Don't confuse me with the facts!

A lovely op-ed piece about the real cost of going green

…every ton of rare earth elements produced generates approximately 8.5 kilograms of fluorine and 13 kilograms of flue dust. Additionally, sulfuric acid refining techniques used to produce one ton of rare earth elements generates 9,600 to 12,000 cubic meters of gas laden with flue dust concentrate, hydrofluoric acid, sulfur dioxide, and sulfuric acid. Not only are large quantities of harmful gas produced, alarming amounts of liquid and solid waste also resulted from Chinese refining processes. They estimate at the completion of refining one ton of rare earth elements, approximately 75 cubic meters of acidic waste water and about one ton of radioactive waste residue are produced. The IAGS reports China produced over 130,000 metric tons of rare earth elements in 2008 alone

Now remember, the Chi-Coms produce 95% of all the Rare Earth elements in the world. And these are needed to run all our neat little toys, plus wind turbines, solar batteries, and even that Prius your hippie neighbor is driving. Oh and come to find out there is a reason they are driving the Prius and it isn't to save Mother Gia.

Apparently hybrid vehicles owners don’t really want to save the world, they just want to look like they do.

The New York Times reported in 2007 that the number reason why people buy the Toyota Prius is “it makes a statement about me.”

“‘I really want people to know that I care about the environment,” said Joy Feasley of Philadelphia, owner of a green 2006 Prius. ‘I like that people stop and ask me how I like my car.’”

And Mary Gatch of Charleston, S.C., explained, “’I felt like the Camry Hybrid was too subtle for the message I wanted to put out there…I wanted to have the biggest impact that I could, and the Prius puts out a clearer message.’”

“The Prius allowed you to make a green statement with a car for the first time ever,” said Dan Becker, head of the global warming program at the Sierra Club (and yes, a Prius owner).

Again, this demonstrates what the dozens of readers here already knew, green technology is nothing but a money boondoggle to enrich the friends of the powerful and that the whole green movement is more about image than substance. I have a better idea for them, go buy a Gucci bag and a Rolex watch and leave my car and light-bulbs alone you meddling whacked out enviro-nazi.