Shouting vs. Science: Environmental Activist Quote of the Week
A company in Clark County is looking to build a biomass energy plant. We've written about the science of biomass plants in the past. Although the economics of such a plant are shaky without some government support, the science indicates the plants are one of the best ways to provide renewable energy. They are much cheaper than alternatives such as solar panels.
Some, however, are fighting the plant. They are led by 2008 Green Party gubernatorial candidate Duff Badgley. Last weekend Badgley outlined his strategy to stop the plant:
“Don’t think we don’t know how to win. We do,” he said. But he said it takes a “confrontational, deliberately inflammatory style.”
It is telling that Badgley recognizes that environmental policy is determined by who can be more "inflammatory" –not by who has the better science. In that sense, we agree with him.
Unfortunately, that inflammatory approach has too often come to characterize the important debates regarding how to promote responsible environmental policy. The result is environmental policy that substitutes shouting for thinking and science.
Comments
idiot
Duff Badgley is a Certified Grade "A" Moron who commits basic factual errors (or lies) on a routine basis. He does a huge disservice to the environmental justice movement.
I'd argue that biomass burning really is a bit concerning from a pollution-health perspective (and the carbon-neutral claims are dubious at best), but Badgley does an absolutely terrible job of making his case and informing the public. If anything, his wild-eyed angry demeanor turns people off who might be sympathic to his case.
That said, he's also pretty marginal. I don't know of even a single influential green group or policymaker who takes him seriously.
Perhaps the debate will
Perhaps the debate will henceforth take place in the House of Lords...