Schreiner’s Media Landscape

Even the mainstream media are reporting and lamenting what appears to be the senseless but calculated demise of federal support for renewable energy. The renewable industry admits the final attack on American independence launched by the Bush White House with Cheney’s Big Oil task force behind them is going to be Katrina-esque in scope. We can only hope that President Obama and an enlightened Congress can resurrect renewable energy tax credits before Bush and Company destroy more jobs, environment and hopes that the United States can ever be anything more than a fading empire again.

Like the U.S. and other countries, Mexico faces an energy crisis as the underground supplies of oil show rapid deterioration and ultimate exhaustion in as few as ten years. Do they have geothermal, solar, wind and other renewable resources? They sure do. Check the solar power map, the wind map, and especially the geothermal map (left). If there was a country ready for renewable energy, it’s Mexico.

But the opportunities to change their fortunes are lying there waiting, like they are for America. And some visionary individuals and companies are saving the planet and making money off the Renewable Revolution. Read on.

The editorial board of the Provo Daily Herald suffers from the same psychopathy that the Bush Regime has: constantly searching for ways to attack their opponents instead of reading the facts and doing what’s right. In their latest campaign to stop renewable energy in Utah, they’ve written a volume of steaming excrement saying “wind power will be an environmental disaster.” They strangely cite West Virginia’s “much-lauded mountain skyline” as being potentially ruined by the sight of windmills. Apparently, they haven’t seen the pictures of the tops of that state’s gorgeous mountains already ruined by being blown off to dig coal.

Why does a newspaper that ostensibly serves the public spend so much time defending the wealthy fossil fuel industries that gouge not only their customers but our precious natural landscapes as well? Why do they ignore Utah’s abundant renewable resources- solar, wind, geothermal, biomass- and advocate more drilling, mining and other destruction of Utah’s public lands so the rich can get richer?

To their credit, they did run the story by AP about how the oil sands project in Canada is ruining the environment while producing little oil and doing nothing to lower prices. But the question is: IS THE EDITORIAL BOARD OF THE PROVO HERALD ACTUALLY READING WHAT’S IN THEIR OWN NEWSPAPER? Or is there something bigger going on here. My reporter instincts tell me- follow the money.

The only viable criticism of solar energy is that it requires the creation of solar panels which, opponents ridiculously and deceptively claim, causes pollution. Hey folks- everything causes some pollution. But every study ever done shows making solar panels produces virtually zero pollution compared to coal, oil, nuclear and every other form of consumable energy.

But soon, even that outrageous argument may be moot. Scientists in South Dakota are finding ways to turn organic material into solar conductors instead of the greatly benign and prevalent silicon. The day is not that far off when an entire building, parking lot, or virtually anything can be a solar energy producer. Let’s hear the argument against that.

In 1988, I was a reporter/producer covering Jesse Jackson’s bus motorcade from Chicago to the Democratic Convention in Atlanta for the Gannett Broadcasting television stations. It was right at this time of year: the dead of summer driving through the hottest and most humid part of the country. One of my most vivid memories was standing in the parking lot of a church in Louisville, Kentucky where Jackson was delivering one of his many speeches along the way. It was the middle of the afternoon, 100 degrees, blinding sun. The newly-laid black asphalt felt like it was about 200 degrees- the surface of Mars or perhaps a giant frying pan. I remember thinking of the time that this didn’t make sense. Parking lot, road and roof surfaces should be more reflective and therefore less hot.

I may have been right then. But now, 20 years later, I may be wrong. Science Digest- the best source of news on environmental innovation- reports that researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Insistute have found a way to take the heat absorbed by asphalt surfaces and turn it into energy. This ranks high on the weekly renewable energy breakthrough list with MIT’s recent discovery of how to make solar panels produce energy even at night.

Now that’s brilliant. And hot.

It’s only 1,300 residents. But tiny Rock Port has proved that to solve America’s deepening energy crisis, cities, towns, businesses and homes all over the country must take measures into their own hands. They’ve become what appears to be the first town in America that is totally energy independent: not relying on a greedy, coal-powered utility, nuclear behemoth, rich Saudi oil sheik or even government subsidies. They did it with imagination, resolve, a whole lot of wind, and NOT NEARLY AS MUCH MONEY AS THEY FEARED. They are living proof that distributive energy supplies are America’s future and will provide clean, secure and non-destructive power for centuries to come. Every other solution is just plain not as good.

Mark Thomas, a Mormon business consultant, sitting on a recent panel on the environment (that’s a headline in itself!) said some interesting things about his religion’s markedly disinterested position, according to this Deseret News article:

“I have a notion in the next few years you will see some surprises,” he said, advising people to stop and look around, and talk to their bishops and others about ways to save energy and help the environment. He believes creativity is the key to solving environmental issues. “With a small effort, we may save ourselves,” he said.

Important to note is the state motto of Utah is one word: Industry. It appears Mormon leadership wants us to believe the conspicuous absence of any environmental policy or commitment by the LDS is due only its monolithic lethargy, not its aversion to the concept of stewardship at the expense of holy, transcendent commerce. Also note that it will only take “a small effort (to) save ourselves” according to Thomas.

The talk is encouraging. But talk is hot air that won’t help power the Tabernacle’s sound system. Where are the solar panels on the churches? “You see the rumblings already started,” Thomas said. I just hope that’s not just another “earthquake” caused by one of “BS Bob” Murray’s coal mines collapsing on more of Utah’s hard-working, church-going worker bees.

It’s not only amazing that Big Oil- BP Solar- is financing a huge solar project to help power an entire university. They just announced it last week and it’s going to be in full operation AT THE END OF THIS AUTUMN! More proof that solar is here NOW- so much so that even the oil companies are pushing it.

So another western state walks away with a fantastic new renewable energy system while Utah keeps using the same finger to look for oil and coal that it keeps planted up its butt the rest of the time. What is it about Utah’s political and corporate “leaders” and George W. Bush that makes common sense invisible to them? Maybe they need x-ray glasses. Probably just replacements. Not of their glasses. Of them.

The debate is heating over whether more of America’s public lands and off-shore should be opened up for drilling. The evidence indicates a resounding NO. Check out these facts drilled up by my friends at the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance  and the Wilderness Society about drilling in the western US including Utah over the past seven years. Here are highlights:

According to an analysis by the Environmental Working Group, from 2001-2006 drilling on western public lands increased 75%, while oil production declined 13%. During the same period, the price of gas jumped from $1.52 a gallon to $4 a gallon.  More drilling, higher gas prices.

Even if the amount of natural gas and oil defined by the federal government as “technically recoverable” were extracted in Utah, it would amount to a national supply of less than 4 weeks of natural gas and roughly 4 days of oil at current consumption levels.  This amount will hardly make or break our nation’s energy independence.  But drilling on our wild lands will scar them forever.

And, while politicians and oil company executives are clamoring for more access to drill on our public lands, they are not using what they have now.  Oil and gas interests have leases to drill on more than 4.6 million acres of public land in Utah, yet just over a million are in production.

DON’T BELIEVE MCCAIN, OBAMA, BUSHOIDS, OIL EXECUTIVES, CORPORATE MEDIA OR THE OTHER FAT CATS WHO NOW SAY WE MUST DRILL OUR COUNTRY TO DEATH TO KEEP IT FROM GRINDING TO A HALT. THE EVIDENCE SAYS OTHERWISE.

We need a national energy policy, stricter conservation and efficiency strategies, and rapid deployment of renewable and distributive energy systems. We know those will work. Can we say the same thing about drilling? Even the so-called experts admit it’s a crap-shoot, just like oil shale, coal gasification and the other voodoo measures they propose.

Our leaders need to get real about energy. The American people- as usual- are way ahead of them.

It didn’t start out as a challenge to myself. Ultimately, that’s how it evolved but not why it succeeded. I’m talking about NOT running our central air conditioning units the entire summer. In fact, I didn’t even take the winter covers off (pix below). This despite the fifth hottest July on record in Salt Lake this year, a hotter-than-average June, and 2007’s being the hottest summer here EVER.

The reason? Were were out of town for a couple of weeks during that time. But the major reasons were our solar PV electrical system and our evaporative or, as popularly known in the west, “swamp” cooler (pix left). Its principle is quite simple: a ferris wheel in a box on your roof blows naturally cooling mist using water from your home into your house keeping the temperature down and acting as a ceiling fan/giant spray bottle.

Ol’ Swampy kept our house 15-20 degrees cooler than outside even on the hottest days. Luckily, the humidity during this time was low (10-25%) which is how the swamp cooler works its magic. Above 25%, it doesn’t work very well which is why you don’t see them much outside of semi-arid climates like Utah’s. What’s more, swamp coolers use about 75% less electricity than central air conditioners and an “advanced ducted” system (we don’t have one of those) can save up to $10,000 in operating costs over the 15-year life of the system.

I can’t tell you what our total savings over last summer are yet. I have some more number-crunching to do. But 2007 was hotter than this one and we mostly ran the AC. I can tell you that combined with our solar panels, our electric bill for mid-June-mid-July this year was $28.20. Last year during that period, we spent $122.40. From mid-May-mid-June 2007 (a scorcher), we experimented with our then-new solar system, ran totally off-grid and paid $8.20 (the hot tub’s on 220v). That same period this year, we were grid-tied and net-metered and paid $34.07. July-August 2007 was $122.40. We haven’t gotten the bill for that period this year yet.

Swamp coolers use water but not nearly as much as you’d think. And with routine maintenance, not enough to make much of a difference in your water bill. From June 8-July 11, 2007, the hottest month on record in Salt Lake, we spent $68.03 on water. This year during the same period (slightly cooler), we spent $62.19. The water bill from July 12-August 9, 2007 jumped to $151.75. We haven’t gotten our bill yet for that period this year but I’m expecting it to be similar or less. I’ll let you know.

At a glance, the combination of the solar panels and the swamp cooler is a massive economic and environmental savings. There are some critics of swamp coolers who point out that swamp coolers suck in pollutants from the outside air that can cause you problems. But central, car and industrial air conditioners, especially the older ones, give off HCFC (hydrochloroflurocarbons) that deplete the ozone layer, aggravating the problem even more. As for sacrificing comfort, if it’s 100 degrees outside and 80 degrees inside and you can’t feel and live with the difference, you need your blood pressure, not your air conditioning checked.

The question is: which do you want? More ozone in your home or creating more ozone that will eventually get into your home anyway? Not an easy choice. But because airborne ozone and pollutants vary in intensity from day to day, and an air conditioning unit gives off HCFCs all the time, it makes more sense to run the swamp cooler from a personal, and environmental and a neighborly standpoint.

Bottom line: if you live in the western U.S. in a semi-arid or desert climate, there’s no reason not to have an evaporative cooler. They’re cheaper to buy, install, operate, are much lower maintenance, use 25% the electricity of an air conditioner, don’t use much water, have far less impact on the environment at large and maybe equal the health impact inside your house as AC. When Nature gives you heat and drought- don’t whine. Get a swamp cooler, some solar panels and laugh all the way to the bank.