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Opporturnity

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  • K KaRl

    digital man wrote:

    First we have to correct the monumental fuckups of the banking industry

    You know how it will be corrected: with taxpayers money. And to compensate this we have to create 'real' value massively. Switching to a green economy is a way to do such a thing.

    digital man wrote:

    It's all very well for someone like Stern to preach about changing fundamentals but, as someone deeply entrenched in world banking

    How is the World Bank responsible for the current debacle?

    The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal their bread Fold with us! ¤ flickr

    L Offline
    L Offline
    Lost User
    wrote on last edited by
    #14

    Ka?l wrote:

    And to compensate this we have to create 'real' value massively

    'real value' = meaningless liberalist day dreaming verbage. where did you pick this up from karl.

    Ka?l wrote:

    green economy

    how is this fundamentally different tothe current economy in view of the current crisis?

    Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription

    K 1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • O Oakman

      Ka?l wrote:

      Instead of basing our economies on financial gambles and artificial bubbles, what about creating real values by investing in 'environmental-friendly' technologies? Let's go back to reality!

      This is a great idea! We could end our economic woes quite Swiftly. The downward pressure on the economy of doing things like creating a CO2 cap would be felt most by the economic engines that are most likely to pull the globe out of this recession and end up creating a depression. Production of things like foodstuffs would drop drastically as we stopped using chemical fertilizers and converted even more grain production towards fuel. This would lower the carbon footprint of humanity by causing widespread starvation. Mass movement of starving peole across national borders would probably spark wars between the haves and the have-nots and, ultimately, it would end the unemployment problem in much the same way that WWII did. Brilliant!

      Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

      L Offline
      L Offline
      Lost User
      wrote on last edited by
      #15

      5 People like Karl have thier heads in the clouds and dont understand the simple reality of the current crisis.

      Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription

      K 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • O Oakman

        Ka?l wrote:

        Instead of basing our economies on financial gambles and artificial bubbles, what about creating real values by investing in 'environmental-friendly' technologies? Let's go back to reality!

        This is a great idea! We could end our economic woes quite Swiftly. The downward pressure on the economy of doing things like creating a CO2 cap would be felt most by the economic engines that are most likely to pull the globe out of this recession and end up creating a depression. Production of things like foodstuffs would drop drastically as we stopped using chemical fertilizers and converted even more grain production towards fuel. This would lower the carbon footprint of humanity by causing widespread starvation. Mass movement of starving peole across national borders would probably spark wars between the haves and the have-nots and, ultimately, it would end the unemployment problem in much the same way that WWII did. Brilliant!

        Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

        K Offline
        K Offline
        KaRl
        wrote on last edited by
        #16

        No one is deafer than he who doesn’t want to listen. Just two examples: - The car industry is falling. Let help them to build cars based on new technologies - by imposing some conditions when giving subsisdies, by helping R&D. - The house industry is falling. Let help them by subsidizing the renovation of houses so they become more energy-efficient.

        When they kick at your front door How you gonna come? With your hands on your head Or on the trigger of your gun?

        Fold with us! ¤ flickr

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        • W wolfbinary

          Oakman wrote:

          converted even more grain production towards fuel

          There are other environmentally friendly technologies that don't use our food sources. Take electric cars for example. When they first got started they couldn't make it very far. As the technology and money has been made available to further it, it has progressed considerably. While there are still problems to solve, its not as though they're insurmountable. We'll get there. I don't know how you feel about space exploration, etc, but these sorts of technology would also apply by making us aware that we only have what we take. I could see the high efficiencies of this technology applying to lengthen fuel usage, or any number of other types of systems. Some people complain about the space program's cost until I either remind them or inform them that tephlon and microwave ovens came from research done with those dollars. Research results sometimes have very far reaching and unforeseen benefits as well as consequences.

          Oakman wrote:

          Ka?l wrote: Instead of basing our economies on financial gambles and artificial bubbles, what about creating real values

          I agree with this, don't you John? If you set aside the environmental part it's not completely a bad idea.

          Oakman wrote:

          chemical fertilizers

          My plants certainly can't tell the difference. :) My tomatoes love Ebson Salt (magnesium sulfate) and 10,10,10 fertilizer.

          R Offline
          R Offline
          Rob Graham
          wrote on last edited by
          #17

          wolfbinary wrote:

          Take electric cars for example. When they first got started they couldn't make it very far. As the technology and money has been made available to further it, it has progressed considerably. While there are still problems to solve, its not as though they're insurmountable. We'll get there.

          A commonly held misconception. Electric cars actually cause more pollution[^] and environmental damage than those they replace. It is less efficient to burn coal (or natural gas) to make electricity, transmit it with 50% line loss to change a battery (with additional losses in the charging process) in order to run the car than it would to power the car directly with gasoline. It astounds me that people actually think electric cars solve ANY problems. Hastily dumping a bunch of money into technologies whose impact is not well understood because of some emotional bias that leads us to beleive it is "better" than what we are replacing will have huge unintended consequences that we will only regret. We have already driven up the price of corn by subsidizing ethanol production to be "green", a foolish move that is almost impossible to undo because of the farming lobby.

          K P 2 Replies Last reply
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          • L Lost User

            5 People like Karl have thier heads in the clouds and dont understand the simple reality of the current crisis.

            Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription

            K Offline
            K Offline
            KaRl
            wrote on last edited by
            #18

            It's so good to see someone so superior that he is able to understand the simple reality of the current crisis? May I wash you feet?

            How do you own disorder? Fold with us! ¤ flickr

            L 1 Reply Last reply
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            • L Lost User

              Ka?l wrote:

              And to compensate this we have to create 'real' value massively

              'real value' = meaningless liberalist day dreaming verbage. where did you pick this up from karl.

              Ka?l wrote:

              green economy

              how is this fundamentally different tothe current economy in view of the current crisis?

              Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription

              K Offline
              K Offline
              KaRl
              wrote on last edited by
              #19

              fat_boy wrote:

              'real value' = meaningless liberalist day dreaming verbage. where did you pick this up from karl.

              When you build something and sell it, you create value. When you make money with speculation, you don't.

              fat_boy wrote:

              how is this fundamentally different tothe current economy in view of the current crisis?

              The way to go out this crisis will be by injecting enormous quantities of taxpayers money. Instead of giving this money without any control, let use it with thinking a step ahead.

              Change of fashion is the tax levied by the industry of the poor on the vanity of the rich Fold with us! ¤ flickr

              L 1 Reply Last reply
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              • K KaRl

                It's so good to see someone so superior that he is able to understand the simple reality of the current crisis? May I wash you feet?

                How do you own disorder? Fold with us! ¤ flickr

                L Offline
                L Offline
                Lost User
                wrote on last edited by
                #20

                Karl, the current crisis has nothing to do with CO2 or 'green' living. Basing an ecobnomy on environmental reasons wont have any effct on it. Like I wrote, but without response from you, if the banks dont start lending again there isnt going to be an economy at all, let alone one that could be considered green.

                Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription

                K A 2 Replies Last reply
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                • R Rob Graham

                  wolfbinary wrote:

                  Take electric cars for example. When they first got started they couldn't make it very far. As the technology and money has been made available to further it, it has progressed considerably. While there are still problems to solve, its not as though they're insurmountable. We'll get there.

                  A commonly held misconception. Electric cars actually cause more pollution[^] and environmental damage than those they replace. It is less efficient to burn coal (or natural gas) to make electricity, transmit it with 50% line loss to change a battery (with additional losses in the charging process) in order to run the car than it would to power the car directly with gasoline. It astounds me that people actually think electric cars solve ANY problems. Hastily dumping a bunch of money into technologies whose impact is not well understood because of some emotional bias that leads us to beleive it is "better" than what we are replacing will have huge unintended consequences that we will only regret. We have already driven up the price of corn by subsidizing ethanol production to be "green", a foolish move that is almost impossible to undo because of the farming lobby.

                  K Offline
                  K Offline
                  KaRl
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #21

                  Rob Graham wrote:

                  Electric cars actually cause more pollution[^]

                  The Prius is not an electric car but an hybrid. Anyway, This study has been completely contradicted by studies from MIT, Argonne National Labs and Carnegie Mellon’s Lifecycle Assessment Group. The reality is hybrids can significantly cut global warming pollution, reduce energy use, and save drivers thousands at the pump[^]

                  Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first Fold with us! ¤ flickr

                  R 1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • K KaRl

                    fat_boy wrote:

                    'real value' = meaningless liberalist day dreaming verbage. where did you pick this up from karl.

                    When you build something and sell it, you create value. When you make money with speculation, you don't.

                    fat_boy wrote:

                    how is this fundamentally different tothe current economy in view of the current crisis?

                    The way to go out this crisis will be by injecting enormous quantities of taxpayers money. Instead of giving this money without any control, let use it with thinking a step ahead.

                    Change of fashion is the tax levied by the industry of the poor on the vanity of the rich Fold with us! ¤ flickr

                    L Offline
                    L Offline
                    Lost User
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #22

                    Ka?l wrote:

                    When you build something and sell it, you create value. When you make money with speculation, you don't.

                    Ha ha! I dont believe you can be that naieve Karl. Without lending for gain we wouldnt have an economy Karl beyond that of the early middle ages.

                    Ka?l wrote:

                    The way to go out this crisis will be by injecting enormous quantities of taxpayers money. Instead of giving this money without any control, let use it with thinking a step ahead.

                    I dont have a problem with investing in valid areas, but the principle problem is getting bad debt out of the banking system and permitting a house price drop in the US and UK of at least 30% without bringing the entire country to its knees.

                    Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • K KaRl

                      No one is deafer than he who doesn’t want to listen. Just two examples: - The car industry is falling. Let help them to build cars based on new technologies - by imposing some conditions when giving subsisdies, by helping R&D. - The house industry is falling. Let help them by subsidizing the renovation of houses so they become more energy-efficient.

                      When they kick at your front door How you gonna come? With your hands on your head Or on the trigger of your gun?

                      Fold with us! ¤ flickr

                      O Offline
                      O Offline
                      Oakman
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #23

                      Ka?l wrote:

                      The car industry is falling. Let help them to build cars based on new technologies

                      OK. Do we give as much money to Honda who has been building new technology cars as well highly fuel-efficient gas powered ones as we do to GM which kept building gigantic SUVs and got the US Congress to declare them to be taxable as cars, not trucks?

                      Ka?l wrote:

                      The house industry is falling. Let help them by subsidizing the renovation of houses so they become more energy-efficient.

                      Are we talking about the one-year inventory of empty houses that are for sale at firesale prices (if you can qualify for an old-fashioned 20% down mortgage), or the thousands of homes that are in foreclosure but not yet bank-owned, or paid-for houses like mine? Speak up. I'm a little deaf when someone says, "Let's you and me spend your money." Edit/ I guess these questions were just too hard to answer :( /Edit

                      Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

                      modified on Thursday, January 22, 2009 12:47 PM

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • K KaRl

                        No one is deafer than he who doesn’t want to listen. Just two examples: - The car industry is falling. Let help them to build cars based on new technologies - by imposing some conditions when giving subsisdies, by helping R&D. - The house industry is falling. Let help them by subsidizing the renovation of houses so they become more energy-efficient.

                        When they kick at your front door How you gonna come? With your hands on your head Or on the trigger of your gun?

                        Fold with us! ¤ flickr

                        M Offline
                        M Offline
                        Mike Gaskey
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #24

                        Ka?l wrote:

                        The car industry is falling

                        because people are out of work and can't afford the fucking things, which have been made more expensive through government intervention.

                        Ka?l wrote:

                        The house industry is falling

                        because banks loaned, gave mortgages to people that really weren't qualified, under pressure from the government. those mortgages are now toxic loans and the homes bought using these faulty mortgages are being repossessed at an alarming rate and being dumped on the market at low, low prices. So ... we have government intervention that totally fucked up or contributed mightily to fucking up two industries and our cure is more government intervention??? Yep, makes sense to me.

                        Mike - typical white guy. The USA does have universal healthcare, but you have to pay for it. D'oh. Thomas Mann - "Tolerance becomes a crime when applied to evil." The NYT - my leftist brochure. Calling an illegal alien an “undocumented immigrant” is like calling a drug dealer an “unlicensed pharmacist”. God doesn't believe in atheists, therefore they don't exist.

                        L K 2 Replies Last reply
                        0
                        • L Lost User

                          Karl, the current crisis has nothing to do with CO2 or 'green' living. Basing an ecobnomy on environmental reasons wont have any effct on it. Like I wrote, but without response from you, if the banks dont start lending again there isnt going to be an economy at all, let alone one that could be considered green.

                          Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription

                          K Offline
                          K Offline
                          KaRl
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #25

                          fat_boy wrote:

                          the current crisis has nothing to do with CO2 or 'green' living.

                          No kidding.

                          fat_boy wrote:

                          if the banks dont start lending again there isnt going to be an economy at all

                          When the banks will start lending again, the crisis will still be there - unless you consider building another bubble based on credit as the solution? If so, I have to say to you that your solution will only lead to a massive deflation.

                          I prefer the company of peasants because they have not been educated sufficiently to reason incorrectly. Fold with us! ¤ flickr

                          L 1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • K KaRl

                            fat_boy wrote:

                            the current crisis has nothing to do with CO2 or 'green' living.

                            No kidding.

                            fat_boy wrote:

                            if the banks dont start lending again there isnt going to be an economy at all

                            When the banks will start lending again, the crisis will still be there - unless you consider building another bubble based on credit as the solution? If so, I have to say to you that your solution will only lead to a massive deflation.

                            I prefer the company of peasants because they have not been educated sufficiently to reason incorrectly. Fold with us! ¤ flickr

                            L Offline
                            L Offline
                            Lost User
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #26

                            Ka?l wrote:

                            No kidding.

                            Thats a facetious response Karl.

                            Ka?l wrote:

                            the crisis will still be there

                            But it cant be fixed by moving to a green economy Karl! Which was your very siggestion. It can only be fixed by scrapping the financial instruments that are behind this or improving the regulation that allowed such bad practices to go unchecked.

                            Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription

                            K 1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • M Mike Gaskey

                              Ka?l wrote:

                              The car industry is falling

                              because people are out of work and can't afford the fucking things, which have been made more expensive through government intervention.

                              Ka?l wrote:

                              The house industry is falling

                              because banks loaned, gave mortgages to people that really weren't qualified, under pressure from the government. those mortgages are now toxic loans and the homes bought using these faulty mortgages are being repossessed at an alarming rate and being dumped on the market at low, low prices. So ... we have government intervention that totally fucked up or contributed mightily to fucking up two industries and our cure is more government intervention??? Yep, makes sense to me.

                              Mike - typical white guy. The USA does have universal healthcare, but you have to pay for it. D'oh. Thomas Mann - "Tolerance becomes a crime when applied to evil." The NYT - my leftist brochure. Calling an illegal alien an “undocumented immigrant” is like calling a drug dealer an “unlicensed pharmacist”. God doesn't believe in atheists, therefore they don't exist.

                              L Offline
                              L Offline
                              Lost User
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #27

                              Mike Gaskey wrote:

                              repossessed at an alarming rate and being dumped on the market at low, low prices

                              This will happen in the UK by mid year. I can easially predict a house price collapse on 50% based on this because without mortgages, people arent even going to able to buy them cheap except those with cash, and they are going to driver a hard bargain.

                              Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • L Lost User

                                Ka?l wrote:

                                No kidding.

                                Thats a facetious response Karl.

                                Ka?l wrote:

                                the crisis will still be there

                                But it cant be fixed by moving to a green economy Karl! Which was your very siggestion. It can only be fixed by scrapping the financial instruments that are behind this or improving the regulation that allowed such bad practices to go unchecked.

                                Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription

                                K Offline
                                K Offline
                                KaRl
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #28

                                fat_boy wrote:

                                Thats a facetious response Karl.

                                Not even. You're the only one who mention environemental questions as a root for the current crisis.

                                fat_boy wrote:

                                But it cant be fixed by moving to a green economy Karl! Which was your very siggestion.

                                No. My suggestion is that this crisis can be an opportunity. My point is: Massive amounts of public money will be injected, let use it in a greener direction, it would be wiser.

                                fat_boy wrote:

                                It can only be fixed by scrapping the financial instruments that are behind this or improving the regulation that allowed such bad practices to go unchecked.

                                Scrapping financial instruments won't give a job to the millions who lost theirs worldwide.

                                How do you own disorder? Fold with us! ¤ flickr

                                L 1 Reply Last reply
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                                • M Mike Gaskey

                                  Ka?l wrote:

                                  The car industry is falling

                                  because people are out of work and can't afford the fucking things, which have been made more expensive through government intervention.

                                  Ka?l wrote:

                                  The house industry is falling

                                  because banks loaned, gave mortgages to people that really weren't qualified, under pressure from the government. those mortgages are now toxic loans and the homes bought using these faulty mortgages are being repossessed at an alarming rate and being dumped on the market at low, low prices. So ... we have government intervention that totally fucked up or contributed mightily to fucking up two industries and our cure is more government intervention??? Yep, makes sense to me.

                                  Mike - typical white guy. The USA does have universal healthcare, but you have to pay for it. D'oh. Thomas Mann - "Tolerance becomes a crime when applied to evil." The NYT - my leftist brochure. Calling an illegal alien an “undocumented immigrant” is like calling a drug dealer an “unlicensed pharmacist”. God doesn't believe in atheists, therefore they don't exist.

                                  K Offline
                                  K Offline
                                  KaRl
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #29

                                  Mike Gaskey wrote:

                                  because people are out of work and can't afford the f***ing things, which have been made more expensive through government intervention.

                                  Rather because car makers make products which are not like the ones consumers want. That's why Toyota is now in front of GM.

                                  Mike Gaskey wrote:

                                  because banks loaned, gave mortgages to people that really weren't qualified, under pressure from the government.

                                  At the gun point.... yeah right. Why do housing collapse in Europe too then? Just because there was a huge speculative bubble, as in the US.

                                  Mike Gaskey wrote:

                                  those mortgages are now toxic loans

                                  Those toxic loans have been multiplied many times thanks to the financial practice of securitization.

                                  Mike Gaskey wrote:

                                  we have government intervention that totally f***ed

                                  Dream on. Even Greenspan recognizes that the Free Market ideology is flawed.

                                  The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal their bread Fold with us! ¤ flickr

                                  M 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • R Rob Graham

                                    wolfbinary wrote:

                                    Take electric cars for example. When they first got started they couldn't make it very far. As the technology and money has been made available to further it, it has progressed considerably. While there are still problems to solve, its not as though they're insurmountable. We'll get there.

                                    A commonly held misconception. Electric cars actually cause more pollution[^] and environmental damage than those they replace. It is less efficient to burn coal (or natural gas) to make electricity, transmit it with 50% line loss to change a battery (with additional losses in the charging process) in order to run the car than it would to power the car directly with gasoline. It astounds me that people actually think electric cars solve ANY problems. Hastily dumping a bunch of money into technologies whose impact is not well understood because of some emotional bias that leads us to beleive it is "better" than what we are replacing will have huge unintended consequences that we will only regret. We have already driven up the price of corn by subsidizing ethanol production to be "green", a foolish move that is almost impossible to undo because of the farming lobby.

                                    P Offline
                                    P Offline
                                    phannon86
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #30

                                    While I'm not taken in by the whole global warming/climate change personally, I see the benefits of switching to a fuel type, why waste a finite resource that so many countries squabble over? And I'm with you on electric cars Rob, too many people are just blind to where the electricity comes from. It goes unnoticed simply if the emissions of the car itself while running are zero. Hydrogen fuelled cars seem much more viable (Honda FCX Clarity), if you're going to power a car, why not use the most common element in the universe?

                                    He who makes a beast out of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man

                                    R 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • J John Carson

                                      digital man wrote:

                                      I heartily disagree: to make this organistaion work requires contact and contacts both within government and the banking world: the world bank cannot operate isolated from the rest of the banking world and to believe that Stern knows nothing of banking or has played no part (he was an economic adviser to the Britsh govt) in world economics is to be a little naive.

                                      This is a ludicrous argument. I never claimed that he "knows nothing" about the banking world and it is absurd to think that you should be seeking advice on financial matters from someone who knows nothing about the banking world.

                                      John Carson

                                      R Offline
                                      R Offline
                                      R Giskard Reventlov
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #31

                                      You said: "to suggest that the former head of it is "entrenched in world banking" is a serious misunderstanding" And he is an economist and an ex-advisor to the UK govt on financial matters. Besides, everyone gets advice about banking from people who know nothing about banking: they're called bankers.

                                      me, me, me

                                      J 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • K KaRl

                                        Rob Graham wrote:

                                        Electric cars actually cause more pollution[^]

                                        The Prius is not an electric car but an hybrid. Anyway, This study has been completely contradicted by studies from MIT, Argonne National Labs and Carnegie Mellon’s Lifecycle Assessment Group. The reality is hybrids can significantly cut global warming pollution, reduce energy use, and save drivers thousands at the pump[^]

                                        Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first Fold with us! ¤ flickr

                                        R Offline
                                        R Offline
                                        Rob Graham
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #32

                                        Nice quote out of context there Karl. You should apply for a job with MSNBC. What the article you linked to (which did not cite any of those studies) actually said was: "David Friedman, research director of the Clean Vehicles Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, thinks that CNW’s results and apparent methodology bring red flags. “This study has been completely contradicted by studies from MIT, Argonne National Labs and Carnegie Mellon’s Lifecycle Assessment Group. The reality is hybrids can significantly cut global warming pollution, reduce energy use, and save drivers thousands at the pump,” commented Friedman." So what we actually have is an assertion that makes claims about studies it does not cite or identify made by a third party with a clearly biased interest. I would still like to see proof that generating electricty in a power plant with fossil fuel (80% of the US supply), transmitting it over a lossy grid to charge batteries, then running a vehicle with an electric motor from those batteries is more efficient than using the fossile fuel to directy generate power at the point of use.

                                        K 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • P phannon86

                                          While I'm not taken in by the whole global warming/climate change personally, I see the benefits of switching to a fuel type, why waste a finite resource that so many countries squabble over? And I'm with you on electric cars Rob, too many people are just blind to where the electricity comes from. It goes unnoticed simply if the emissions of the car itself while running are zero. Hydrogen fuelled cars seem much more viable (Honda FCX Clarity), if you're going to power a car, why not use the most common element in the universe?

                                          He who makes a beast out of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man

                                          R Offline
                                          R Offline
                                          Rob Graham
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #33

                                          the problem with hydrogen is where to get it. On earth most of it is bound up in water molecules, and you need to generate electricity to separate it out. You end up with the same problem: you don't really fix the problem, you just relocate it with increasing inefficiency. There may be other ways to separate hydrogen from oxygen than electrolysis, but they will all require energy input of some sort to break the molecular bonds. The physical process will also have some losses, so there will be a net loss of efficiency. Then there's the problem that water vapor produced by recombining it in a fuel cell is an even more potent green house gas than CO2. What happens when we start producing that on a scale 10x -100x greater than present? TANSTAFL.

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