Opinion: The Green Myth

The Magic Energy Source

Now that GM is offering to buy back Chevy Volts, due to their tendency to explode on impact, we should question exactly how "green" electric cars are, and whether they are worth the added cost and risk.

A lot of well intentioned fools believe that electric cars don't consume fossil fuels, pollute the environment, or create hazards for people or wildlife. Hence, they call these anything that runs on electricity "green."

They plug their Chevy Volt into a wall socket (the "magic energy source") and imagine they are now using clean, plentiful energy. And this is because they cannot see, or are totally unaware of the source of their electricity.

Do these simpletons have any idea how electricity is made?

The truth is that there is perhaps just one degree of separation between an electrical outlet and some fossil fuel or some potential radiation or bio hazard.

In order to power your electric car you need one of the following somewhere upstream from your electrical outlet....

* A coal burning power plant, that emits dangerous hydrocarbons into the air

* An oil burning power plant, that uses imported oil and also pollutes

* A nuclear power plant that presents dangerous radiation risks

* A hydroelectric power plant that disrupts the environment and upsets the fish

* A solar power plant that displaces wildlife and uses tons of metal and plastic

* A natural gas power plant, that burns a byproduct of drilling.. which is banned

* Wind generated power, that kills innocent birds and insects

* Geothermal power generation, if you are lucky enough to live in Iceland

* Fuel cells, using dangerous toxic chemicals, can generate limited amounts of power

Most electricity in the United States is generated using coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear energy, or hydropower.  Some production is done with alternative fuels like geothermal energy, wind power, biomass, solar energy, or fuel cells.

This is how electricity is made

For each and ever energy source there exists an environmental and/or safety risk. And there is someone out there wants to ban it. Plus, the green lobby has absolutely no regard for cost.

They will advocate one form over the other if it is only marginally cleaner but costs ten times as much.

They will have no concern or regard for the millions of people who are struggling to get by due to the Obama Recession.