Following on from my post on Mark Lynas the other day, a reader challenged me, asking if there was anything the environmentalist movement has done that has recently made me change my mind about something. Of course, as long-time readers know, I agree with the environmentalist movement about a lot of ends, mostly disagreeing about means. I want endangered species protected, but consider the Endangered Species Act a counter-productive method, for instance. Nearer the mark is the fact that I support completely both the means and ends of Oceana’s Cut The Bait campaign, which is desperately needed to save deep sea fisheries, but as it involves the solidly free-market solution of cutting subsidies isn’t much of a leap. I explain a lot of this in my book.
But here’s an answer to the challenge. I am coming to the conclusion that solar energy can probably play a successful role in America’s future energy mix, for much the same reasons that I support nuclear power, but it has been the analyses supplied by environmental groups that have led me towards that conclusion. I’ll have more to say in the future, and there are still some questions I have to answer, but I am leaning that way.
Now, much-needed leave beckons. Merry Christmas to all!