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6A – Daily News – Monday, May 10, 2010 Opinion Waste not - want not D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer’s home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 A wise woman, my mother, instilled this great virtue in me at an early age – and she was backed up by a military officer husband, and a German nanny. I had little choice nor need for much of any- thing new as the youngest of four siblings with similar training. This training helped shape my philoso- phy of life, which at mid-life I rebelled against, but have come to appreciate now as the most sus- tainable advice one can give. As a country we are incredibly wasteful, gobbling up about a quarter of the world’s resources to satisfy a rather tiny fraction of the earth’s residents — indeed our per capita energy consumption alone is over six times the world aver- age. While we are among the world’s wealthiest, most produc- tive, and geographically dispersed populations we can justify higher than average consumption – but six times? It is my premise that we could and should use more of our wealth and productivity to invest in more efficient ways to maintain our high standards of living and dramatically reduce waste. In spite of protestations to the contrary we have made great progress in the design and imple- mentation of renewable energy systems, environmental protec- tion, and sustainable construction and communities. To suggest, as my friend writing the column below did last week that "the cost per megawatt is exorbitant for either wind or solar, compared to coal, oil, natural gas or nuclear" is debatable. To go on and sug- gest that "the vast sums required to build such solar or wind facili- ties are not available for other power generating plants that would deliver energy more effi- ciently", and that their "effect on reducing the so-called green- house gas, CO2, is negligible" are patently untrue and must be challenged. With respect to electrical ener- gy cost comparisons one need only look to the marketplace to determine which supply systems are favored by utility companies. Actual cost comparisons are very complex given the various lead times, availability factors, life- times, and variable construction, fuel, permitting, regulatory, insur- ance, maintenance, capital, and waste disposal costs. Suffice it to say that wind is the favored new resource owing to its modularity, low cost per installed capacity, and otherwise favorable econom- ics. Nuclear ranks dead last due to its complexity, extended con- struction schedules, unresolved waste disposal, and inability to be privately insured. Coal, while rel- atively cheap, wrecks havoc on the environment, emits massive quantities of greenhouse gases and adversely affects the health and safety of the miners. With respect to oil and natural gas, these fuels are major sources of greenhouse gases and are heavily subsidized by the federal govern- ment with depletion allowances that obscure a sizeable portion of their true cost. In the context of end- user electrical systems, efficiency is defined as the ratio of the quantity of energy delivered to the quantity of fuel con- sumed for its generation (both expressed in simi- lar units such as kWh, btu, or calories). There is no question that wind and solar systems have the greatest efficiencies since no fuels are con- sumed in the production of power. At best current coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power plants have efficiencies of less than 40 percent, owing to the tremendous waste of heat involved in the elec- trical generation processes. Finally, since wind turbines and photovoltaic solar cells have no emissions, other than electro- magnetic fields common to any electrical system, it is fallacious to assert that their effect on reducing greenhouse gases are negligible, Richard Mazzucchi Positive Point since all of the alternative sources of electricity that my friend sug- gests are primary contributors to greenhouse gases, with the excep- tion of nuclear which has its own unique waste disposal chal- lenges. In fact the only resource available to us that has no negative impacts on the environ- ment is efficiency. There are ample oppor- tunities for homeown- ers, business owners and industries to put their money to good use by saving energy and consequential pro- duction costs and envi- ronmental damage. I hope that more of us will take to heart this day after Mother’s Day what the wise woman told me "Waste Not – Want Not" and use our precious resources more effi- ciently. Richard Mazzucchi is a retired research engineer specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy. He has travelled extensively and now makes his home in Los Molinos, where he is striving to manifest a sustainable and spiritual lifestyle. He can be reached at living-green@att.net. Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 4164 P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento 94249; (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102 STATE SENATOR — Sam Aanestad (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 2054, Sacramen- to, CA 95814. (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Peak views; candidates; standing with Ariz Commentary The candidates that took time to graciously appear at the April 27 Tea Party Patriots meeting were neglected in last week’s column due to an early writing schedule. OK, the truth is that the last weeks of skiing are upon Mt. Bachelor; the end-of-season obsession is upon us; and the yard work is on hold while we pack the equipment for the mid-week drive to Bend, Oregon. Anyone who recreates in the exhilarating, rarified air of snow-covered mountains and forests knows the lure of crisp, pine-scented surroundings for ski, board or snowmobile riding. I’ll share some views from the summit of Bachelor: Mt. Shasta, 180 miles to the south (on a clear day), Mt. Scott, Mt. Thielsen and Diamond Peak to the south; Mt. Washington, Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Hood to the north. Then there are the lakes and reservoirs of the Cas- cades stretching to the south, the mountain ranges surrounding the Willamette Valley and the Rogue River to the west, and the great val- leys and calderas, the Ochocos, Umatillas, and Idaho, to the east. Every view, every day, every trip is magnificently different and we’ll be bidding it all adieus soon. Back to the neglected candi- dates: As is often the case, attor- neys Muto and Skillman, compet- ing for Superior Court Judge, Office 1, had impressive life stories and resumes, and I felt that either one would serve the citizens of Tehama County with honor and distinction. Each had unique quali- ties, perspectives and professional qualifications that left the Patriots impressed. I’ve reviewed attorney Ken Miller’s — candidate for District Attorney — appearance in Corn- ing, with complementary respect, in a previous column. A question I posed at the Red Bluff Tea Party meeting, however, elicited an answer that troubled me. You may have seen the short news item a while back about the 40+ Califor- nia District Attorneys that have gone on record urging California’s Attorney General, Jerry Brown, to join his counterparts from many other states in challenging the con- stitutionality of the Obama/Reid/Pelosi health care law. This is not an obscure issue as there are mandates on states in the law that will negatively impact budgets, services and, ultimately, taxes. District Attorney Greg Cohen lent his support to the request on behalf of California’s voters – a request that costs the county nothing, uses no staff time, but will, if the lawsuit is successful, benefit us by ultimately freeing all states and counties from the uncon- stitutional, burdensome mandates in the law. Mr. Miller stated that he would not participate in, or support, such a move as District Attorney. This is evidence to me that he is either not informed of the unconstitutional nature of major elements of the Affordable Care Act (such igno- rance is not a disqualification from office, if admitted), or he doesn’t believe it appropriate for a local District Attorney to weigh in on the matter. Over 40 of California’s D.A.s have considered it to be their responsibility to lend sup- port for opposing infringements on the Constitution and our free- doms. The law does that by forcing each citizen to buy a product – in this case, health insurance – or pay a fine. I consider such an error in judgment on Mr. Miller’s part to make him unsuitable to receive my vote. Candidates at tomor- row’s Tea Party Patriots meeting will be Doug LaMalfa (for State Sen- ate), and the much antici- pated appearance of two candidates for Congress: Pete Stiglich (Republi- can) and Jim Reed (Democrat). Take the time to see what they have to say – you will not be disappointed (see time and location in Local Calendar). Tonight, at the Redding Tea Don Polson The way I see it Tea Party Patriots meeting, you can check out and participate in their "I Stand with Arizona" campaign to persuade Gov. Schwarzenegger to fol- low Arizona’s example and uphold the rule of law on illegal immigra- tion. Your local Tea Party is happy to weigh in to oppose boycotts, support legal immigra- tion and demand that the Federal government do its job of securing the border and deport- ing those with no right to be in America. Illegal immigrants, by their presence, strain our schools, economy, jails and tax dollars. Employers should be punished for hiring them; every resource of public policy and law enforcement should encourage, or force, their return to their home countries. Final note: those objecting to Party Patriots meeting, if you can make the drive, you’ll hear from a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, who’s opposing Carly Fiorina for the chance to beat Sen- ator Barbara Boxer. Rasmussen polling has DeVore ahead of Boxer. Bonneyview Baptist Church is at 2570 South Bon- neyview (go west from the Bon- neyview freeway exit for 1.5 miles to church on right) at 6 p.m. While you’re at the Red Bluff Sarah Palin’s use of a circular gun sight to "target" vulnerable Demo- cratic candidates’ Congressional seats, probably have no memory of a 2004 Democrat campaign image titled "Behind Enemy Lines," showing circular firing range tar- gets over "states that should be ripe targets" for Democrat wins. Liber- al hypocrisy abounds. Don Polson has called Red Bluff home since 1988. He can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com.