Economist Counters Al Gore: Cars Are Saving the Planet

NewsBusters ^ | 2/27/2007 | Noel Sheppard

[AT7Saluki]

An op-ed written by an economics professor at the University of Georgia counters Gore’s dire assertions, and fervently stated that this invention is actually saving the planet.

In his piece published Tuesday in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Dwight R. Lee wrote (h/t JunkScience.com, emphasis mine throughout): "The motto of all environmentalists should be "Thank goodness for the internal combustion engine."

Got your attention? Good, for Lee was armed for Gore, err, I mean bear:

The abuse heaped on the internal combustion engine by environmentalists was never justified. But a recent story on cow flatulence in the British newspaper, The Independent, makes the environmental benefits from gasoline-powered engines even more obvious. Based on a recent study by the Food and Agricultural Organization, The Independent reports that "livestock are responsible for 18 percent of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, more than cars, planes and all other forms of transport put together."

Long before global warming became an environmental concern, however, the move from the power provided by animals to that provided by gasoline had greatly improved the environment. The emissions that came out of the tailpipes of horses were much more lethal pollutants that those now coming out of the tailpipes of cars. Horse emissions did more than make our town and cities stink; they spread fly-borne diseases and polluted water supplies that killed people at a far greater rate than the pollution from cars and trucks ever have.

[Question Liberal Authority]

Damn straight. And Carbon Dioxide is PLANT FOOD, not POLLUTION.

[Chani]

Horse emissions did more than make our town and cities stink; they spread fly-borne diseases and polluted water supplies that killed people at a far greater rate than the pollution from cars and trucks ever have.

I love it. :D

[andyandval]

[Question Liberal Authority]

But I thought Al Gore said that every scientist in the entire world agrees with him and the debate is over.

[Squidpup]

I encourage the destruction of those flatulence-producing cattle by eating them. Does that make me carbon-neutral?

[ChessExpert]

I was recently debating global warming with a devout environmentalist at the office. He told me "Americans will have to end their love affair with the automobile." I just thought you should know their motivation.

[GeorgiaDawg32]

and if they don't they're decertified and won't be eligible for an oscar..

[Question Liberal Authority]

I think you need to eat a roll of Tums to be carbon-neutral.

[Question Liberal Authority]

How about if Liberals end their love affair with themselves?

[Chani]

I was recently debating global warming with a devout environmentalist at the office. He told me "Americans will have to end their love affair with the automobile."

Tell him to walk/bike more, so I can drive longer.

[mylife]

These enviro idiots have these grand ideas that if we turned back the hands of time life would be grand.
I have a brother in India who tells me that in norhern areas cooking fuel and heating fuel is dried dung because there are no trees left to burn.

[Kellis91789]

Will you be buying carbon credits from him ?

That's what the whole Kyoto and Global Warming scam is about, you know. Forcing the 'have's to give money to the 'have-not's.

[Chani]

I needed a sarcasm tag, huh? ;)

[Kellis91789]

No tag needed.

But I am waiting for the next logical step in this GW scam to surface -- that's where Mr. Bike Rider sues you or I to extort carbon credit payments from us.

[Kellis91789]

Gosh, with today's stock market plunge and fears of an imminent recession, I'm surprised nobody in the MSM mentioned what a crushing blow to the world economy any serious attempt to comply with Kyoto would bring about.

You want to see the stock market really plunge, just wait until some fool in Congress or the Whitehouse commits the US to compliance with Kyoto.

[bray]

Wouldn't an environmental purist commit suicide to eliminate his carbon footprint??

Pray for W and Our Troops

[Chani]

I think Rush was expounding on that idea today. ;)

[Rudder]

My quarter-mile long, hilly and twisty driveway is still covered in 2-inch thick ice.

I like global warming, it's a good thing.

[TX Bluebonnet]

I was thinking about those carbon credits. What if the have-nots go out and buy cars and air conditioners with their carbon credits? You know they are not going to be stupid enough to then turn around and pay someone else a carbon credit. Some of the worst pollution I've ever seen was in Communist Yugoslavia and Hungary. Mexico's no picnic either.