Last time… the evil entity, Destructo, was plotting to unleash his record-breaking 13th billion-dollar disaster of 2016 upon the unsuspecting citizens of the U.S. His strength continues to grow as more and more greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels accumulate in the atmosphere. Can anything slow this unholy terror?
High in their glacial retreat Team Climate assembles on the eve of a new year - determined to strike back. Compassionator is the first to speak. “Destructo’s devastation will be hardest on those least able to protect themselves – the weak, the politically disconnected, and the poor. With every major religious tradition teaching compassion for others our core strength comes from the very hearts and souls of every person on Earth,” she concluded.
“And I make it easy to help,” Efficination piped in. “These days, everything from cars and trucks to refrigerators and TVs do more work using less energy. Utility companies across the Midwest are adding new customers yet their sale of electricity remains flat because of efficiency. Want to stick it to Destructo? Find ways to save a gallon of gasoline and a few kilowatts each week; that’ll burst his bubble!”
“But here’s the fun part,” interjected Innovato. “Have you seen the cool stuff I’m coming up with? Solar panels now cost about 1/3 as much as just 7-8 years ago. Want to roof your house with solar shingles or walk on solar sidewalks? They’re coming soon! And whoa…I almost forgot to mention carbon capture and storage technology that keeps Destructo from getting his hands on more greenhouse gas. Sweet!”
“Gentlemen, I applaud your enthusiasm. But I do believe I hold the Trump card,” Marketron interrupted. “With the easy-to-get-at oil mostly gone, companies now labor at extracting hard-to-get-at dirty oil such as trying to squeeze it from shale rocks. So the ‘energy return on energy investment’ (EROEI) for fossil fuels keeps dropping. It’s now about equal to solar, so that makes it hard to justify the costs of fossil fuel extraction and processing. As a result, financial markets will drive investors away from fossil fuels and toward clean energy options,” Marketron surmised.
“A new year is dawning,” Compassionator concluded. “It can signal the beginning of a new era. We have all the pieces; all we need is the will to deflate Destructo here on the only home we’ll ever know where we’re forever…Earthbound.”
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