Our President is walking a picket line with UAW auto workers. It seems the UAW is concerned, amongst other things, with the fact that it conceivably takes fewer workers to put together an EV than it does an ICE auto. They see a potential of considerably job losses on the horizon. My favorite law kicked in as the President and co are doing everything possible to support EVs, yet are at the same time walking the picket line supporting the UAW. Hmmmmm
When the new administration took over in Washington, gas prices skyrocketed almost instantly. This was reflected in inflation in all sectors of the economy. The folks in DC seem adamantly opposed to drilling for oil and gas and are doing most everything they can to make it difficult. Thus gasoline prices are up, in some cases as much as $3 a gallon. Unintended consequences? Maybe not.
The Germans have switched over to ‘green’ energy. They are relying on wind to supply power to their industrial powerhouse. They have closed their nuclear power plants and are relying on gas from Russia (whoops). All this has caused the price of energy to go through the roof and many of the factories in Germany are closing or moving out of the country. This, of course, means higher unemployment. One wag noted that the onetime powerhouse of Europe may be heading for another Weimar republic. Unintended Consequences…
Here in California and in other western states, lumber companies have been prevented from thinning forests and clearing undergrowth. Seems that destroys the natural state. However it also keeps a high level of fuel so wildfires can burn quickly out of control and are almost impossible to stop. Of course wildfires have been happening since the beginning of time, but thinning around towns and cities might not be a bad idea. Unintended Consequences.
We don’t seem to think things through to their natural conclusion. Wind farms kill birds and cause havoc with folks living nearby. Whales are dying near offshore wind turbines. GMO is outlawed so farmers in poorer countries have difficulty with their crops and must use insecticides that GMO replaced, and we can’t alter rice so kids in Southeast Asia are going blind with Vitamin A deficiency. So called “organic” vegetables are at least 25% more expensive than ‘non-organic’, thus making them more difficult for those with lower incomes to buy. Unintended consequences.
The list is endless.
Is it just me, or is the ‘green’ movement built around ignoring unintended consequences. Well, that’s a blog for another time
JVH
