Photosynthesis, Global Warming, and Plants. Chapter Four.
In this chapter we will be looking at one of the most devastating causes of Global Warming or as it is also known as Climate Change. To begin with, to confirm my bias, I am bias against Globalism, but I will try to be as fair as possible to this discussion.
Perhaps you have heard of the term, Globalism. Globalism entails many different aspects of our lives. But as it applies here is to be meant as how the whole Globalism movement entails moving consumer products from all parts of the world to other parts of the world. Globalism entails all local production to specialize in producing a specific product and then every other local place to specialize in another product and then everyone trades with each other for anything that might be needed. The whole concept sounds really good. But in reality is consumes a tremendous amount of fossil fuels, which those that claim that we have to do something about Climate Change, are responsible for the Globalism movement being carried out.
Globalism consumes a tremendous amount of fossil fuel in three main forms.
The first is the movement of product from one location to another, and every other product from one place to another, much like a great big cobweb stretched out and touching every location. As you will notice, the vast majority of these products are packaged in plastic and/or very thick thick paper packaging. Thick paper packaging means many layers of paper to make the thick, durable paper packaging. It doesn't matter what the size of the packaging, it requires fossil fuel, usually crude oil, to make the plastic. The paper requires a lot of trees to be cut down and the paper making process is not the most environmental friendly process out there. However, the majority of the packaging is moving toward plastic packaging. It usually isn't a thin layer of plastic, but rather a thick plastic, IE; more plastic by volume being used. The vast majority of this plastic and even the paper is used only one time before making the ride to the land fill. Once there, the plastic will never degrade and the paper will take a very long time to degrade. However, there are some facilities that do process this plastic and turn it into electrical energy. They do it by burning ti to create heat to run the generators to generate electricity. But very little of the waste is disposed of in this manner. In the past, there was a great deal of recycling of various waste products, even though some is till done, it really uses as much fossil fuel to collect and process it as it saves. So not really net saving here either, but more carbon being spewed into the atmosphere.
The second is the cooling of the products. The number one consumer of energy and fossil fuel in the US is refrigeration. This is shocking when one considers the number of automobiles, planes, trains, lighting at night, and the list goes on and on. But even then, all of these things do not consume as much energy as refrigeration does. Refrigeration covers the storage, preservation, and movement of food. Refrigeration also covers the cooling of the big stores and warehouses that the products are stored and displayed in and the effort to make the customers feel good while buying up the products. To add insult to injury, one should really add the heating of the products when processing them and the heating that is needed in the facilities where the products are stored and displayed for presentation to the customers. In any case, energy is used to alter the temperature on the inside to make it different from the outside temperature. If you question what I am saying, then go climb up on the roof of a big box store and see all of the heating and air conditioning units on the roof. These are very big units, a lot of them, and they consume a huge amount of energy.
The third aspect of this is the amount of energy consumed in the movement of all of these products. One of the most efficient consumers of energy in the movement of these products is the huge ocean going ships. Yes, they use a lot of energy, but on a per unit basis they are efficient. The next most efficient is by train. A train can move a huge amount of product really efficiently. The next is by truck. Trucks move a huge amount of the products that is consumed. Perhaps the least efficient is by aircraft. In fact, there are very few products out there on a store shelf that has not been carried by at least two of these modes of transportation and the rest is most likely been touched by all four of these methods of transport, especially when all aspects of the product is considered. Each point of transferring from one mode to the other requires a lot of human and machine input to make the movement possible. Another aspect to this transportation thing is the movement of people, simply for pleasure. A huge amount of energy is consumed by the movement of people for this one aspect. One can go on further, but I think you get the point by now, or at least you should if you are not in denial.
So the question goes begging, Why am I talking about this? In our society it appears that those screaming the loudest about Global Warming/Climate Change are the supporters of Globalism. They simply do not appear to consider the cost to the planet in terms of energy consumed in the vast movement of goods, services, and people the world over. Many of the movements are simply for pleasure. They propose the change from fossil fuels, which they claim is causing Climate Change, to electrical propelled transportation. They fail to take into account that most electrical energy is produced by fossil fuels, no matter what the electricity is being used for . When a person plugs in an electrical car, the electricity is likely produced by fossil fuel. Oh, but wait, what about the windmills and solar energy? This is also known as green energy. Keep in mind that I am all for green energy, only f it is net producer of energy. But many times people do not take in to account the energy used to make the windmills and solar panels. Then once their life is used up, the disposal of them. This part of the green energy takes a huge toll on the health of the planet. Taxing of fossil fuel use and condemning the poor working class of people for their use of fossil fuel does nothing to address the real issues of Climate Change or what ever the name of the day might be. Perhaps the so called leaders might lead by example, which they won't do because they don't see themselves as the problem. The question is raised as thus; How much fossil fuel does the Globalist use in their private plane as they go around preaching about the poor hapless person that never goes further from home than he can walk in a day?
So what is the answer to Globalism? Perhaps Tribalism. The Globalist never seems to be happy. Always going everywhere looking for happiness. Always angling for more money, more than they can count is never enough. Where as the Tribalism person seems to appreciate where they are planted. They have actual true friends who accepts them for who they are. After all isn't that what the Globalist is really after? That is something the Globalist never seems to achieve. In their quest to have what the Tribalism people have, they come up with all sorts of elaborate and fancy plans to achieve that and never taking into account the damage they do to themselves, to others, and the planet.
End of Chapter. KK.
