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Coconuts, wind and sun to power Pacific nations
Yahoo News ^ | May 10, 2012 | Staff

Posted on 05/22/2012 10:47:53 AM PDT by Twotone

Tiny Pacific nations which are most at threat from rising seas have vowed to dump diesel and other dirty expensive fuels blamed for causing global warming and replace them with clean sources.

Using coconut biofuel and solar panels, Tokelau -- which consists of three island dots half way between New Zealand and Hawaii -- plans to become self-sufficient in energy this year.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Science
KEYWORDS: agw; energy; globalwarming; windpower
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"He wants those tens of millions of dollars spent on health and social services and education for the approximately 20,000 inhabitants of 15 islands spread over 2.2 million square kilometers (850,000 square miles) in the Pacific."

I suggest they go back to sails & oars for those inter-island get-togethers. That ought to save a lot of money & reduce their carbon footprint!

1 posted on 05/22/2012 10:48:00 AM PDT by Twotone
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To: Twotone

The volcano that created those islands probably put more carbon in the atmosphere than the entire human race from the very beginning till now.

This retardation has to be halted in it’s tracks. It’s one thing for nations that can afford to be stupid and green, it’s another for poor nations. It ends up killing people.


2 posted on 05/22/2012 10:52:39 AM PDT by Dogbert41 ("...The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the Lord Almighty is their God" Zech. 12:5)
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To: Twotone

Good for them. And good luck to them and the Red Sox. (Insert eye roll here.)


3 posted on 05/22/2012 10:55:12 AM PDT by Past Your Eyes (What if there is no tomorrow? There wasn't one today.)
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To: Twotone

I don’t know anything about them but I wouldn’t be surprised if “coconut biofuels” have as large or larger a “carbon footprint” as regular unleaded.


4 posted on 05/22/2012 10:55:12 AM PDT by samtheman
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To: Twotone

Can anyone lead me, or these people on these, or any islands in fear of rising seas who are turning their World(s) upside down to “cooperate” with said Climate warnings to the absolute proof that such Global Warming at the hands of people around the World actually exists?


5 posted on 05/22/2012 10:58:23 AM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists, call 'em what you will, they ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)
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To: samtheman

It’s my understanding that the greenies don’t care how many trees you burn; it would all be considered renewable and therefore carbon neutral. Fossil fuels - so called - is what they are all fussed up about.


6 posted on 05/22/2012 11:00:03 AM PDT by Past Your Eyes (What if there is no tomorrow? There wasn't one today.)
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To: Dogbert41

“....It ends up killing people.”

and that wouldn’t bother the purveyors of the AGW tripe one damned bit either. As a matter of fact depopulizing the Earth is one of their goals.


7 posted on 05/22/2012 11:00:50 AM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists, call 'em what you will, they ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)
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To: Twotone

I’m sure the economy of a lightly-populated tropical island can easily be powered by a bunch of solar panels and windmills (I’m not sure how coconut power works, maybe you extract motor oil from them). Not so sure the same energy sources could run a nation-sized industrial civilization in anything like the style to which Western man has become accustomed. Scale makes a difference.


8 posted on 05/22/2012 11:01:04 AM PDT by Argus
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To: Twotone

Everything they know about energy they learned from Gilligan’s Island.


9 posted on 05/22/2012 11:05:39 AM PDT by TurboZamboni (Looting the future to bribe the present)
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To: Twotone

A requirement for being a Lefty is a prefrontal lobotomy.


10 posted on 05/22/2012 11:05:52 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Government is the religion of the sociopath.)
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To: Past Your Eyes

Ok, regrowing the tree takes the carbon back out of the air. Got it. What was I thinking? Silly me.

It’s almost as if I don’t really believe that putting carbon into the air is a problem to begin with.

Oh, wait. I think that’s it. I DON’T really believe that putting carbon into the air is a problem to begin with.

I mean, really, 400 ppm? What’s that compared to water vapor, 20,000 ppm?


11 posted on 05/22/2012 11:10:52 AM PDT by samtheman
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To: Argus

Agreed. These islands are perfect for wind and solar. In these instances oil and coal would be more expensive and like everywhere else—energy generated locally adds to the economy rather than subtracting from it.

When the USA becomes energy independent again in 5-10 years — it will add massively to the economy.

(They’d need a lot of coconut trees to make those work.)


12 posted on 05/22/2012 11:14:33 AM PDT by ckilmer
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To: Twotone

Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?


13 posted on 05/22/2012 11:19:03 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Twotone

Tokelau has the smallest economy of any country in the world. Tokelau has an annual purchasing power of about $1,000 per capita.

I’m guessing it wouldn’t take much energy to make this nation energy independent.


14 posted on 05/22/2012 11:22:13 AM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: dfwgator
Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?

African or European?

15 posted on 05/22/2012 11:26:49 AM PDT by bassmaner (Hey commies: I am a white male, and I am guilty of NOTHING! Sell your 'white guilt' elsewhere.)
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To: thackney
I’m guessing it wouldn’t take much energy to make this nation energy independent.

Like a three-pack of butane cigarette lighters, maybe.

Every other year.

16 posted on 05/22/2012 11:26:55 AM PDT by thulldud (Is it "alter or abolish" time yet?)
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To: Twotone
Oh, calm down the sea is not rising! Your island is sinking. Not sure what you are going to do about that.

However in the South Pacific wind and sun energy is actually practical. You have a lot of sun and a lot of wind. And I doubt they are going to cut down the coconut trees, they are probably going to either extract the oil or they may just use the whole nut in gassifiers.

During WWII several clever people figured out how to do this and kept the essential vehicles (ambulances, fire trucks, fishing boats emergency motors) going. The rest either went on foot or peddle power. When you only have a small island a lack of a car is not a big issue.

17 posted on 05/22/2012 11:36:16 AM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (Migrating elephant herds react badly to flaming motor homes and dry ice doesn't repel killer bees)
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To: Argus

“You put de lime in de coconut and drink dem both up”


18 posted on 05/22/2012 11:36:58 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: blueunicorn6

First freeper with a sense of humor I’ve run across since everybody conceded to Romney. Well, nearly everybody. Also, I read your about page.

Hey, Patrick McManus, is that you?


19 posted on 05/22/2012 11:55:59 AM PDT by ngat
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To: bassmaner

Laden or unladen?


20 posted on 05/22/2012 11:57:43 AM PDT by tumblindice (Our new, happy lives.)
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