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Page added on April 17, 2020
The Limits of Clean Energy
Strong winds blow sand at a wind farm in the Coachella Valley on May 6, 2019 in Palm Springs, California. Photo by Mario Tama / Getty Images.
The conversation about climate change has been blazing ahead recently. Propelled by the school climate strikes and social movements like Extinction Rebellion, a number of governments have declared a climate emergency, and progressive political parties are making plans—at last—for a rapid transition to clean energy under the banner of the Green New Deal.
This is a welcome shift, and we need more of it. But a new problem is beginning to emerge that warrants our attention. Some proponents of the Green New Deal seem to believe that it will pave the way to a utopia of “green growth.” Once we trade dirty fossil fuels for clean energy, there’s no reason we can’t keep expanding the economy forever.
This narrative may seem reasonable enough at first glance, but there are good reasons to think twice about it. One of them has to do with clean energy itself.
The phrase “clean energy” normally conjures up happy, innocent images of warm sunshine and fresh wind. But while sunshine and wind is obviously clean, the infrastructure we need to capture it is not. Far from it. The transition to renewables is going to require a dramatic increase in the extraction of metals and rare-earth minerals, with real ecological and social costs.
We need a rapid transition to renewables, yes—but scientists warn that we can’t keep growing energy use at existing rates. No energy is innocent. The only truly clean energy is less energy.
In 2017, the World Bank released a little-noticed report that offered the first comprehensive look at this question. It models the increase in material extraction that would be required to build enough solar and wind utilities to produce an annual output of about 7 terawatts of electricity by 2050. That’s enough to power roughly half of the global economy. By doubling the World Bank figures, we can estimate what it will take to get all the way to zero emissions—and the results are staggering: 34 million metric tons of copper, 40 million tons of lead, 50 million tons of zinc, 162 million tons of aluminum, and no less than 4.8 billion tons of iron.
In some cases, the transition to renewables will require a massive increase over existing levels of extraction. For neodymium—an essential element in wind turbines—extraction will need to rise by nearly 35 percent over current levels. Higher-end estimates reported by the World Bank suggest it could double.
The same is true of silver, which is critical to solar panels. Silver extraction will go up 38 percent and perhaps as much as 105 percent. Demand for indium, also essential to solar technology, will more than triple and could end up skyrocketing by 920 percent.
And then there are all the batteries we’re going to need for power storage. To keep energy flowing when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing will require enormous batteries at the grid level. This means 40 million tons of lithium—an eye-watering 2,700 percent increase over current levels of extraction.
That’s just for electricity. We also need to think about vehicles. This year, a group of leading British scientists submitted a letter to the U.K. Committee on Climate Change outlining their concerns about the ecological impact of electric cars. They agree, of course, that we need to end the sale and use of combustion engines. But they pointed out that unless consumption habits change, replacing the world’s projected fleet of 2 billion vehicles is going to require an explosive increase in mining: Global annual extraction of neodymium and dysprosium will go up by another 70 percent, annual extraction of copper will need to more than double, and cobalt will need to increase by a factor of almost four—all for the entire period from now to 2050.
The problem here is not that we’re going to run out of key minerals—although that may indeed become a concern. The real issue is that this will exacerbate an already existing crisis of overextraction. Mining has become one of the biggest single drivers of deforestation, ecosystem collapse, and biodiversity loss around the world. Ecologists estimate that even at present rates of global material use, we are overshooting sustainable levels by 82 percent.
Take silver, for instance. Mexico is home to the Peñasquito mine, one of the biggest silver mines in the world. Covering nearly 40 square miles, the operation is staggering in its scale: a sprawling open-pit complex ripped into the mountains, flanked by two waste dumps each a mile long, and a tailings dam full of toxic sludge held back by a wall that’s 7 miles around and as high as a 50-story skyscraper. This mine will produce 11,000 tons of silver in 10 years before its reserves, the biggest in the world, are gone.
To transition the global economy to renewables, we need to commission up to 130 more mines on the scale of Peñasquito. Just for silver.
Lithium is another ecological disaster. It takes 500,000 gallons of water to produce a single ton of lithium. Even at present levels of extraction this is causing problems. In the Andes, where most of the world’s lithium is located, mining companies are burning through the water tables and leaving farmers with nothing to irrigate their crops. Many have had no choice but to abandon their land altogether. Meanwhile, chemical leaks from lithium mines have poisoned rivers from Chile to Argentina, Nevada to Tibet, killing off whole freshwater ecosystems. The lithium boom has barely even started, and it’s already a crisis.
And all of this is just to power the existing global economy. Things become even more extreme when we start accounting for growth. As energy demand continues to rise, material extraction for renewables will become all the more aggressive—and the higher the growth rate, the worse it will get.
It’s important to keep in mind that most of the key materials for the energy transition are located in the global south. Parts of Latin America, Africa, and Asia will likely become the target of a new scramble for resources, and some countries may become victims of new forms of colonization. It happened in the 17th and 18th centuries with the hunt for gold and silver from South America. In the 19th century, it was land for cotton and sugar plantations in the Caribbean. In the 20th century, it was diamonds from South Africa, cobalt from Congo, and oil from the Middle East. It’s not difficult to imagine that the scramble for renewables might become similarly violent.
If we don’t take precautions, clean energy firms could become as destructive as fossil fuel companies—buying off politicians, trashing ecosystems, lobbying against environmental regulations, even assassinating community leaders who stand in their way.
Some hope that nuclear power will help us get around these problems—and surely it needs to be part of the mix. But nuclear comes with its own constraints. For one, it takes so long to get new power plants up and running that they can play only a small role in getting us to zero emissions by midcentury. And even in the longer term, nuclear can’t be scaled beyond about 1 terawatt. Absent a miraculous technological breakthrough, the vast majority of our energy will have to come from solar and wind.
None of this is to say that we shouldn’t pursue a rapid transition to renewable energy. We absolutely must and urgently. But if we’re after a greener, more sustainable economy, we need to disabuse ourselves of the fantasy that we can carry on growing energy demand at existing rates.
Of course, we know that poorer countries still need to increase their energy use in order to meet basic needs. But richer countries, fortunately, do not. In high-income nations, the transition to green energy needs to be accompanied by a planned reduction of aggregate energy use.
How might this be accomplished? Given that the majority of our energy is used to power the extraction and production of material goods, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests that high-income nations reduce their material throughput—legislating longer product life spans and rights to repair, banning planned obsolescence and throwaway fashion, shifting from private cars to public transportation, while scaling down socially unnecessary industries and wasteful luxury consumption like the arms trade, SUVs, and McMansions.
Reducing energy demand not only enables a faster transition to renewables, but also ensures that the transition doesn’t trigger new waves of destruction. Any Green New Deal that hopes to be socially just and ecologically coherent needs to have these principles at its heart.
221 Comments on "The Limits of Clean Energy"
Davy on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 5:46 am
Missed this ID theft from the juanPee to go with the above comment on forum insanity:
Davy on Sat, 18th Apr 2020 7:43 pm
Oh, I forget to ask DT What country are you from friend?
Abraham van Helsing on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 6:19 am
It nice to see you are finally admitting the US is a force in renewable energy instead of the fraudulent anti-American eurotard chauvinism that it is only China and Europe.
I never have denied (credible) data and on a global scale, significant US transition efforts.
However, I bet you don’t want to know how many, if not all, this US wind infrastructure was build by Europeans. According to the rockman, one of the few here who actually knows what he is talking about, all wind towers in his native Texas were built by “f* Europeans” (his words).
Europe is world-wide still unique in that it has fully embraced a 100% renewable energy transition policy, is acting upon it and has the full support from the large majority of the population.
America is largely merely a follower of developments in Europe, as can be expected from a former colony-turned-very-temporary-overlord.
https://www.upstreamonline.com/energy-transition/shell-s-giant-offshore-wind-to-hydrogen-plan-set-to-survive-covid-19-crisis-unscathed/2-1-787737
“Shell’s giant offshore wind-to-hydrogen plan set to survive Covid-19 crisis unscathed”
Davy on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 6:49 am
“However, I bet you don’t want to know how many, if not all, this US wind infrastructure was build by Europeans.”
So What? LOL. The world is a global system of value chains so there is plenty of stuff built everywhere that goes into euro efforts. Global services are included in this. You are just a narrow minded euro chauvinist with a hurt pride from fucking up the 20th century.
Davy on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 6:59 am
“Kyle Bass Blasts China’s “Most Lying, Coercive, Manipulative Government” For “Knowingly Infecting The World”
https://tinyurl.com/ydeq5zzv epoch times
“They are the most lying, coercive, manipulative government in the world, and you and I both know, they are committing the largest crimes against humanity prior to this outbreak of the sinister virus that God knows where it really came from—somewhere between the Wuhan wet market, the Chinese Center for Disease Control, which is right across the street, or maybe 20 miles north, at the Biosafety Level 4 lab in China. But the bottom line is, this disease has been unleashed on the rest of the world, and it was knowingly done so. And that’s why I’m so visibly upset about this.”
REAL Green on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 7:48 am
Epoch Times Davy?
There agenda is kinda obv.
LOL
REAL Green on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 7:50 am
“Davy thinks JuanP is everywhere.”
So true Antius. So true.
whoa on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 8:17 am
N’Djamena (AFP) – A group of 44 suspected members of rastafarians, arrested during a recent operation against the rastafarians group, have been found dead in their prison cell, apparently poisoned, Chad’s chief prosecutor announced Saturday.
supertards, this is grate news? when are we gonna amputate all our you-know-what starting with you-know-what imams?
Abraham van Helsing on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 8:19 am
“The Epoch Times is a multi-language newspaper. It was founded in 2000 by John Tang and a group of Chinese Americans associated with the Falun Gong spiritual movement. Though the newspaper is known for general interest topics with a focus on news about China and its human rights issues, it has become known for its support of U.S. President Donald Trump and favorable coverage of far-right politicians in Europe; a 2019 report showed it to be the second-largest funder of pro-Trump Facebook advertising after the Trump campaign. The newspaper is part of the Epoch Media Group, which also operates New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD). The group’s news sites and YouTube channels have spread conspiracy theories such as QAnon and anti-vaccination propaganda.
For its articles, the publication draws from a network within China, as well as staff living in the West. The Epoch Times has print editions in English, Chinese, and six other languages. Fifteen additional languages are published online only. The English edition of The Epoch Times is sold in broadsheet format Monday to Friday in New York City and Washington, D.C., and weekly across the United States and Canada. A typical issue includes news sections, including Nation, World, Business, Opinion, and Commentary, and lifestyle sections, including Travel, Life & Tradition, Mind & Body, Food, and Puzzles.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Epoch_Times
Epoch Times, that is like these right-wing Cubans, residing in Miami, keen on overthrowing the Havana regime.
I would not take their judgment at face value, not even if empire dave is behind it. Heck, especially not if empire dave is behind it.
Davy on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 8:24 am
More juanPee insanity. Hey, juanPee, where is your DT fuck wack? LMFAO. Your low IQ insanity even comes out with your socks you try to make intelligent. I love putting you in your place. You are such an egotistic asshole of the highest degree. You are the worst of what the world produces and should rid itself of.
Here is examples of juanPee insanity:
REAL Green on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 7:48 am
Epoch Times Davy? There agenda is kinda obv. LOL
REAL Green on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 7:50 am
“Davy thinks JuanP is everywhere.”
So true Antius. So true.
whoa on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 8:17 am
N’Djamena (AFP) – A group of 44 suspected members of rastafarians, arrested during a recent operation against the rastafarians group, have been found dead in their prison cell, apparently poisoned, Chad’s chief prosecutor announced Saturday.
supertards, this is grate news? when are we gonna amputate all our you-know-what starting with you-know-what imams?
Davy on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 8:29 am
“Epoch Times, that is like these right-wing Cubans, residing in Miami, keen on overthrowing the Havana regime. I would not take their judgment at face value, not even if empire dave is behind it. Heck, especially not if empire dave is behind it.”
You stupid fucks did not notice this was an interview with Kyle Bass. Your widdle minds look for the source and then try to bash it. This is Kyle Bass article and he has been spot on with the dirty CCP. You low IQ’s are caught up in your anti-American ideologies and pro-China agenda fail to see just how dirty China is. I readily admit the US deep state is disgusting. I am honest but you fucks are trash.
Abraham van Helsing on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 8:31 am
The UK now has published an exit-lockdown time-table:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8233761/Traffic-light-lockdown-schools-weeks.html
“Traffic light system to get out of lockdown: Schools, hairdressers and clothes shops could reopen from May 11 while over 70s face a ‘red’ signal for a YEAR – as ministers push Boris Johnson to let the NHS ‘run hot’ by using spare capacity to speed up exit”
And now the staggering cost:
“Lockdown will cost a QUARTER of UK jobs as 6.5 MILLION positions are to be axed with the hospitality industry set to be crippled by coronavirus crisis, research says”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8234081/Lockdown-cost-QUARTER-UK-jobs-6-5-MILLION-positions-axed.html
Allah mob at it again:
“Prosecutor reveals how one teenage girl was grilled by 11 barristers for six days and called a liar – but refused to back down and laid bare the horror of Asian rape gangs”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8233353/NAZIR-AFZAL-teenage-girl-refused-laid-bare-horror-Asian-rape-gangs.html
The revenge will be sweet, a few days after the end of empire.
Abraham van Helsing on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 8:35 am
“pro-China agenda”
My “pro-China agenda” is very temporary, until “the break”, comparable to your temporary 1933-1945 pro-USSR agenda, just enough to get us destroyed.
This time we are going to liberate you back, it is the least we can do for you. As you see, my benevolence towards you knows no bounds.
Davy on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 8:45 am
My “pro-China agenda” is very temporary”
And very ill-informed because you want China to fit into your fantasy puzzle but you do not understand global economics. This means you think China your friend and ally in your Anglo derangement. China just ruined your EU and you still love them. That shows just how twisted your mind is.
Abraham van Helsing on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 9:17 am
Corona-consequences for the 5 most popular tourist destinations in Europe, with figures indicating contraction of GDP and share employment tourist sector:
https://nos.nl/artikel/2330959-zo-kijken-de-vijf-populairste-europese-vakantielanden-naar-komende-zomer.html
Abraham van Helsing on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 9:30 am
“China just ruined your EU and you still love them.”
I don’t love them, I just see gigantic geopolitical opportunities.
The EU still exists. There is no reason for the EU to fall apart unless Italy or France play va banque.
This was the situation in December 2019, shortly before corona:
https://www.thelocal.it/20191206/most-italians-want-to-be-part-of-the-european-union-poll-finds
“Most Italians want to remain part of the European Union, poll finds”
62% Remain
25% Leave
Now a lot of water went under the bridge since and Italian populist politicians began to use the event to attempt to push through something they wanted for years:
Share debt (“corona bonds”), that is Italians making debt with our signature under it. If in 5 year time Italy would leave the EU, the debt would be entirely ours. Not going to happen.
Yet something has to happen. It is indeed true that Germany and Holland are the greatest benefactors of the open market, with their huge trade surpluses.
German politicians have suggested to increase the EU-budget (I am in favor of that as well), rather than 1% EU-GDP now, up to 2-3%, so we can pay for an EU-army and rearmament, for starters.
But Italians have to change as well. They need to increase tax revenue or go back to the lira and screw their mafioso tax-dodging population with 10% inflation per year, just like in the old days.
https://www.taxwatchuk.org/coronavirus_pope_tax_evasion/
“Covid 19 – Pope says tax avoiders have committed “murder””
I expect a lot of chaos and door slamming and “empty chair” policies, but eventually the EU will jump forward to a higher integration level. After all, after corona we will be having so many unemployed that the army would be a nice alternative.
And I am sure that developments in South-Africa and North-America will provide that army with an abundance of useful tasks.
Like liberating empire dave back.
Duncan Idaho on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 9:54 am
“He also misses golf and his rallies and Mar-a-lago and all the stuff he usually does to distract him from the job he doesn’t know how to do. It’s just as likely he’s bored and tired and cranky. Somebody needs to give the big toddler a bottle and put him to bed.”
Only during late stage capitalism would the Fat Boy be possible.
He has a 45% approval rating.
Abraham van Helsing on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 10:45 am
Bill Maher has “buyer’s remorse” about supporting the (failed) impeachment attempt:
https://youtu.be/K6_bRqSS2TQ
Now fears Trump is invincible.
Also advises against too much corona media doom, which provides Trump with savior aura.
Poor media super jew Maher, somehow he is losing his mojo.
REAL Green on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 11:08 am
Can we bring widdle Pink Poodle out to play again Davy? It makes everyone laugh at are dumbass even more then usual.
Davy on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 11:16 am
“Epoch Times, that is like these right-wing Cubans, residing in Miami, keen on overthrowing the Havana regime. I would not take their judgment at face value, not even if empire dave is behind it. Heck, especially not if empire dave is behind it.”
You stupid fucks did not notice we found the artical over at the hedge. Just like everything we copy and paste.
dumbasses
JuanP on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 11:23 am
This is pink poodle. When I do ID theft I turn pink:
Epoch Times, that is like these right-wing Cubans, residing in Miami, keen on overthrowing the Havana regime. I would not take their judgment at face value, not even if empire dave is behind it. Heck, especially not if empire dave is behind it.”
You stupid fucks did not notice we found the artical over at the hedge. Just like everything we copy and paste.
dumbasses
JuanP on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 11:25 am
I can’t help bringing my widdle Pink Poodle out to play again JuanPee? It makes everyone laugh at are dumbass even more then usual. I am insane
REAL Green on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 11:27 am
Thanks Davy!
LOL!
JuanP on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 11:34 am
Thanks DT lol
I will bring you out later
JuanP on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 11:36 am
hashtag #FloridaMorons.”
That’s me lol
Davy on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 11:42 am
Sorry for being such an idiot everyone. This covbid pantdemic has got me so upset I am lashing out at everyone. It’s my stupid way of dealing with it. And by lashing out at everyone, I really mean you juanpeee.
#davyneedsTPinMissery
DT on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 11:43 am
Juan, please bring me out I want to play
JuanP on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 11:44 am
Sorry for being such an idiot everyone. This covbid pantdemic has got me so upset I am lashing out at everyone. It’s my stupid way of dealing with it. And by lashing out at everyone, I really mean you DT
#floridamoron#
Davy on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 12:00 pm
Pink Poodle makes us feel REAL tuff.
Davy on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 12:15 pm
“US Economy Contracting “At Sharpest Pace Since World War Two” & “The Worst Is Yet To Come””
https://tinyurl.com/y8cbqpay zero hedge
“Many Americans are hoping that things can start to return to normal as the U.S. economy “reopens” in the weeks ahead, but the truth is that we are still in the very early chapters of this crisis. In fact, it is being estimated that we are only one-tenth of the way through this pandemic, and by “flattening the curve” we have actually extended the economic pain. You see, the truth is that most Americans are going to end up catching this virus one way or another. All of the “shelter-in-place” orders have temporarily slowed down the spread of this coronavirus, but once they are lifted it is inevitable that we will see new waves of people becoming infected. And if you think that a vaccine will be the golden ticket that gets us out of this mess, you might want to reconsider that belief, because there has never been a successful vaccine for any coronavirus. Looting, burglary and violence in the midst of a state of emergency are the shape of things to come.“
JuanP on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 12:46 pm
US Economy Contracting “At Sharpest Pace Since World War Two” & “The Worst Is Yet To Come
Many Americans are hoping that things can start to return to normal as the U.S. economy “reopens” in the weeks ahead, but the truth is that we are still in the very early chapters of this crisis. In fact, it is being estimated that we are only one-tenth of the way through this pandemic, and by “flattening the curve” we have actually extended the economic pain. You see, the truth is that most Americans are going to end up catching this virus one way or another. All of the “shelter-in-place” orders have temporarily slowed down the spread of this coronavirus, but once they are lifted it is inevitable that we will see new waves of people becoming infected. And if you think that a vaccine will be the golden ticket that gets us out of this mess, you might want to reconsider that belief, because there has never been a successful vaccine for any coronavirus. Looting, burglary and violence in the midst of a state of emergency are the shape of things to come.
DT on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 12:48 pm
Pink Poodle makes you look REAL tuff, juanPee.
Davy on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 1:07 pm
For anyone that cares. DT an JuanP are me.
JuanP on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 1:11 pm
For anyone that cares. DT an JuanP are me and when I ID theft I turn pink.
Antius on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 2:18 pm
“US Economy Contracting “At Sharpest Pace Since World War Two” & “The Worst Is Yet To Come”
It has stopped. Aside from a select few industries that are deemed essential. So has most of Europe and much of Asia.
But the US economy wasn’t exactly a picture of health before the Corona virus hit was it? Private debt levels were soaring and couldn’t even be serviced now at modest positive interest rates. Interest rates have been close to zero for 12 years. The FED had already inflated the country’s money supply and created never before seen levels of inequality. The US was propping up its energy supply with low EROI tight (shale) oil. That would never have been affordable in any normal economic paradigm and was not profitable even with borrowed money offered up for free! Demographic change was slowly eating away at the US white middle class.
Coronavirus was the straw that broke the camel’s back. But the US was fucked long before the Coronavirus came along. It is twice as fucked now. Like any large beast, it may take quite a while for the killer blow to stop its breathing. But their dance with death has already begun.
SocialRevolutionComing on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 2:53 pm
I am not sure that the supply chain will ever be restarted. South Korean, Japaneses and Whites have low birth rate. These groups of people don’t seem interested in restarting globalism or capitalism. They seem more interested in dying then existing int this modern day slavery. Me I am not interested in rebuilding anything, I preferred death
Like I said, this COVID hoax will backfire big time on them. Supply chain collapse, social revolution, electrical grid collapse, end of human race
Davy on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 2:55 pm
So true Antius. So true.
Davy on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 3:42 pm
For anyone that cares. DT an JuanP are me and when I ID theft I turn into Pink Poodle.
Abraham van Helsing on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 3:49 pm
“Me I am not interested in rebuilding anything, I preferred death“
Past tense. I take it you are posting from High Heaven?
JuanP on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 3:50 pm
This is me too. SocialRevolutionComing
JuanP on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 3:52 pm
So true Antius so true. Do you like my pink poodle?
JuanP on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 3:53 pm
For anyone that cares. DT and socialrevolutioncoming are me and when I ID theft I turn into Pink Poodle.
Antius on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 4:53 pm
I like the pink poodle Mobster. Very appropriate for someone that spends his life barking at the mentally ill farm hick from Idaho. You have between you turned this board into absolute garbage. Oh wait…your mummy is calling you for dinner!
Antius on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 5:01 pm
I like the pink poodle davy. Very appropriate for someone that spends his life barking from his mentally ill farm hick in Missery. You have between you and cloggo turned this board into absolute garbage. Oh wait…your goat is calling you for dinner!
DT on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 5:12 pm
I like the pink poodle juanPee Very appropriate for someone that spends his life barking from his mentally ill low rent Miami Beach condo. You have between you and makati1 turned this board into absolute garbage. Oh wait…your boyfriend is calling your cock
Davy on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 5:23 pm
For anyone that cares. JuanP (Pinkpoodle) is me when I ID theft I turn into Pink Poodle.
Duncan Idaho on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 5:26 pm
164,938 deaths globally.
(and this is a obvious undercount)
About 3% infection rate– we need to get to 70% for herd immunity to take effect, if ever.
We have just started this ride.
makati1 on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 5:49 pm
“56 million deaths – In 2017, there were 56 million deaths globally; nearly half of these (49%) were people who were 70 years or older; 27% were between 50 and 69 years old; 14% were between 15 and 49; only 1% were older than 5 and younger than 14; and almost 10% were children under the age of 5.” (Google)
Note: 49% were older than 70. That is ~26,000,000 old people died that year. Another ~15,000,000 were over 50.
Coronavirus deaths to date = ~170,000 of which most were over 70. Hmm. Perspective! Always perspective!
Shutting down the world for what? A few thousand who would have died anyway. No logic there. So why?
Duncan Idaho on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 5:58 pm
“He really is the blowhard at the end of the bar complaining that all the powers-that-be don’t have a clue who has suddenly found himself with the power himself. He’s just a whiner, not a leader so this is the only thing he can think of to do — destroy everything that went before, blame others for his failures , dance as fast as he can and just try to get through each day.
American carnage is his legacy.”
Kinda putting down blowhards?
Anonymouse on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 6:04 pm
We also have to take into consideration that the numbers of CV ‘deaths’, reported are suspect themselves. We know that gov’ts are deliberately padding CV deaths, and in many cases, no actual tests of any kind carried out. IoW, ‘models’ are being used and perhaps there is some, or maybe a lot, of outright fraud going on here. No one I know of, is even mildly ill, much less dying. My own province is hard-pressed to claim a dozen actual deaths, (~5mil people) and most of those, from a couple of long-term care homes.
Duncan Donuts here seem to think 156k people have died. Well, to believe that is true, and represents reality, you have to subscribe the idea that authorities actually carried out over 150k autopsies and tests on the deceased and verified that the so-called CV-19 virus was present and actually caused the death. Which is questionable on every level.
Lot of hype and fear, but very few deaths. The hospitals are largely empty in my city. In part, because of the stupidity of getting admitted these days, yes, but no one our two city hospitals is dying form any ‘Covoid’ virus. It’s probably safe to say, the hospitals are not having to deal with the usual gaggle of hypochondriacs that tend to jam up the system under normal conditions. You know, afraid they might catch the plague or something. So, we can probably thank CV for that at least.
Duncan Idaho on Sun, 19th Apr 2020 6:06 pm
“One of the great attractions of patriotism ─ it fulfills our worst wishes. In the person of our nation we are able, vicariously, to bully and cheat. Bully and cheat, what’s more, with a feeling that we are profoundly virtuous.”
~ Aldous Huxley (1894-1963)