Community Chat

[Isobel Archer]

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@JamandBread wrote:

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@Isobel Archer wrote:

From the New Yorker magazine - The Dark Side of Congo's Cobalt Rush

Researchers estimate that thousands of children work in mining in Kolwezi alone.  Children who work in the mines are often drugged, in order to suppress hunger.Some children we interviewed did not remember the last time they had a meal.

Among the prevailing superstitions in the region is a belief that having sex with a virgin girl will enhance one’s luck in the mines. While I was in Kolwezi, Mutindi, of Good Shepherd, showed me photographs of the bruised corpse of an eight-year-old girl who had been abducted and raped by a creuseur the previous week. (The miner was later apprehended; she sent me a video of him in prison.) Children frequently die while being raped. In one case, Mutindi said, she saw the body of an eighteen-month-old infant who had been raped by a creuseur.

Creuseurs around Kolwezi frequently complained to me that Chinese-owned mines had replicated the harsh conditions of China’s own mining industry. Congolese often say, “If they work without shoes there, how can they be expected to give us shoes to work here?” A Western mine official told me he had visited a mine in Congo, owned by a small Chinese company, that had many Chinese laborers. It reminded him of an internment camp: “The Chinese were barefoot, they were digging with shovels, and they couldn’t leave.”

I asked Ziki what he thought of people who profited from cobalt mining. “I have sadness in my heart when I think of people who buy the minerals,” he said. “They make so much money, and we have to stay like this.”

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A lot of bad stuff happens in developing countries. Its very sad. But it will not stop green energy. 

The upcoming generations will make the necessary changes we couldn't or wouldn't.

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“They make so much money, and we have to stay like this.”

[ThinkingOutLoud]

Since wind turbines were brought up - I heard they kill a lot of birds. I guess that's just another consequence that we're not supposed to care about.

[Spurt]

@hckynutjohn @laluzdelmundo 

Im all for saving trees, clean air, preserving wildlife habitats.....I just dont think we have the necessary technology nor the equipment to really "go green" at this point in time.....  And forcing it through with make shift solutions will do more harm then good and have a HUGE adverse economic impact that we can't afford.....Nor solution has been devised on what to do with wnd turbines that need to be replaced, nor spent solar panels, nor lithium batteries....

But unless China and India get aboard what the U.S. and Europe does to help the environment is "small potatoes" to quote one site ---and really isn't helping much....China/India these countries have the most pollution and its where manufacturing is now centered......and for these countries its not a priority....

And from the DID YOU KNOW DEPT-----Oceanographers and NOAA have made an interesting discovery---the cleaner the air more hurricanes are generated....

How cleaner air is causing more hurricanes - NY1

https://www.ny1.com › nyc › weather › 2022/05/13 › s...

May 16, 2022 — NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has a new study that shows less air pollution is helping to create a busier hurricane season......

[JamandBread]

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@Isobel Archer wrote:

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@JamandBread wrote:

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@Isobel Archer wrote:

From the New Yorker magazine - The Dark Side of Congo's Cobalt Rush

Researchers estimate that thousands of children work in mining in Kolwezi alone.  Children who work in the mines are often drugged, in order to suppress hunger.Some children we interviewed did not remember the last time they had a meal.

Among the prevailing superstitions in the region is a belief that having sex with a virgin girl will enhance one’s luck in the mines. While I was in Kolwezi, Mutindi, of Good Shepherd, showed me photographs of the bruised corpse of an eight-year-old girl who had been abducted and raped by a creuseur the previous week. (The miner was later apprehended; she sent me a video of him in prison.) Children frequently die while being raped. In one case, Mutindi said, she saw the body of an eighteen-month-old infant who had been raped by a creuseur.

Creuseurs around Kolwezi frequently complained to me that Chinese-owned mines had replicated the harsh conditions of China’s own mining industry. Congolese often say, “If they work without shoes there, how can they be expected to give us shoes to work here?” A Western mine official told me he had visited a mine in Congo, owned by a small Chinese company, that had many Chinese laborers. It reminded him of an internment camp: “The Chinese were barefoot, they were digging with shovels, and they couldn’t leave.”

I asked Ziki what he thought of people who profited from cobalt mining. “I have sadness in my heart when I think of people who buy the minerals,” he said. “They make so much money, and we have to stay like this.”

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A lot of bad stuff happens in developing countries. Its very sad. But it will not stop green energy. 

The upcoming generations will make the necessary changes we couldn't or wouldn't.

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“They make so much money, and we have to stay like this.”

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The cry is loud from the kids who mine our diamonds, sew our clothing, starve to death in third world countries, drown in innertubes running from  bombs, die at our borders, succumb to a disease that could have been prevented with a vax. Such is our world. 1st world countries progress while doing their best to lift others.

[Johnnyeager]

I'm also in favor of using biomass incineration as a source of electricity generation, that is, the controlled burning of various forms of trash and waste.

I participated in the financing of many such efficient, clean facilities in the past.

Unfortunately,  the green movement will no longer permit any new ones to move forward.

[ThinkingOutLoud]

This thread reminded me of the saying about cutting off your nose to save your face. Seems like that's what some are in favor of and they don't even realize it.

[Desert Lily]

Don't forget HydroElectric power. Has anyone visited Hoover Dam? 

States that produce large amounts of hydro energy in the country are Washington, California, New York, Oregon, and Alabama. In 2018, the US hydroelectricity generation capacity was 80 million kilowatts.

[hckynutjohn]

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@JamandBread wrote:

Fortunately, there is a season for everything and the season for gas guzzling vehicles and coal burning plants and the people who support the old ways is coming to an end quickly. 20 years from now, we'll be all hybrid and electric for most vehicles. Those who rail against the idea don't have much longer to drive. The upcoming generations are demanding Green and that's who manufacturers are listening to.

Just a matter of time and the patience to tune out the noise.

@JamandBread 

I keep hearing "it's a global issue"! And here China is spitting out more Coal Mines like crazy. My guess it is nowhere close to the Clean Coal mined in the United States.

You may be young enough to be around when your vision of all electric in 20 years is more than just your fantasy, which is still just a pipe dream. I fortunately will not.

And your idea of quickly is 20 years? Good thing warp speed was not. Most of the noise now is not from just the proponents of fossil fuels.

There are also the your Greenies that are making the noise each time they see it cost over twice as much to fill their vehicle, as it did less than just 2 years ago. Unless you are one of the independently wealthy, or momma and pops are still paying the bills? Take it from there.

hckynut(john)🥅🏒  🇺🇸

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[Johnnyeager]

Currently,  hydroelectric power accounts for only about 7-8% of total US electricity generation.

Hardly enough to accommodate all of the envisioned electric cars that are desired.  

And it's irrelevant how much of the earth's surface is covered by water.  It needs to be running water for the generation of electricity to drive a turbine and generator.

Oh.  And it's not always dependable. 

[TrulyMe]

There are consequences from elections.