CPAC 2013: Leading Conservatives Don't Want Change

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) came together for their annual gathering and they have once again snubbed climate change, green jobs and a sustainable US economy. CPAC is hosted by the American Conservative Union Foundation (ACUF), a 501(c)3 charity.

The conference was founded in 1973 by the American Conservative Union and Young Americans for Freedom. The majority of attendees are young people under the age of 30, appropriately the theme in 2013 is “America’s Future: The Next Generation of Conservatives.”

Aside from a few derisive comments, there was no mention of climate change, clean energy or the environment.

Those who did mention climate change did so with the intent of undermining the green agenda. Speaking at CPAC on Friday March 15, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) tried to disprove climate change by noting that President Obama wore a jacket during his chilly inauguration in January!

Using Trees to Generate Electricity is Not Green Energy

Despite the value of trees to human and planetary health, an increasing number of American companies are cutting down forests to convert trees into pellets for electricity. It is tragically ironic that trees are being destroyed in the name of renewable energy. It is often said that trees are the Earth's lungs, they sequester carbon, produce oxygen, prevent erosion and are one of nature's most aesthetic creations. While coal is widely understood to be environmentally destructive, many do not understand that burning wood for electricity is even more harmful.

According to a Dogwood Alliance article, "burning trees for electricity will actually result in increased carbon emissions, when compared to coal." While it is good that European utilities are transitioning away from coal, it is a travesty that they are adopting wood based biomass as a replacement. 

How Morality Can Win the War on Climate Change

The climate movement must go beyond preaching economics and explaining science, we must create a moral imperative that compels us to act. To get people involved in the war on climate change we must weave environmental awareness into our codes of conduct.

Whats the Fracking Problem?

Hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” has been associated with water contamination, global warming-causing air pollution, health problems, falling property values and even earthquakes. Each year fracking pumps billions of gallons of water and chemicals deep underground under high pressure to force open cracks and release natural gas.

According to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the chemicals used in fracking fluids include over 750 different chemicals. Some are innocuouse (salt, gelatin) while others pose significant human health hazards (methanol, isopropanol and 2-butoxyethanol). About 650 of the 750 chemicals used in fracking operations are known carcinogens, according to the report filed with the U.S. House of Representatives in April 2011. They include toxic chemicals like benzene and tholuene.

Natural Gas is Not Clean Energy

Natural gas has garnered a lot of attention, but the research reveals it is anything but clean. To increase domestic energy production and reduce reliance on coal, there is a natural gas boom in the U.S. and elsewhere. However, reliance on natural gas is not a panacea to our energy woes. According to a February 2012 study published in Nature, extracting and producing natural gas releases enough methane into the atmosphere to negate any greenhouse gas advantages that its somewhat cleaner burning chemistry provides.