Big tech’s pro-climate rhetoric is not matched by policy action, report finds

Post by cudgy » Mon, Sep 20, 2021, 5:06 PM UTC

michaelt wrote: post #7

It's always struck me as odd how many other industries have managed to get many staunch defenders among our rulers, while the tech industry seems so powerless, in comparison. Loads of senators are happy to side with oil companies and deny climate change, in spite of all the evidence and threat to the planet. No-one among legislators is in favour of pointless bureaucracy - and yet tax preparation software companies ar…

Post by cudgy » Mon, Sep 20, 2021, 5:12 PM UTC

Robotbeat wrote: post #39

blfr wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oil basically powers the modern world. Everything from food production through material manufacturing to basic transport collapses without oil. Food abundance, even if it's can be barely called that like corn syrup, is the most basic soma. No politician would even think risking it. Meanwhile you could swap out Facebook for any other social network with barely any noticeable change in the economy and world. People can…

Oil powers tractors, but that can easily be electrically driven. Nitrogen Fertilizers, which is probably what you are referring to, are made using hydrogen, not oil. That hydrogen is usually produced using natural gas (again, usually not oil), but until the 1950s or so when steam reforming started to utter dominate, we tended to make it with hydropower electrolysis. There’s no fundamental reason you need oil for food…

Post by michaelt » Mon, Sep 20, 2021, 6:26 PM UTC

refurb wrote: post #35

michaelt wrote: post #7

It's always struck me as odd how many other industries have managed to get many staunch defenders among our rulers, while the tech industry seems so powerless, in comparison. Loads of senators are happy to side with oil companies and deny climate change, in spite of all the evidence and threat to the planet. No-one among legislators is in favour of pointless bureaucracy - and yet tax preparation software companies ar…

This comes across as an odd position - you don’t think big tech has the ear of the president? Aren’t there pictures of Obama dining with Silicon Valley “elite”? You mention building houses. The answer is of course big tech can get that done - it’s just not a priority regardless of what they say

Post by r0f1 » Mon, Sep 20, 2021, 8:57 PM UTC

thehappypm wrote: post #43

r0f1 wrote: post #30

Question from an unknowing European: Lobbying on federal legislation is something that is allowed?

What is "lobbying"? Lobbying is a process where subject-matter experts discuss policy with lawmakers. Lawmakers are not necessarily experts in 100% of topics, are they? So the industries have experts that lawmakers talk to. And of course, these industries make political contributions. With no lobbyists, lawmakers are likely to be fairly clueless. With too much money and influence, lobbyists really call the shots, and…

Post by Robotbeat » Tue, Sep 21, 2021, 12:42 AM UTC

cudgy wrote: post #53

Robotbeat wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oil powers tractors, but that can easily be electrically driven. Nitrogen Fertilizers, which is probably what you are referring to, are made using hydrogen, not oil. That hydrogen is usually produced using natural gas (again, usually not oil), but until the 1950s or so when steam reforming started to utter dominate, we tended to make it with hydropower electrolysis. There’s no fundamental reason you need oil for food…

What do we use to make the electricity for the electric tractor? What raw materials do we need in order to make all of the solar panels that would provide electricity for the entire world? By the way, I see the value in electric vehicles, but we need to recognize that the electricity has to come from somewhere and that all these new vehicles and batteries require raw materials that have to come from somewhere.