The Green Market

Capitalism used the global warming scam to make massive profits through ‘green’ products for decades. And now, through the Cap-and-trade gambling joint.

ECO CON

“There is a very common mind-set right now which holds that all that we’re going to need to do to avert the large-scale planetary catastrophes…is make slightly different shopping decisions.” Alex Steffen, planetary futurist.

In 1972, the Club of Rome commissioned a book called the Limits to Growth. Its writers unearthed computer simulations of unchecked economic and population growth on the environment, predicting catastrophe within the century.

“Without even treading free-energy ground (and risking sacrilege against hallowed ‘science’) there’s enough evidence of sustainable alternatives.”

The modeling was criticized for being simplistic, presupposing what it set out to prove, but the damage was done. Environmentalism was born.

Green awareness exploded as capitalists stirred up consumers into a frenzy to buy ‘green’ products. (In the US, eco-anxiety is a diagnosed disorder – when the mind reels at the thought of choosing between paper and plastic, and if the decision will result in catastrophe.) “Consumer demand has got us into the current mess, now it has to get us out again.” The justification, described by psychiatrist and environmental writer Richard Gosden. “Consumers must inform themselves about major environmental problems and then, by being cross-informed through product labeling, should only select environmentally benign products.”

But buying Green is an oxymoron, capitalism’s expansionist motive eternally at loggerheads with ecological altruism. ‘Green’ capitalism fed itself on the consumer’s fear, and ads were designed to “make a resistant buyer feel more guilty for not buying than for buying.”Oftentimes, the ‘green’ switch turned out to be more dangerous than the original.

Unleaded petrol, Gosden writes, “lessens the problem of lead pollution in the atmosphere but then aromatic hydrocarbons are added to the unleaded petrol… and, if the car doesn’t have a catalytic converter attached to the exhaust, benzene is emitted… a known carcinogen.”

THE SCARCITY MYTH

They say there is no alternative to capitalism; because it has always come up with justifications for its parasitic nature, found ways to calm gathering storms of discontent. Historically, it has been potent at shape-shifting, gorging movement after movement, spitting out bare bones, and discovered the perfect formula for self- perpetuation by discrediting its opponents.

Take scarcity.

Without even treading free-energy ground (and risking sacrilege against hallowed ‘science’) there’s enough evidence of sustainable alternatives.

There’s the abiogenic petroleum hypothesis, which is no longer a hypothesis.

Oil is not a ‘fossil’ fuel, as is the common myth. Nor is it as scarce. Oil wells get fully replenished within a few decades. Of course all of this was called ‘pseudoscience’, ‘fraud’ et al, until abundant methane of non-biologic origin was discovered on Saturn’s moon Titan. (Recently NASA claimed this methane is being consumed and will disappear in a few million years -a‘politically correct’ statement, allowing capitalists leeway.)

In recent years stomach bacteria have been bioengineered to convert food sources like wood into crude oil. Plus several other bacterial biofuels that are more efficient than refining petroleum. All massively cheaper. If capitalists really want to go ‘green’, they must let these perpetuate widely, without devising ways to milk it for profit.

CAP-AND-TRADE

Trying to register the Neem plant as intellectual property was the lowest capitalists could sink, one would think, until they attempted, and actually succeeded at something more outrageous: privatizing the atmosphere.

Cap-and-trade was a taxation system created by the UN to discourage CO2 emissions by nations. The motive was “to control pollution by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of pollutants.” According to Wiki.

“The transfer of permits is referred to as a trade. In effect, the buyer is paying a charge for polluting, while the seller is being rewarded for having reduced emissions.”

The problem is, nations allocate most of their credits to industries, it’s like having a credit card to pollute. Howstuffworks describes it as a “green light for people, companies, governments to pollute as they wish…to avoid lifestyle or policy changes that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions—but without the guilt.” Naturally, permit supply far outstrips demand.

An oversupply of permits to pollute at plunging prices was one factor responsible for the collapse of the EU’s Emission Trading Scheme this April.Carbon permits had plummeted “below the level of junk bonds.” The Economist reported.

Carbon trading fraud was also rampant, accounting for “up to 90% of all market activity in some European countries, with criminals pocketing billions, mainly in Britain, France, Spain, Denmark and Holland, according to Europol, the European law enforcement agency.” Rowena Mason, Telegraph’s political correspondent, wrote in 2009.

Political debates will surely rage about reviving this trading platform, with reforms; providing effective filibuster and distraction from real change.

Not that this matters. Climategate’s leaked emails provided ample evidence of global warming being overhyped, and climate scientists manipulate data to suit preconceived conclusions.

Its time to end this capitalist farce.

Although lone thinkers have gathered the courage to declare the emperor naked, uprooting this exploitation will require mass boycotts. But most people are probably not ready to sacrifice creature comforts. And capitalism provides effective distractions by churning out mindless entertainment, keeping its 9-to-5 slaves happy.