January 24, 2007

Carbon Musings

Ramp up the choir, the environmentalists and statists are going to try to convince us again that the only way to save our souls is with a carbon tax - as if we didn't already have enough taxes. But the idea of planting trees to sequester carbon at a higher rate than current tree species does seem to make sense in terms of taking the pressure off of native forests to provide pulp and paper. Tree farming is a staple of southern economics and there is no good reason why non-native bias and the War on Invasive Plant species should scare everybody away from fast growing Pawlonia Empress and other non-native potentially genetically engineered trees.

Big mouthful, that last clause. Genetic engineering on a low tech level has been going on since Gregor Mendel was counting peas. If the products of genetic engineering have been allowed into our food supply - why is there an urgent resistance to the concept for our energy and material needs? The cat got howdt of the bag years ago - the time for this debate was in the 70's abd 80's. It's here, now and not to use it is just an advantage for the higher moral ethics crowd to lose market share to the monsantos of the world. remember - trees are not food yet.

As to carbon sequestration of carbon dioxide for coal burning plants as a future technology that will be there when we need it - but let's legislate as if it were here, now - is talk leading to disaster. We need less regulation and more innovation. Regulation enforcement should not be a leading growth industry. The world has become an overripe peach. Too much syrup and not enough juice.

No comments: