[Editor Note: This is the third and final post on the human harm from pseudo-science. Part I Tuesday examined some history of scientific fraud as a precursor to the much more sophisticated misdirection of today. Part II yesterday reviewed the controversies surrounding PM 2.5 and mercury regulations during the Obama Administration.]

“Many eco-activists really do want to fundamentally transform, de-develop and de-industrialize the United States and modern civilization, reduce our living standards, and improve Third World living standards just a bit. But when it comes to themselves on their self-appointed mission, they want – and think they deserve – power, prestige, high-paying jobs, fancy perks, jet travel, big homes, and so on. Societal transformation and de-industrialization are for the commoners.”

Wind and solar and biofuel energy – and Tesla and other large-scale batteries to back up wind and solar energy for multiple windless and sunless days.…

[Editor Note: This is the second of three posts on the human harm from pseudo-science. Part I yesterday introduced the history of scientific fraud as a precursor to the much more sophisticated misdirection of today. Part III tomorrow will consider climate-change controversies.]

Air Pollution – PM2.5

EPA exonerated glyphosate – and did so during the Obama era. That alone should be dispositive on the chemical’s dangers because, especially during the Obama years, EPA was the most dogmatic US government agency with regard to blaming industry for imagined, exaggerated or fabricated risks.

A prime example is PM2.5: particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns – soot that’s a fourth the diameter of pollen. President Obama had promised that his EPA would shut down coal-fired power plants and bankrupt the industry. PM2.5 was their weapon of choice.…

The Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions (AWED) is an informal coalition of individuals and organizations interested in improving national, state, and local energy and environmental policies. Our premise is that technical matters like these should be addressed by using Real Science (please consult WiseEnergy.org for more information).

A key element of AWED’s efforts is public education. Towards that end, every three weeks we put together a newsletter to balance what is found in the mainstream media about energy and the environment. We appreciate MasterResource for their assistance in publishing this information.

Some of the more important articles in this issue are:

Globally, $2.4 TRILLION per year required for renewables

The high cost of being a ‘Good Neighbor’ to Big Wind

Are Existing Coal-Fired Power Plants Less Expensive Than New Gas, Wind or Solar?…

“A carbon tax is not a fundamentally un-libertarian idea. Jonathan H. Adler, a professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Law … has argued for the use of carbon taxes as part of a market-based approach to tackling climate change.”

– Eric Boehm, “The Republican Carbon Tax Bill Would Create Power Commission with Access to All Government Data.” Reason, July 24, 2018.

It was titled “A Conservative’s Approach to Combating Climate Change.” Published in The Atlantic (May 30, 2012), its author did an about face on his prior beliefs on climate alarm and the role of government policy (see his “‘Greenhouse Policy without Regrets'”).

The 1,800-word new view of Jonathan Adler did not so much refute as bypass his prior views on the nature of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and government energy policy.…