Wildfires Linked To Global Warming?

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http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40415000/gif/_40415961_co2_emissions2_gra416.gif

by far the largest on both counts. Im curious where you have found numbers that would dispute these long known trends.

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i should add that i am not condemning the US for its energy use. We are a great modern nation with one of the highest standards of living in the world, with an economy that is the envy of the world. I just happen to feel that being the top dog means we have added responisibility to lead the way towards efficiency and emissions reductions, lest the rest of the world someday reaches our level of consumption which may very well not be susstainable worldwide

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We do need to look to alternatives, and I say right now. I would put money in biofuels. They are the most economical to make, burn, and the most feasable to produce. Get all trucks, trains, and planes converted to biodiesel (not a hard process). E85 sounds good but it is VERY inefficient. An idea would be hybrid biodiesel/electric engines for cars, and straight biodiesel for everything else. Natural gas and ethanol could be used for fleet vehicles, like govt vehicles and buses, etc. All airport trucks would be converted from gas to battery power, and gas trucks at most major airports could be replaced with hydrant systems. On the building front, I say we need MORE nuclear power, not less. The waste gets jettisoned into space. Ideally, every home could have an electricity-generating garbage incinerator, with electrostatic precipitators to cut back pollution.

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i agree on the more nukes comment, with the caveat being that they create a unique terrorist target. Im hoping that newer technologies will result in both safer plants and also less waste. unfortunately, if the world as a whole pursues this as well, (think iran et al.) that poses a threat of its own.

micro-power may be a wave of the future. Im hoping to have a solar array on the roof of the garage within a few years, particularly with the tax breaks and incentives being offered by the schwarzenegger admin here in cali. its a tiny dent in the overall grid, but all of the solar installations together will be a real help here, particularly during heat waves at peak hours.

[FKLBRLS]

And California definently needs power! I mean geez the power went out today in Palm Springs and LAARTCC was without power and all the airports had to close and all traffic in the air had to divert. We need some juice over here!:icon_mrgr

I still say the best method is burning garbage to generate power. It reduces the need for landfills AND provides power. Of course, I would want to recycle as much as possible, but whatever can't be recycled could be burned. Also, if you took a bunch of giant magnifying glasses, stacked them up, and put them over a solar panel, would it create more electricity faster?

Also, you could have giant solar panels in space, like on satellites, and have the power beamed down to earth.