Can you ski and be green ? |
Yes |
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22% |
[ 14 ] |
No |
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39% |
[ 25 ] |
Not bovvered |
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38% |
[ 24 ] |
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Voted : 63 |
Total Votes : 63 |
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Poster: A snowHead
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DB I feel as passionatly as you, but just have an opposing view. We in the UK have enough stocks or Uranium and Plutonium from our decommisioned Nuclear weapons to replace all our reactors, and prob then some. I think the arguments about uranium supply are similar to those that surround oil and gas. If the price goes up exploration companies will find more and more, its a big planet! As for the Carbon footprint check out the report by the Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology at www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/postpn268.pdfhttp , you will see (at fig 2) nuclear is still the lowest generator of CO2 coming in at 5gCO2eq/kWh, and yes this figure includes the mining of the uranuim, the mining of the the Iron Ore to make the steel to construct the power station and all assocaited shipping costs. It takes a lot of metal to make all those wind tubines, and that means mining the ore, transporting it, forging the steel etc. All energy intensive processes. Still an interesting debate!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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JimSearle,
Not looking for an argument but up for the debate.
Most of Austria's Hydro is run of river which (according to the link you posted) has a lower carbon footprint than nuclear (less than 5gCO2eq/kWh) and doesn't have the nuclear waste disposal problems.
OK only so much hydro is possible and it cannot offer the same short term increase of capacity as nuclear but I'm not in total agreement with this statement. Austria most likely has a lower power generation carbon foot print than France.
JimSearle wrote: |
85% of frances electricity come from nuclear power stations, so the electricity that powers the TGvs, lifts, lights, and snow machines is as low carbon as it comes (lower than that from wind turbines etc). Unfortunatly the same cannot be said for the other alpine countries. |
Just can't help thinking we might use nuclear power as a stop-gap, delaying the problem for another generation or two and leave behind a load of nuclear cr@p - rather than sort the problem out now.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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All these analyses of the carbon cost of nuclear power assume that any energy used in acquiring Uranium suitable for use in a reactor must come from fossil fuels. If it was all from nuclear or renewables, the carbon cost would be much lower. There are plenty of other problems with nuclear but I'm not sure that the carbon cost of it is actually one of them.
Back onto topic - it's almost impossible to do anything and be green, least of all ski. All you can do is try to reduce the environmental costs of your activities. I'm paying a few hundred quid extra for my next skiing holiday so I can take the train instead of flying (although it does get me an extra two days skiing so it's not wasted). Apparently the train is completely carbon neutral but I don't think I believe them. It is much better than flying though. There are differing environmental standards in resorts so your choice of resort probably has quite an impact too. Renting skis rather than buying your own is good. Not replacing your equipment every year is good.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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http://ec.europa.eu/energy/energy_policy/doc/factsheets/mix/mix_fr_en.pdf
Nuclear in france is 78% and it would depend on the generation actually used (e.g. if France uses coal / oil for nuclear outages when Austria used more gas) - it would be interesting to see the actual final figures. If you look at the figures you will also see France exports a significant proportion of it's nuclear/renewable energy and buys back electricity generated by fossil fuels too. I doubt there is much in it, Austria / France would be in a similar league on carbon footprint but France is creating nuclear waste which could be around for thousands of years.
Quote: |
there are about 4 grams of 238U waste. 238U is radioactive and has a half-life of 4,468,000,000 years |
http://library.thinkquest.org/17940/texts/nuclear_waste_types/nuclear_waste_types.html
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 1-10-08 12:40; edited 2 times in total
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DB, I can't find the exact figure but I understand from EdF that around 20% of the Electricity used in South East England is now generated by the Nuclear power plants in France.
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i dont care but i voted no. as quite frankly sking is superbly ungreen.. you cant be a greenist and go sking three times a year.. well you can but your not really be honest about the whole green thing.. greenism is awash with hypocrisy..
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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olster wrote: |
Back onto topic - it's almost impossible to do anything and be green, least of all ski. All you can do is try to reduce the environmental costs of your activities. I'm paying a few hundred quid extra for my next skiing holiday so I can take the train instead of flying (although it does get me an extra two days skiing so it's not wasted). Apparently the train is completely carbon neutral but I don't think I believe them. It is much better than flying though. There are differing environmental standards in resorts so your choice of resort probably has quite an impact too. Renting skis rather than buying your own is good. Not replacing your equipment every year is good. |
Welcome to snowheads.
PS I don't replace my equipment every year, I just 'expand' the quiver
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DB,
Quote: |
Welcome to snowheads.
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Thanks for the welcome! Been lurking on and off for a while and I think I even posted once several months ago but I may well become a bit more active...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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