Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : Clown-Free Zone... sorry, no clowns allowed -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ilaine who wrote (62374)	1/28/2001 12:48:35 PM
From: portage	Respond to of 436258

<<Santa Barbara has no recycling program>> ---- Given that the electricity rates are currently capped, it's a good thing that natural gas prices aren't -- or many fewer would be looking at their bills and thinking about conservation. Which would leave blackouts as the only incentive left. People here will be willing to pay more, just not the exorbitant spot market gouging fees that result from a system that industry and the utilities set up. Consumers have every right to resist that, not wanting to cover for the industry and utility mistakes in the plan they lobbied for and we didn't ever want. That's why some sort of utility asset trade to the public in exchange for the bailout is going to happen - or if it doesn't, heads will roll. Another example of the wastefulness is water - parts of Los Angeles and Sacramento don't even have water metering, and their lawns have remained plush and green under flat rates while other areas have put bricks in their toilets and let the plants die during previous droughts. Even so, agribusiness has rights to some 80% or so of the water supply, if I remember correctly. Another looming crisis that will be revisited if the population continues growing unabated here. So far, this winter is fairly dry, which may impact both hydro production and water supply this summer, if it continues. But to counter your anecdote a bit, in northern California we've had recycling since the 1970s - curbside pickup is a normal part of the daily life. At work, we're keeping about 70% of our flourescent lights off daily, and all machines get shut down at night. When I arrive back home after work, most houses on my block only have one or two lights on, compared to being lit up pretty much just a few weeks ago. Some cities are turning off every other street light too.