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‘Green’ energy production toxic

It would be nice to see the “green” industry lose its superficial smugness
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‘Green’ energy production toxic

Eileen Wttewaall, Rebecca Hazell and Kathy Rezansoff, may want to watch Planet of the Humans. Fossil fuels, logging and mining are the prerequisites for “green” energy. Often the manufacture of such “green” products uses more energy and is far more toxic than resource extraction.

Cobalt, that battery in your electric car for instance. Cobalt, intended to satisfy the issue of green energy, was mined by slave child labour in the Congo. Some call these batteries “blood batteries”. Cadmium, in toxic dayglo orange rivers, runs from solar panel factories in China. Add to that, the panels have a short life span and are just as toxic at the end of their lives. Just because it happens in the developing world out of sight doesn’t mean it is not still an environmental disaster.

There is a reason the raw materials for “green” energy come from states where there is little or no environmental or human health and safety oversight. Rare earths are not rare; they are just difficult to extract and require many toxic chemicals to do so. Leaving behind a poisoned landscape. The lithium mines in Argentina are a perfect example of this ruin.

It would be nice to see the “green” industry lose its superficial smugness and start taking responsibility for the wanton destruction it has caused. Canada’s oil industry is heavily regulated and has actually lowered its CO2 emissions, while returning the land back to a self-sustaining ecosystem with local vegetation and wildlife. The “green” energy industry needs to be held to the same standards as the oil and natural gas industries.

Then there is the issue of the billionaires behind “green” energy. I do not think any industry should be getting our tax dollars, particularly the green scam. It just makes the rich richer and the taxpayer impoverished.

The three of you are welcome to act on your beliefs and stop buying fossil fuels and all the products it goes into. While you are at it you might want to lay off all logging and mining derived products as well.

S. Innis

Duncan