Change Watch Backgrounder: Steven Chu
by David Prentice
January 26, 2009
POSITION: SECRETARY OF ENERGY
NOMINEE: Steven Chu
BIRTH DATE: February 28, 1948, St. Louis, MO
EDUCATION: AB in Math and BS in Physics 1970, U Rochester
Ph.D. in Physics 1976, UC-Berkeley
Postdoctoral fellow UC-Berkeley 1976-1978
FAMILY: Wife, Jean Chu, two grown sons, Geoffrey and Michael, by a previous marriage
FRC SCORECARD: NA
EXPERIENCE:
Director, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Aug 2004-Jan 2009
Professor of Atomic Physics and Biological Physics, UC-Berkeley, 2004-2009
Nobel Prize in Physics, 1997, co-winner, “for development of methods to cool and trap atoms with laser light”
Member of the National Academy of Sciences, elected 1993
Professor of Physics and Applied Physics, Stanford University, 1987-2008
Head of Quantum Electronic Dept., AT&T Bell Labs, 1983-1987
Technical Staff, AT&T Bell Labs, 1978-1983
STATEMENTS ON GLOBAL WARMING:
In speeches to organizations around the globe, Chu has delivered a consistent message. “Stronger storms, shrinking glaciers and winter snowpack, prolonged droughts and rising sea levels are raising the specter of global food and water shortages. The ominous signs of climate change we see today are a warning of dire economic and social consequences for us all, but especially for the poor of the world,” Chu has said. “The path to finding solutions is to bring together the finest, most passionate minds to work on the problem in a coordinated effort, and to give these researchers the resources commensurate with the challenge.”
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Chu, in a prepared statement, called the challenges of climate change “a growing and pressing problem” And he said that continuing dependence on oil represents a threat to the U.S. economy and security.
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On Gas Prices
Mr. Chu has called for gradually ramping up gasoline taxes over 15 years to coax consumers into buying more-efficient cars and living in neighborhoods closer to work.
‘Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe,’ Mr. Chu, who directs the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal in September.”
On Alternative Energy Sources
Coal
“What about other energy sources? Big Coal won’t be very happy if Dr. Chu gets confirmed as head of the DOE-he’s really, really not a big fan. “Coal is my worst nightmare,” he said repeatedly in a speech earlier this year outlining his lab’s alternative-energy approaches.
If coal is to stay part of the world’s energy mix, he says, clean-coal technologies must be developed. But he’s not very optimistic: “It’s not guaranteed we have a solution for coal,” he concluded, given the sheer scope of the challenge of economically storing billions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions underground.
Nuclear Power
Worried about radioactivity? Coal’s still your bogeyman. Dr. Chu says a typical coal plant emits 100 times more radiation than a nuclear plant, given the flyash emissions of radioactive particles.
That doesn’t mean nuclear power is much better. “The waste and proliferation issues [surrounding nuclear power] still haven’t been completely solved,” he said. A big part of the Department of Energy’s job is to oversee nuclear weapons and waste storage. And the Obama campaign made clear that increased reliance on nuclear power will require finding a “safe” way to dispose of radioactive waste.
Renewable Energy
How about renewable energy? Dr. Chu already had a taste of Washington power-brokering, in a briefing with current Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman and Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson. He pitched them on the idea of an interstate electricity transmission system to be paid for by ratepayers. That would solve one of the biggest hurdles to wide-spread adoption of clean energy like wind and solar power.
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Comments
Rather than “chu” on this, I’m gagging! Go figure…typical Berkeley thinking!
Dr. Chu is another example of the blind leading the blind. He fits well into the democratic agenda to force government control of the natural resources, and destroy the will of the people to control their own lives. When will this radical liberalism stop in America??? I fear it won’t happen for quite a while.
Once again, we are being distracted from the real issues of conscientious living, the staples of which come from God’s teachings.
Nature has the largest significance on any climate change, the classical examples of which are the ice ages. They were phenomenon that impacted life more than global warming will ever effect life. So many species of creatures were extincted. so many species were forced to move or adapt or face the same fate. Landscape was changed by the massive cutting edges of glaciers slipping down from the mountains and hills. Oceans receded leaving estuaries baron. The earth has never been static and never will be.
Decimation of our rain forests have had more to do with global warming than fossil fuel consumption. In fact, fossil fuel consumption causes rain forests to thrive, by providing nourishment in the form of carbon dioxide, that is then consumed by them. And, because they flourish, they are able to consume even more of the carbon dioxide emmissions. However, because they are being destroyed at an astounding rate, we are faced with the prospect of global warming.
For whatever reason, the real solution to any man made aspect of global warming, which may exist, is the conservation of rain forests. But, it is never mentioned in that context. Could it be, then, that the issue of global warming is merely being used as a distraction to prevent us from looking at the real issues of conscientious living mentioned earlier?
If we are sent down the wrong path of how to solve global warming then that issue will persist. If it persists, then the distraction continues. Meanwhile, those with capital and amoral interests in global warming will reap the profits and benefits, and society will not gain the advantages of conscientious living. And, without conscientious living, profits and benefits continue to be reaped because the standard by which we can discover the truth is not in place. And, the duping of society continues.
We must look outside the downward spiral. We must present before our leaders the desire to be governed by standards which are taught by God. We must return to a republic government rather than the slippery standard of a democracy we have increasingly followed over the last century, before it causes the demise of our nation if it is to survive. But, even if it does not survive in its current form, we must not allow ourselves to be distracted by issues that would be best addressed by practicing conscientious living. Any man made aspect of global warming could be properly addressed by conscientious living, rather than the wild goose chase the profiteers and those that seek their own convenience would take us on.
Comments, If constructive are good, but the only
way to impact the polititians is by direct phone
calls or letters to their offices.I personally
would like to see more constructive urging by
FRC & Focus and others to actively message our
Congress people to stop bad unneeded legislation
to put our coutry back on track.
Dee Miller is exactly correct. Global warming is the least of our problems…one over which we should not lose one iota of sleep because God is in control of this universe, not paltry, puny, man. We should be worried about the extreme left-wing direction Obama is sprinting, because it seems we are headed over the cliff of socialism into the abyss of Communism! We had better be spending much time in prayer for the added grace we’ll need to endure the things we may face!
Every American should oppose this kind of environmental wacko nomination.
By: Dee Miller | January 26, 2009 at 9:55 pm
If you are a Christian do not be concerned about our weather. God is in full control and no matter how much money is spent he is the one that has the control. There is nothing we as tax payers can do but spend needless money on this global warming business. Wasting the tax payers money. look at our economy where is your faith????We do not need this man’s knowledge on global warming. We need to be concerned about where our country is going as a country maybe to socialism or communism.???????That is more of a concern to many Christians.