Post #1604437

2026-04-21 15:29 UTC

RE: https://mastodon.green/@gerrymcgovern/116442574740398259 Compared to oil, solar and wind is a very diffuse energy source. That means we will have to devote much more land to “green” energy than we’ve had to for fossil fuels. That will cause decreases in natural vegetation and biodiversity. Not to mention the environmental damage from mining the metals needed. I’m not saying we should stick with fossil fuels, just that both have severe problems. The solution is to learn to reduce energy consumption.

Replies (3)

@Christo_459@mastodon.me.uk 2026-04-21 15:40

@btschumy@mas.to We need to reduce our energy needs. Insulate, build new homes that need little energy

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@TobiWanKenobi@kolektiva.social 2026-04-21 15:43

@btschumy@mas.to This is certainly true, but it does not align with our current economic system, which has, in parts, become a religion for many. So long as capitalism is the dominant economic, cultural, societal, and political system on this planet, reducing consumption won't become an option. Especially regarding energy, since that's one of the driving forces behind today's capitalism.

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@alienghic@timeloop.cafe 2026-04-21 16:08

@btschumy@mas.to Solar is so low impact it can frequently be combined with other uses. Solar makes a great roofing option for homes, warehouses, and car parking lots. https://electrek.co/2025/03/14/covering-every-roof-with-solar-could-supply-2-3-of-global-electricity-study/ Given how the world has gotten hotter adding solar to provide partial shading often improves several types of agriculture. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrivoltaics Also a bunch of transportation energy is used for shipping fossil fuels around, so there's the potential for a big drop in total energy use by eliminating fossil fuel use. We can't keep increasing energy use forever, but it's likely possible to generate something close to current use with renewable sources.

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