10 Environmentalist Myths

Ed "Redwood" Ring of EcoWorld Inc. takes on here and here 10 myths related to environmentalism.

1. Being environmentally correct requires a lower standard of living
2. Any good environmentalist is a socialist
3. Hydrogen and other renewable energy are the answer to our energy needs
4. We have to recycle everything
5. New housing developments must be limited to within existing cities
6. Natural wilderness and biodiversity are sacred
7. We must have mass transit
8. There are going to be worldwide energy and water shortages
9. There is a population explosion
10. If we don't make drastic changes right now, the earth will become uninhabitable

His explanation of #3 (Hydrogen and other renewable energy are the answer to our energy needs):

Not any time soon. Maybe fifty years from now. Burning fossil fuels more efficiently with virtually no pollution, either via huge gas turbines, modern diesel engines, or super-efficient hybrid engines, is still much cheaper and cleaner than using pure hydrogen. Fuel cells wear out quickly when their hydrogen is extracted from fossil fuels, and extracting hydrogen from water requires vast amounts of electricity that must be produced somewhere. Windmill generators and photovoltaic panels require huge energy input in their manufacture and maintenance. Hydrogen has interesting potential as an ultimate fuel choice, but right now it can’t compete with super-efficient, virtually zero-polluting fossil fuel solutions. Should we continue to develop renewable energy? Yes we should, but we also need to find more efficient, cleaner ways to use non-renewable energy.