JUST SOME MORE THINGS I WONDER ABOUT

DO YOU EVER WONDER HOW THINGS APPEAR TO OTHER PEOPLE?  Or how different people see the same thing so differently? I guess I will explore that somewhat in this post. If you don't follow my line of reasoning, then you obviously see things differently than I do. And so we begin.
Some time back we purchased an enchilada plate from a group of young people. They were a little league baseball team. We didn't particularly need the enchiladas, but they were raising funds for their cause and we supported that. Then more recently we purchased an enchilada plate from a group of young people who were raising funds for their cheer leader squad. For those who read this and are in the know, this was the Cobre cheerleaders. Then just last week or so we purchased an enchilada plate from a high school band group. Silver High for any one who reads this and wants to know. So why do we do this? Well, cause we can and we feel that any young person that is interested in pursuing an activity that will keep them active and away from idleness, we will do what we can to support that. Many people don't feel that way, and I am ak with that. 
A few days ago my wife found a recipe somewhere for a 15 bean soup. Well, that sounded interesting, but frankly, I would like more beans in my soup that 15. If two people share the soup, that would give them 7 1/2 beans apiece. 
Now here is a topic that is sure to get someone steaming, or freezing or something.  Climate change. A young 16 year old girl is making passionate pleas for the governments of some 15 or 16 countries to do something about it, cause she says they have stolen her childhood and her dreams. I say bull.  I am 60 years + older than her and I can say that climate change has been going on for centuries. And no, I am not centuries old, I just know that  it has been going on and I also know that there is a much higher power in control of the climate than the governments of the earth. 
That being said, yes there is much that governments and residents of said governments can do to keep the environment, namely air and water, clean and healthy. However, much if this is about power and money and fear on the part of those in position to exert said power. 
So, lets explore a couple or three things that are fact. 
Fact 1. Environmentalists and governments are pushing for solar and wind to furnish our power for the future,  and closing down coal and other mines. They do support natural gas, though.
Fact 2. You have to mine material from the earth to produce the wind turbines and solar panels.
Fact 3. Solar panels don't last forever and have to be replaced. They can become damaged in a hail storm and if they are broken they release toxic substances into the ground at an alarming rate. 
Fact 4. Electric cars. They run on batteries that have to be charged by electric power. Power form wind farms or solar panel arrays that may not be working because the wind don't blow or the sun isn't shining. And the batteries will need to be replaced and put where?  In a land fill? Probably not, but they will need to be put somewhere.
And finally Fact 5. Microsoft is building a new facility in Fawn Lake, VA. It will run on a solar energy farm of 6350 acres holding 1.8 million panels containing an estimated 100,000 pounds of cadmium. These panels will last about 20 years, then what do they do with all that toxic waste when they have to replace them.
OH! guess I will have a Fact 6.  Wind turbines also last about 20 years, just long enough for the power savings to pay for them and the they also need to be replaced. More mining and more waste to dispose of.
And finally, yes there is much we as people can do, but cutting off our collectively noses to spite our face is just plumb idiotic. And to listen to those who cry the sky is falling will only lead to bad choices, usually.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK