In the midst of this coronavirus pandemic, which has slowed our economy and society to a grinding halt, climate activists see an opportunity: 

What a better world it would be if everyone just stopped travelling, driving to work, and living in the modern world. Why not maintain the pandemic lockdown? We’ve disrupted normal life but now the earth is beginning to recover as we recede from it

Personally, I find this a ridiculous and privileged argument: too many Americans are suffering and worried sick about the future. We cannot afford the massive spending associated with climate change and clean energy proposals, nor manage the increasing costs of energy as evidenced by the sky-high costs in places like Germany and Denmark. What good is preserving a planet if millions of Americans are unemployed, struggling to pay rent and put food on the table? We certainly shouldn’t add to that challenge. 

In the midst of all this, Earth Day happened. Started in 1970, Earth Day was 50 this year and many did their best to celebrate the day from the safety of their homes.

This was also the day that climate activist Michael Moore released his new documentary, Planet of the Humans. In a refreshing take contrasting with the climate change and clean energy narratives of most leftist climate activists, the new documentary highlights the practical downsides of renewable energy. 

Despite various different clean energy initiatives, and the billions of dollars poured into their research and development, the current renewable energy solutions are unable to meet the energy needs of the population. As Moore points out, even the renewables still have their own waste and emissions (even if they’re technically counted as “neutral”). Coal must be used to make solar panels, carbon is released into the air from forests cleared for the production of solar and wind energy, and wind turbines themselves are huge towers that only work for so long before they take their place in a landfill. 

Not only that, renewables are intermittent, so there need to be power back-ups. Currently, many renewable sources require traditional energy sources in order to avoid massive power outages when the wind stops blowing or the sun stops shining. While battery technology is being improved, to store the renewable energy to cover such natural and frequent weather fluctuations, batteries themselves produce waste, not to mention need cobalt which is mined by children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

Additionally, any of these clean energy solutions require energy to mine and process the materials. But that isn’t considered when lawmakers push megabills such as the Green New Deal. It’s much more convenient to push any possible solution, regardless of whether or not it will elicit true change because climate change virtue signalling will win the support of millions of people who want to protect our planet for years to come. 

In the documentary, Moore claims, to his horror, that “clean, renewable energy and industrial civilization are one in the same.” While I approach such a claim with less horror, I agree. We do not have the necessary technology to fully support clean energy solutions. 

I cannot give full support to Moore’s film because I do not agree with his solution – reducing the population. As New York Post’s Steven Mosher says, “You first.” Such an argument has been supported by many already, including celebrities such as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, but his film does raise important points about the current clean energy solutions that are touted by many on the left. 

Now Moore’s film has been greeted with calls for censorship because he spends the second half of it taking down the major climate change organizations (such as the Sierra Club and 350) and leaders (Al Gore, etc) and their ties to big corporations and the energy industry so if you’re interested, I’d watch it fast. It’s available for free on Youtube.