The folly of the * Misadministration's Coal Energy program

[LiberalEsto]

Since 2001, the Misadministration has been pushing coal as America's energy future. Supposedly we have more than a 100-year supply of coal - who cares if we have to level West Virginia and other coal states to get it, right?

But as we have learned, burning coal results in high emissions of mercury, arsenic, cadmium and the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2)

CO2 is thought to be a key factor in global warming.

To deal with the vast amounts of CO2 that would be released if we turn more and more to coal for energy, the nutcases in the Misadministration propose "Carbon sequestration." This can mean anything from growing more plants (or breeding special plants) to soak up CO2, to liquefying the CO2 and shipping it to deep areas of the ocean where they will pump it down and hope that it stays there.

Ah, but will it? Greenpeace commissioned scientists to study the issue several years ago and reported that there are no guarantees the CO2 won't bubble up slowly like fizzy water or come bursting up suddenly in a huge bubble of destruction and greenhouse gas.

Here's what happens to two African lakes when underwater CO2 comes bubbling up periodically:

"Action needed on deadly lakes
By Richard Black
Environment Correspondent, BBC News website

Lakes Nyos and Monoun contain high concentrations of dissolved carbon dioxide. In the 1980s, thousands died when the gas was suddenly released.

Pipes have been installed to remove CO2 from the bottom of the lakes, but new research shows they are not enough.

Scientists warn more pipes must be put in place to avert the danger of further catastrophic releases of gas."

snip

"In 1984, a sudden release of carbon dioxide from Lake Monoun killed about 40 people by suffocation. Two years later, a similar incident at Lake Nyos resulted in much larger loss of life, estimated at nearly 2,000 people."

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4285878.stm

We cannot rely on fossil fuels for future energy sources because in doing so we may end up putting so much CO2 in the atmosphere that human and animal life cannot survive.

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. The big oil companies also own the coal and have for a long time.

No wonder that this is the "alternative" source of energy.