Politics and Policy

  1. Politics and Policy

Dispelling Common Myths About Fossil Fuel Costs

Written by Jane Marsh

Busy? Try the speed read.

Providing further insight into common perceptions about the costs of Fossil Fuels:

  • 1. “Rising energy costs demand more fossil fuel production"
  • 2. “Fewer regulations would lower fuel costs"
  • 3. “Weaning ourselves off fossil fuels is impractical"

What are the inherent costs of delaying our transition from conventional energy sources? Relying on fossil fuels as our primary energy source isn't sustainable and inevitably just drives prices up even further as sources become more scare.

The US Government spent $1 trillion in subsidising fossil fuels which ultimately hinders our progress to transition to cleaner energy sources, and relaxing corporate regulation comes at great risk to our environment as seen in the fracking industry.

However, our approach to everyday living and the small changes and decisions we make now can have huge impact and help drive off our reliance on fossil fuels as our primary energy source.

Dig deeper —> 7 min
  1. Politics and Policy

3 clear reasons why overpopulation is a myth

Written by Jared Wolf
Busy? Try the speed read.

The scoop: Overpopulation is a myth... because Jack Ma and Elon Musk said so. On a more serious note, a population collapse is more likely than an overpopulated planet.

Some talking points for the dinner table:

  1. Overcrowded cities ≠ overcrowded planet. The entire world population can fit in the state of Texas with the same population density as Manhattan.
  2. Lopsided populations will inevitably occur in modern advanced nations. That means young workers will be unable to support aging populations, causing natural population declines.
  3. 'Malthusian traps' refer to inevitable food shortages as populations grow. Either Malthus was right and some of us go hungry (as in we don't need to artificially halt population growth), or he's wrong and the population keeps growing sustainably through innovation.

Bottom line: The Earth has plenty to offer for 9 billion mouths. And a sustained population decline due to lower fertility rates is already becoming a realistic outcome. We just need to spread out more.

Dig deeper → 2 min
  1. Politics and Policy

How Insurers Really Impact the Climate Crisis

Written by Jane Marsh
Whether an insurance company offers worker’s compensation or property coverage, it’s arguable each insurance entity has a responsibility to combat the climate crisis. On an enterprise and individual level, insurance companies can instigate expectations and standards concerning the reckless treatment of the environment. Enterprises represented by insurance companies could be participating in actions encouraging the climate crisis to worsen. Do insurance companies benefit from this relationship, and is it their responsibility to others who are insured to have stricter regulations? Dig deeper → 5 min
  1. Politics and Policy

The energy crisis in Europe has nothing to do with climate change

Written by Jared Wolf
Foreign Policy published an article this week claiming that the energy crisis in Europe could last for years. Tagged with the subtitle "this winter will be bad, but next year's could be worse." A limited energy supply could leave millions of families and homes cold and starving this winter. And it would have nothing to do with natural disasters caused by climate change. So what is causing it? Let's find out. Dig deeper → 3 min
  1. Politics and Policy

America’s aging infrastructure is a really big problem

Written by Jared Wolf
america's aging infrastructure

The scoop: American infrastructure is aging and the problem is two-fold. Large cities need federal funding to support ambitious projects, while small cities can't afford any new projects.

Disaster in Miami, Detroit: As the story unfolds, it appears the Surfside condo tower likely collapsed from deteriorating infrastructure. In the Midwest, Detroit suffered from unprecedented rain, but also decades of underinvestment.

Rising cost of construction: US infrastructure rebuilds are extremely expensive, 6th highest in the world. Despite that, we dedicate a lower percentage of our GDP to infrastructure than the EU or China.

One solution: Prioritize domestic infrastructure projects over foreign interventionism to fund new projects. Don't just use deficit money to fund it. In fact, money alone will not be sufficient to ensure new construction is a success.

Successful federal projects require careful planning, strategic management and people-first politics. America needs to rebuild itself bearing both today's economy and future economies in mind. It's important we don't forget either.

Dig deeper → 4 min
  1. Politics and Policy

What happens when El Salvador offers bitcoin with geothermal energy

Written by Jared Wolf
Geothermal Energy Plant in El Salvador
Busy? Try the speed read.

The scoop: El Salvador announced that Bitcoin is now legal tender. Citizens can pay taxes with it and stuff.

Why it matters: El Salvador is the first country to recognize a cryptocurrency as a legal form of currency. This marks a major shift toward government's view of decentralized financial systems, and a potential shift away from central banks.

The energy problem: We all know Bitcoin has an energy problem. To combat that, El Salvador plans to use geothermal energy from its volcanoes to produce cheap, clean energy for bitcoin mining. Let's see if they can build sophisticated infrastructure to match pent-up demand.

Bottom line: In the rush to make bets on the future of finance, governments around the world are responding with crypto plans for citizens.

Question: Will this push for legal forms of cryptocurrency help or hurt its climate impact in the long-run?

Dig deeper → 2 min
  1. Politics and Policy

What the Freeze Says About Energy Security in Texas

Written by Jared Wolf
texas-energy-security

The scoop: Below-freezing temperatures blasted the southern US this week, prompting rolling blackouts over the past few days.

Key takeaways:

  • Texas was not prepared to deal with the energy demand spikes.
  • Natural gas & coal were not sufficient, renewables failed in freezing temperatures.
  • America still needs a cocktail of energy supply to meet increasing consumer demand.

Zoom out: The Texas energy security issue is something every American should pay attention to. How can we carefully adopt a renewable-first economy without compromising reliability?

Dig deeper → 3 min
  1. Politics and Policy

Some revealing notes on the Chevron oil spill

Written by Jared Wolf
chevron oil spill
Busy? Try the speed read.

The scoop: 600 gallons of oil spilled into the San Francisco Bay yesterday from a Chevron refinery.

Some notes on the disaster:

  • Solutions exist, restoration efforts are more innovative, why does this keep happening?
  • Media tends to direct focus on corporations and federal government, but what role do local politics play in preventing environmental disasters?

Food for thought:

Looking back at the Chevron oil spill of 2021, we should be asking ourselves:

  1. Why did the oil spill happen?
  2. What actors played a role in this disaster?
  3. What steps can these actors take to prevent it from ever happening again?

Bottom line: If the answer is primarily political, sadly, it may not happen fast enough to stop the next disaster.

Dig deeper → 3 min

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