The Green Zone

So, seeing as it was released, what, a week ago now?…I figure it’s now time to actually comment on the Stephane Dion/Liberal Green Plan. Well, I mean, the comments on the plan are actually pretty damn simple…it’s crap. Sorry, it’s crap. If this plan is supposedly to help wean us off of carbon-based fuels…why isn’t FUEL being taxed? In fact, most oil based production isn’t touched at all. (Here’s a little aside about oil use…why is it nobody ever mentions that a way to reduce our daily oil usage would be to cut down on the massive overuse of plastics and Styrofoam and all that other packaging crap that’s made from oil? Seriously…dig in to a LOT of boxes these days, and half the fucking box is packaging…and this isn’t even for something fragile! Imagine how much oil consumption could be cut, AND how much landfill space would open up, if we stopped packing everything like it’s Nitro Glycerin!) No, the only thing touched is coal. This is apparently to get Canada more in to other forms of energy. Now, that’s a fairly easy sell out East where, aside from 2 MASSIVE coal plants in Southern Ontario (which are the 2 biggest polluters in the nation, by the way), they use a lot of hydro and nuke power. Last I checked, we’re sort of lacking in raging rivers around here, and, while nuclear is an option, it’s also INCREDIBLY expensive to set up, and the Feds aren’t offering any help with that. So…what are we supposed to switch to, exactly? Considering our natural gas reserves are expected to probably be nonexistent by 2020-2025 (which is, by the way, the main reason those 2 plants haven’t switched from coal), it’d be pretty pointless to spend the next 5 years switching some power production to a gas model. (Where’s all the gas going, you might ask? Why, to the oilsands, of course! Yes, most of Canada’s natural gas is being used to heat the bitumen for oil extraction…a MASSIVE percentage is being used for this, and nothing else! And we’re EXPANDING bitumen mining, which will increase use of gas. This also raises the question of…what the duck is going to burned up for this job when the gas IS gone? Oh, that’s right, this is Alberta…just pretend it will fix itself, and enjoy the horrible roads and lack of employee service anywhere.)

Sure, we could convert the entire Southern half of the province in to one gigantic wind farm but, considering how bent out of the shape the international news media got over 500 ducks being dissolved in a tailings pond, hundreds upon hundreds of avian creatures being hacked to bits and shattered PROBABLY isn’t going to go over too well. It’s also just not a workable idea. And solar hasn’t really been developed to the point we can realistically use it as a primary power source, especially come winter time, when it’s overcast for weeks at a time.

Something tells me that, were these problems to affect, say, Quebec, this plan would never have been drawn up. There is no way the Libs would take the hit, but, frankly, from a political point of view, it makes sense to hit the West. We’re already pretty much flying a “We hate Liberal fags!” banner on a near-permanent basis, going all Chicken Little every time the Conservatives scream “NEP! NEP! It’s another cash grab!” And it would be nice to see the Conservative side come up with an actual idea, you know, something beyond going up to major polluters and asking them to “Pretty please with gumdrops on top could you reduce your carbon output?” At least Dion is trying to start the debate, and this is where things get very, very weird for me.

I have to give the guy credit. Really. Props to Stephane for FINALLY, FINALLY getting beyond just shrieking “Kyoto!” like saying a word repeatedly was actually offering any sort of environmental plan. And it actually seems to be starting one of those wacky ‘discourse’ things we’ve all heard so much about. Hell, it’s caused Jack Layton to SHUT UP for a week, we should ALL thank Dion just for THAT gift to the country! Anytime you can force Jack Layton in to silence because you’ve completely outflanked him on the LEFT is a good day. For that matter, any day you can silence Jack Layton with duct tape would also be a good day.

And, again, something I never, EVER thought I would say…Kudos to Stephane Dion for showing some fucking balls. That’s been my rant for awhile, that NONE of our Federal so called ‘leaders’ has any cojones. None of them were willing to make a stand on any real issue. Well, Stephane, welcome to the “Hey, my voice dropped!” club, buddy, because putting out this plan, and then COMING TO ALBERTA immediately after to speak publicly? THAT takes a serious set of brass ones! Now, let’s see if anyone else has the courage to actually follow your example. I don’t care if they agree with you or not, I just want to see them say SOMETHING of consequence. I’d like to believe it will happen. Unfortunately, all I see is a few weeks of Harper shouting “NEP!” and Layton shouting “Kyoto!” until, if there is any sort of divine being, they spontaneously explode.