The stuff being said here makes me ashamed to be a cannabis grower and legalization supporter. I'm upset to know that some of my fellow NORML members are in this thread speaking on these issues this way.
How can you promote industrial hemp and not promote other "green" alternatives. Use industrial hemp as a bio-fuel substitute in coal power plants, and BAM there is your backup system for the "inefficient" solar and wind power.
Also what about tidal power? It's being used in New York City or it's Chicago, I believe. In the river generators have been dropped in and using the river current (without building a dam) generate electricity. The city plans to expand this system.
Rather than everyone sprawling out all over the place, urbanize cities, lower the demand, by decreasing the size of the grid. Individual homes with installed (professionally installed) solar panels on the roof, donate power back to the grid within only a few short months. With so many options, why not?! Just because we can continue to use this? Best estimates give us about 50 more years of fossil fuels. If we don't do something now and continue to stifle technology, we could be up a creek in 50 years. But I guess the "Oh well, won't be my problem in 50 years, planning to be dead," is so strongly embedded in some, there is no point even mentioning something that doesn't directly effect you.
By the way, stop calling me a "liberal" I'm progressive. I believe old time thinking has no place in modern society. My favorite definition of insanity comes from Albert Einstein, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." So why stick to dated conservative principles, and stifle progress, when it's just by definition "insane"?
Shack