Political bumbling gives green energy a bad name

This global warming thing is causing all kinds of consternation, plus lots of confusion, among the great unwashed.

Certainly there are those, particularly from the right, who take the ostrich approach and deny that global warming exists.

Outside of that handful of diehards, if anecdotal evidence is to be believed, there is wide acceptance of the fact our planet is warming at a dangerous rate. But there’s no consensus on what to do about it.

So-called solutions such as carbon taxes, and cap and trade are poorly understood. So many people have lost faith in government, they simply don’t believe what politicians say on those subjects.

There is widespread skepticism that governments will act for anything but partisan gains.

The causes behind our warming climate also are in question.

The Ontario government believes fossil fuels are the main culprit, hence huge subsidies to the rich to buy electric cars and to develop an infrastructure for same.

Vegetarians push the idea that flatulence from cattle contributes to global warming and we now have a theory that the spring thaw releases greenhouse gasses from cultivated soil on our farms.

All of which might be factors, but they remind me of the time I was parked on the 401 surrounded by vehicles and fumes as far as the eye could see.

A preachy voice on the radio told us not to cut lawns on that smog day because two-cycle engines are big polluters.

Even if the internal combustion engine is the enemy, a few two-cycle lawn mowers and leaf blowers weren’t going to make much difference to the smog surrounding us on that highway.

On another note, the deforestation

Reforestation is said to be one of the cheapest and best ways to battle climate change.”

of the planet, particularly in areas close to cities, is a big factor in global warming. Subdivisions such as Maple View spring up only after every maple and other variety of tree has been bulldozed out of the way so planners have open ground to play around.

Such deforestation has picked up pace in rural Ontario as well, with old fence rows and other wind and water breaks being bulldozed to open up more acres of cropland.

As much as erosion control and other environmental factors are negatively impacted by removing these areas, it’s important to remember that the loss of every fence row in the boondocks wouldn’t equate to repaving Highway 400.

Reforestation is said to be one of the cheapest and best ways to battle climate change. The carbon footprints of 18 people can be neutralized by one acre of hardwood trees. The same acre can absorb the pollutants produced by driving a car nearly 42,000 kilometres.

Which brings us back to the Ontario government that fancies itself friendly to the environment. Its biggest single contribution to the issue has been to give green energy a bad name.

Because of Queen’s Park bumbling, people equate green energy with high costs, quarrelling neighbours and other nonsense.

With all kinds of options for green energy that would benefit all residents, the province chose instead to enrich offshore companies at the expense of every power user in the province.

Perhaps it’s time to cancel every high-cost green energy contract and put that money toward Forests Ontario.