Energy misconceptions hurt strides for progress
Two recent letters are based on misconceptions. Donald Bogard [Letters, Nov. 6] insists that no low-carbon energy alternatives exist. And yet Denmark set a world record in 2014 with almost 40 percent of her electricity from wind.
China is the world’s biggest investor in renew-ables. Instead of a trade war, we could vie for the growing world market in carbon-free technologies. For instance, Kenya now has Africa’s largest wind-farm, providing a fifth of her electricity. Tesla’s new, giant Powerpack battery in Australia reduces grid service costs by 90 percent.
The world’s inventors, engineers and architects are cleverer than Bogard thinks. Some ways to store energy from intermittent sources are thermal or pumped storage, compressed air, molten salts, flywheels and parked electric cars as batteries. Besides electricity, solar energy can be used for industrial purposes or running steam turbines. Solar architecture can minimize the need for electric heat and air conditioning in the first place.
It is a myth that only renewables get subsidies. Fossil fuels have been subsidized for a century. Globally these subsidies total about $5 trillion a year and at least $20 billion a year in the U.S., where many are embedded in our tax code. In 2016, the G7 countries pledged to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies by 2025. But the U.S. is making the least progress, as the Trump administration has added new subsidies.
In a second letter, Jim Barns [Nov. 5] objects to a front-page photo of women and children in the caravan traveling through Mexico, saying he has “seen reports” that most of the migrants are young men. He goes on to criticize the media as biased. However, his approved reports are surely also from media, probably Fox News or a favorite website.
Daily newspapers depend on local reporters and wire services such as The Associated Press for direct investigation and eyewitness reports of events. Some larger newspapers have their own correspondents in Washington and foreign capitals. Some broadcasters also have news teams that travel to the scene or interview local reporters. Worldwide, journalists generally abide by a standard or ethic of trying to be as accurate and neutral as possible. This emphasis on reporting the facts is quite different from the focus on television personalities and opinions as on Fox News. As for websites, most depend on news reports from other sources. In some cases, they make it up.
Several international journalists traveling with the caravan have seen large numbers of families and unaccompanied children, and have not seen any Middle Easterners. These are eyewitness accounts from people not invested in American politics. The Mexican government also issues reports.
Bias goes both ways. I was surprised the newspaper never mentioned that thousands protested in 900 towns and cities, including seven in Arkansas, on Nov. 8. [These are] people worried that recent changes in the Department of Justice could threaten the Mueller investigation.
I recommend PBS for an hour of in-depth and factual world news. If that’s what you really want instead of conspiracy theories, sensationalism and taking sides in a political war.
CORALIE KOONCE
Fayetteville