Deconstructing Wired Magazine's June Cover Story on the Environment
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 05.19.08
Our friend Hank over at Ecogeek has done a bit of deconstruction on Wired Magazine's June cover story (which isn't online yet). We haven't got our hands on it yet, but from what we can deduce, it seems like one of those contrarian "everything you thought was true isn't!" pieces with a few nuggets of truth.
They seem to fail to keep things in perspective and see the big picture (f.ex. they suggest cutting down the last few pristine ecosystems in the US to maybe reduce carbon emissions a tiny bit), and they seem to think that global warming is the only problem we are faced with. We're all for more mainstream coverage of green issues, but trying to be too clever can be counter-productive. ::WIRED's Call to Environmentalists: True or False
Ice Core Data Reveals GHG Emissions at Highest Level in 800,000 Years
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From the Forums: Can't Afford Organic
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UGH Wired. I don't understand why people on so many blogs care what Wired writes about.
They are like the GQ of technology mags, pretty to look at but pretty vapid on real substance. Wired always reports on what's hip and cool at the expense of what really matters, factual and well researched articles. In short they write sensationalism pieces instead of using their brand to educate and stimulate conversation.
Want to turn your brain off? Read Wired... want to think and grow read treehugger.
Apologist nonsense.
The cost numbers on nuke plants are fantasy. They assume things like the the plant will be built with tax backed bonds at below market rates , the plants will last 60 years without failure, that the price of uranium will never go up and that the plant and waste will be inturned at tax payer expense.
In reality, no plant has EVER lasted it's projected life. Some were shut down in less than a year after they were finished. Until recently, none have been finished on schedual. A recent retrofit in Alabama was finished on time but cost $2B - twice what they claimed and now has had multiple emergency shut downs the first year.
On the other had, we have thermo solar plants that have been in operation for 30 years with no major accidents, no emergency shut downs, no cost overruns, no fuel cost increases and they are expected to continue functioning indefinitely.
As for the SUV, you don't destroy it, you trade it to somebody who drives less and/or really needs it.