIS I can get behind.  Imagine the reduction in U.S. carbon emissions if we required every new house built to include solar panels in the roof (and/or walls, as that technology is becoming available too)?  I am sure the K Street lobbyists for Exxon and BP have already warned the Congressmen on their payrolls against even considering following Japan's admirable example.

What a way to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.  In the wake of the awful Chernobyl-class nuclear accident at Fukushima this spring, Japan has not only dramatically curtailed its plans to expand future nuclear energy production, but is now taking affirmative steps to embrace renewable energy on a massive scale.  Bravo, Nippon!

One Cargo Ship = 50 Million Cars?!?

Next time you think you are making a significant impact on global pollution levels by driving your 40+ mpg Prius to work each day, think about this:  Due to the low-quality fuel consumed by large ocean-going transport ships, a single one of these behemoths can emit as much cancer and asthmas-causing filth as FIFTY MILLION cars!  One seriously has to wonder why we even bother with federal automobile emissions standards.  Perhaps we should be focusing on "point" sources of pollution (like power plants and, say, filthy cargo ships), instead of on more difficult to regulate "non-point" sources (like hundreds of millions of cars and trucks).  Let's get serious about cleaning up these floating garbage scows.

This is not a new article, but it paints a pretty bleak picture of our mis-placed focus on the Camry's we drive to work instead of the carbon-spewing ships that deliver them to our shores.

My Post on CNN.com's "Cafferty File"

In his blog post today on CNN.com, Jack Cafferty discusses the increasingly dire state of federal and state finances. With tax revenues in free-fall, and demands for government services spiking, he correctly points out that something's gotta give. You have basically three options in this situation:

1) Debt - put it all on the credit card (although we've just about maxed-out our credit card from the Bank of China);

2) Raise Taxes (always unpopular); or

3) Cut Government Spending and Services (also unpopular).

So what's a government to do? Here's my take, posted today:

It’s truly time to re-evaluate our priorities, and here are a few things I would do if I were Obama-for-a-Day:

1) Eliminate agriculture subsidies, which encourage overproduction and distort overseas food markets (destroying local production abroad, esp. in developing countries).

2) In accord with 1 above – Eliminate subsidies for corn-based ethanol. If we are to go down the road of renewable fuels, they cannot be based on food crops. Better to go the Brazilian way of switch grass or agricultural waste as feedstocks.

3) Increase gasoline taxes to $1 per gallon, and tilt the balance of transport spending away from ever-larger roads, and towards mass transit. I am thoroughly convinced that GM and Chrysler cannot compete in a world of $2 gasoline – the market will never buy the smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles that new owner Uncle Sam wants them to produce, until people have a reason to buy them. Tax gas to reduce environmental pollution, reduce our dependence on imported oil, and then shift transport spending from autos to mass transit, which will give people viable alternatives to driving. If you focus on nothing but automobiles for over 50 years, as we have done here, and you get nothing but more and more auto-induced sprawl and gridlock – how can you be surprised by that outcome?

4) We need to take a good, hard look at the entitlement programs which are sinking our budgets, in particular Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid. We’re going to need means testing for all three programs, and higher retirement ages for SS. It makes little sense to subsidize the wealthiest demographic (retirees) by taxing the poorer demographics.


5) Require the Federal Government to operate under a balanced budget except in times of military conflict, and even then require a two-thirds majority of the SENATE (not the hopeless, parochial House) to approve deficit spending. We are drowning in red ink, and we must begin living within our means.

And while we’re at it: let’s abolish congressional districts for individual states and go to a national, party-based proportional representation system. A Congress tied to individual states has demonstrated that it cannot be trusted with the power of the purse.

6) If we can’t get to a balanced budget by using the ideas above (and there’s no way these steps will be enough), then we’ll need across-the-board reductions in ALL government operations: tell each agency they need to lose their dead wood. As someone with a wife employed by Uncle Sam, let me assure you that 5% of federal staff could be eliminated without affecting services provided! The kind of dysfunction tolerated in government bureaucracies is astounding, and it’s time we created incentives to root out waste. No more free-riders, no more coddling of dead-wood by the nanny-state and employee unions.

Thanks for allowing the rant, Jack!

Manifesto to Change.gov

I wrote and submitted this letter to the “An American Moment: Your Story” feature on then President-Elect Obama's website on January 8, 2009. I thought I would post it here as a statement of my thoughts on the necessity to use the economic stimulus package as an opportunity to invest in our future, not simply as an exercise in throwing money at the same old problems via the same old "solutions".

President-Elect Obama and VP-Elect Biden,

I have read much in the press about the stimulus plan, which envisions substantial funding for "shovel-ready" projects like roads and bridges, among other areas. What I have seen comparatively little discussion of is Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), a critical concept that impacts economic development, climate change, and energy independence.

I strongly encourage you to work with Congress to build into this recovery plan significant funding for mass transit projects such as subways, commuter and high-speed rail projects, and urban light-rail projects. Investments in transit projects, when coupled with land use policies that encourage denser development, can serve as a powerful catalyst for economic activity and urban revitalization. We MUST move away from development policies that prioritize sprawl-inducing, auto-centric land use patterns. Investment in transit and TOD will revive our urban centers by making cities more livable, bringing people back from distant suburbs and removing cars from our overclogged highways. This reduction in automobile use also reduces pollution and our reliance on imported oil. If we could reduce our oil consumption approx. 25%, we could virtually eliminate our imports of oil from foreign energy suppliers in Latin America and the Middle East which are very hostile to American values, including democracy and human rights. So TOD has enormous benefits in many areas of critical national importance. If we truly want to use this recovery package to invest in America's future, I can think of no better way than to take steps such as TOD which reduce auto emissions, oil consumption, and urban sprawl.

I just watched the president-elect's speech at George Mason University on Thurs., Jan. 8, and I have hope that President-Elect Obama and his team are listening to the nation for the best ideas - please do all you can to leverage TOD and invest in America’s future.

Thank you, good luck, and God Bless America,
Glenn Boyce