Comments on: PG&E CEO: We left Chamber Of Commerce because they lied to us about climate policy; Chu says “it’s wonderful” companies are fleeing the Chamber

By: thepink

thepink — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:52:16 +0000

ok, lets get real here. California’s Pacific Power & Gas left the Chamber over their stance on the climate change legislation because it would interfere with free money. Nothing else. How do you say? Well if you read the legislation (I have) it talks about carbon credits being given to power companies to encourage the lowering of emissions. Those that do not use their allowance are free to “trade” the allowances on the open market, to those other companies that could not meet the regulated standard. Given the fact that PG&E uses nuclear, hydroelectric, steam & natural gas, they really do not have emissions to speak of, so they would basically get free money by selling those carbon credits they are allowed by the government. Well, actually it would not be free, it would be a transfer of money from the folks in the midwest and south whose power plants use coal for power gerneration.

[snip]

[JR: I don't print long-debunked nonsense. I've already posted on this. The bill says you can't get more allowances than you need. There's no transfer.]

By: Stephan

Stephan — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:23:52 +0000

Chamber of Commerce is getting a little empty nowadays. More and more companies leaving due to the chambers vision upon climate change. Really good to see though that these companies are so commited towards their companies impact on climate change and that they want to be a part of the solution rather than the problem. For more info on the environent, have a look at this Green News.

By: Leif

Leif — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:29:45 +0000

People continue to refer to the “American taste in automobiles,” # 4, as being a foregone conclusion. I feel that a lot more emphasis needs to be placed on the auto industries successful advertising of their most profitable products, be damed what the public wants. Which also just happened to coincide with big oil interests as well. Look at the success of smoking campaigns of the past that have killed so many.
Those very industries continue to disseminate dubious statements, to be polite, on the environmental effects of their products. Also quite successfully I might add.

By: Eli Rabett

Eli Rabett — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:48:35 +0000

The Chamber of Commerce has never been anything but the Republican party in suits. What you are witnessing is major corporations leaving the Republican Party because it no longer represents their interests.

By: Al

Al — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:32:37 +0000

Clicking the link, “SEIU has a petition asking U.S. Senators to break up with the chamber, with a video starring PG&E’s Darbee:”, elicits the response,
“This video has been removed by the user.”

By: Blue Swan

Blue Swan — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:35:22 +0000

In some sense, middle-Eastern radical Islam is just a cover for a bunch of oil traders who are worried that demand for their product is about to go through the floor because of a cutover to hydrogen.

By: caerbannog

caerbannog — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:58:27 +0000

Off-topic but worthy of another post here: http://www.time.com/ time/ health/ article/ 0,8599,1929238,00.html and http://www.scientificamerican.com/ article.cfm?id=how-sensitive-is-climate-to-carbon-dioxide

Still more evidence indicating that current CO2 levels are the highest in some 15 million years. Latest findings just published in Science.

By: Greener

Greener — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:21:55 +0000

Now would be a great time to contact local businesses that are chamber members and will be impacted by climate change and ask them to resign from the chamber. Go to your local chamber’s page to locate the members. Great examples are seafood restaurants, or health practitioners. Explain to them in very polite terms and ask them to leave the chamber. Again be polite, but hold their feet to the fire. Also, write to the local chamber and let them know that you will not be patronizing their members. Can anyone suggest an alternative that businesses can join as an alternative to the chamber?

By: Jim Bullis, Miastrada Co.

Jim Bullis, Miastrada Co. — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 23:18:15 +0000

The comment re John Chambers and Steve Jobs was with respect to the linked Business Week article.

By: Jim Bullis, Miastrada Co.

Jim Bullis, Miastrada Co. — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 23:14:59 +0000

Perhaps Secy. Chu should reconsider his view of the Chamber of Commerce. Yes, they seem a bit too quick to act Republicanish. But maybe they have some points to make?

A perfect storm is heading our way. The combination of American taste in automobiles, a government pushed shift from foreign oil to coal juice (electricity) to push them along, and cap and trade legislative action to penalize coal use is a set-up for national crisis. Add on the fact that our industry will be put further into crisis by a basic disconnect between supply and demand and watch out for a rogue wave of unimaginable size.

One should not assume that knowledge of electronic technology, such as that of Steve Jobs and John Chambers, carries over very well to energy. A discussion of engine efficiency and how it is not comparable to electric motor efficiency can often show the gap in understanding here. Then try to explain how the marginal response of the electric power system to new loads is a very different thing from the “mix” of generating types that are active.

Maybe we should not assume too much about who knows best what to do. Even Secy. Chu has seemingly lost the thread and does not connect freshman physics to the current problem of energy, since it is not at all likely that plug-in cars will help reduce CO2 emissions. He did of course emphasize that the funding for plug-in cars would help reduce foreign oil, which is true, but his add on statement that it would help with CO2 reduction is not valid unless the cars are basically redesigned to sip not guzzle energy.