Carbon Dioxide

[Recoveryhill]

The latest atmospheric measurements of CO2 come in at 412 parts per million. This is the highest in more than several lifetimes, an increase of 47% since the start of the industrial revolution and 11% since the year 2000!

Carbon Dioxide functions like a Heat Blanket in the atmosphere, trapping sunlight energy and increasing the surface temperature of the Earth. This vast increase in the last twenty-four years is a direct result of increased combustion of fossil fuels....Oil and Coal.

Please tell me you hate this news, please tell me you don't believe in science but please listen. The audience of this forum is largely rural. Your interests should be aligned with a healthy environment and sustained ability of YOUR climate to support life as you wish it to be. The evidences of drought, elevated temperatures in many parts of the country, resulting fires and diminishing Glacial coverage at high elevations, more frequent and more intense Hurricanes striking the SE coast are not a hoax. All I, or anyone aware of the facts asks, is to please quit rebelling against improvements in how we conduct our operations. Look forward to vastly improved environmental tools and equipment and take pride, in taking part.

 

[RalphVa]

It's time. We need to built some "green" unfrastructure to save the present fuels for portability. This is one reason why I keep preaching to think smaller. For instance, for me, an 18 hp diesel tractor is completely adequate and would love to have a good battery powered one.

Wish I could put in more solar panels, maybe if the present 2 trees on the south side of the house give up the ghost or if the rood needs replacing again. Could take out those 2 trees and replace with solar panelling that acts/looks like shingles.

 

[ArlyA]

Politics or basic earth science?

 

[ericm979]

I can't find numbers but I think non commericial CUT use is pretty far down on the list of greenhouse gas emitters. We don't put that many hours on our machines (most people are under 100 hours/year), there's not a lot of us, and CUT's small engines don't emit a lot of CO2. There's about 10kg of CO2 emitted per gallon of diesel burned (plus the CO2 made in producing and transporting that gallon). Most of our CUTS use around 1/2-3/4 a gallon per hour. For comparison purposes, flying in an air liner from London to Rome (a relatively short trip) generates about 234kg of CO2 per passenger. A diesel F250 or similar will emit that 10kg every 15 miles or so even if it's just hauling the driver and his Big Gulp.

A battery electric CUT would fit many non commercial uses well. When they're charged by solar panels the only CO2 would come from the processes to make and transport the solar panels, which isn't that much.

There's not yet a cost competitive battery CUT (again the market is small) but I bet in 10 years there will be.

 

[JLH4]

^^^^^ What garbage?

 

[MossRoad]

My 1970 Nova with a 230cid L6 and 3sp manual got about 17mpg when it was in stock form making about 140hp. After much tweaking, I got it bumped up to around 300hp and it got about 8mpg.

Our 2011 Impala with a 3.6liter LFX engine (217cid) gets 30mpg on the highway and makes 300hp bone stock.

It's emissions are way cleaner than that '70 Nova, it uses almost 1/4 the fuel, and it's a much more comfortable car to drive.

My 2001 PowerTrac has a 25hp Kohler. I'd like to upgrade it to a fuel injected motor. Better economy and better emissions.

While repair costs are more expensive on newer equipment, it seems newer equipment is more reliable.

 

[CalG]

Carbon dioxide absorbs infrared radiation (IR) in three narrow bands of wavelengths, which are 2.7, 4.3 and 15 micrometers (µM). This means that most of the heat producing radiation escapes it. About 8% of the available black body radiation is picked up by these "fingerprint" frequencies of CO2.

Water vapor is the significant heat capture mechanism,

Plus, PLANTS dearly love CO2 good plant growth means food for everybody. WIN,WIN

 

[ultrarunner]

We are using much more CO2 on medical procedures as it is easily absorbed by the body especially in medical procedures of the Gastrointestin type.

Don't forget carbonated beverages although some are naturally carbonated.

Plus all those CO2 fire extinguishers.

 

[Recoveryhill]

Politics or basic earth science?

Most definitely not Politics. Confusing basic science with politics is like confusing gravity with pizza. My sole purpose in this post was to present facts and stimulate thinking regarding selection and operation of various internal combustion tools. Nothing can or will change overnight. Consider the possibility of improvement, wherever possible, for you.

 

[Recoveryhill]

Carbon dioxide absorbs infrared radiation (IR) in three narrow bands of wavelengths, which are 2.7, 4.3 and 15 micrometers (µM). This means that most of the heat producing radiation escapes it. About 8% of the available black body radiation is picked up by these "fingerprint" frequencies of CO2.

Water vapor is the significant heat capture mechanism,

Plus, PLANTS dearly love CO2 good plant growth means food for everybody. WIN,WIN

You are almost correct but missed an important fact. Recent NASA research: “This new data set shows that as surface temperature increases, so does atmospheric humidity,” Dessler said. “Dumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere makes the atmosphere more humid. And since water vapor is itself a greenhouse gas, the increase in humidity amplifies the warming from carbon dioxide."

The relationship is interconnected. More CO2, warmer surface, more evaporation, more Water Vapor in the atmosphere more warming.

 

[Like Tractors]

The latest atmospheric measurements of CO2 come in at 412 parts per million. This is the highest in more than several lifetimes, an increase of 47% since the start of the industrial revolution and 11% since the year 2000!

Carbon Dioxide functions like a Heat Blanket in the atmosphere, trapping sunlight energy and increasing the surface temperature of the Earth. This vast increase in the last twenty-four years is a direct result of increased combustion of fossil fuels....Oil and Coal.

Please tell me you hate this news, please tell me you don't believe in science but please listen. The audience of this forum is largely rural. Your interests should be aligned with a healthy environment and sustained ability of YOUR climate to support life as you wish it to be. The evidences of drought, elevated temperatures in many parts of the country, resulting fires and diminishing Glacial coverage at high elevations, more frequent and more intense Hurricanes striking the SE coast are not a hoax. All I, or anyone aware of the facts asks, is to please quit rebelling against improvements in how we conduct our operations. Look forward to vastly improved environmental tools and equipment and take pride, in taking part.

What a load of schmitt! The trace gases make up 0.1% of the atmosphere, Carbon Dioxide is one of the many trace gases that make up that 0.1%. A small change in one of the gases that makes up that small of a percentage is not going to cause our planet to broil. Wake up people, this is a political too to get you to give up your freedoms, a little at a time. I think I am going to go burn a tire!

 

[Frankenkubota]

Carbon dioxide absorbs infrared radiation (IR) in three narrow bands of wavelengths, which are 2.7, 4.3 and 15 micrometers (µM). This means that most of the heat producing radiation escapes it. About 8% of the available black body radiation is picked up by these "fingerprint" frequencies of CO2.

Water vapor is the significant heat capture mechanism,

Plus, PLANTS dearly love CO2 good plant growth means food for everybody. WIN,WIN

haven't heard black body radiation in a long time

 

[MiserableOldFart]

Great documentary video, "Who killed the Electric Car?" Well worth a look for those who haven't seen it.
The science of anthropogenic Climate Change is clear. There is no scientific doubt. The political "debate," is a purely artificial one created by people who see their bottom line threatened by progress, and politicians they bought. It's a tragedy. Yes today's cars burn less fuel, but there are 5X as many of them, so any gains turned negative. This is simple arithmetic. The explosion of human population is part of the problem. People like to move around. People like to move things around. There are many, many more of us. We need to find new ways of doing things. ICE cars are already obsolete as battleships. Electric tractors will be the norm inside of a decade. There is zero doubt about the need to do these things, but there is grave doubt as to whether we're 30 years too late.
I'm 70 years old, and Electric Tractors will be too late for me. I use fossil fuels sparingly. I use a few gallons to process the firewood that heats my home. I have never, in my entire lifetime, driven anything close to 10,000 miles in a year. In retirement, I try to drive less than 4,000 miles per year and use less than 10 gallons of heating fuel in the winter. I used diesel power to maintain property, gather fuel and clear snow. Between the CUT and the lawn tractor, I probably use about 80-100 hours a year. I would love to have an ET and solar panels to charge it, and my nonexistant electric pickup. That will be the norm in 20 years, when I'm taking my dirt nap, lol.

 

[Hay Dude]

Great documentary video, "Who killed the Electric Car?" Well worth a look for those who haven't seen it.
The science of anthropogenic Climate Change is clear. There is no scientific doubt. The political "debate," is a purely artificial one created by people who see their bottom line threatened by progress, and politicians they bought. It's a tragedy. Yes today's cars burn less fuel, but there are 5X as many of them, so any gains turned negative. This is simple arithmetic. The explosion of human population is part of the problem. People like to move around. People like to move things around. There are many, many more of us. We need to find new ways of doing things. ICE cars are already obsolete as battleships. Electric tractors will be the norm inside of a decade. There is zero doubt about the need to do these things, but there is grave doubt as to whether we're 30 years too late.
I'm 70 years old, and Electric Tractors will be too late for me. I use fossil fuels sparingly. I use a few gallons to process the firewood that heats my home. I have never, in my entire lifetime, driven anything close to 10,000 miles in a year. In retirement, I try to drive less than 4,000 miles per year and use less than 10 gallons of heating fuel in the winter. I used diesel power to maintain property, gather fuel and clear snow. Between the CUT and the lawn tractor, I probably use about 80-100 hours a year. I would love to have an ET and solar panels to charge it, and my nonexistant electric pickup. That will be the norm in 20 years, when I'm taking my dirt nap, lol.

With all due respect, show me the affordable electric tractors that will do the job needed for large scale agriculture as well as a diesel, and I would consider moving into electric. I would love to get rid of the inconvenience of liquid fuels, oils, leaks, fumes, smoke/pollution and noise, too.
Maybe hobbyists can replace their 20HP tractors and preach from on high how they are saving the planet, but it takes a lot of power to make food for the world.
I think it could be done, but I don’t see any legitimate, realistic advances in pipeline. If it’s such an emergency that we are all gonna die in 10 years, then we better see something viable NOW. And WHO is going to pay for all this? Does anyone think the average farm owner, mining company, earth moving business can afford to simply throw every fossil fuel piece they own and had to work decades to pay off on a scrap heap and drop millions into electric? We'd be bankrupt overnight.
And another thing- this needs to be a WORLD commitment, and not just the USA taking it in the shorts. We can’t compete globally if we have to clean up the worlds mess and the other superpowers are still burning coal, wood and diesel fossil fuels.
Maybe our betters should start talking about buying back fossil fuel equipment instead of guns and giving us new government paid for electric agriculture, mining and construction equipment if emissions are so deadly?????

 

[zzvyb6]

Too many mig welders in the wrong hands. My spineless senator said she can't wait until they Argon. Need background checks and prohibition of wire feeds with large spools and unbranded ghost machines. Who needs a welder with an automatic feel spool gun when you can now buy cheap replacement mowers, tractors, girders, bridges, and other structures that surely will wear out in less than a year. And wire diameter greater than .025" ? That's crazy ! Why does anyone need a welder that you can conceal in your car ? Too many innocent family members burned by hot metal. Plastic is the answer and I vote with my feet for a livng. Buzz boxes need to be bought back, too. Way too dangerous in the hands of suburbanites.

BTW: Whats the best welder for home protection ? My Miller 211 chooses it victims with just a dial setting. With proper training and practice, its a also great TASER for teaching the dogs manners (but a bit hard on by 16" solar powered lawnmower) ! I also get along real good with my 400' diameter windmill power home air conditioner.

 

[fried1765]

The latest atmospheric measurements of CO2 come in at 412 parts per million. This is the highest in more than several lifetimes, an increase of 47% since the start of the industrial revolution and 11% since the year 2000!

Carbon Dioxide functions like a Heat Blanket in the atmosphere, trapping sunlight energy and increasing the surface temperature of the Earth. This vast increase in the last twenty-four years is a direct result of increased combustion of fossil fuels....Oil and Coal.

Please tell me you hate this news, please tell me you don't believe in science but please listen. The audience of this forum is largely rural. Your interests should be aligned with a healthy environment and sustained ability of YOUR climate to support life as you wish it to be. The evidences of drought, elevated temperatures in many parts of the country, resulting fires and diminishing Glacial coverage at high elevations, more frequent and more intense Hurricanes striking the SE coast are not a hoax. All I, or anyone aware of the facts asks, is to please quit rebelling against improvements in how we conduct our operations. Look forward to vastly improved environmental tools and equipment and take pride, in taking part.

Please tell me that you are going to forward your information to the Chinese, Indians, and a hundred+ 3rd world countries.
Please tell me you understand that keeping your own lawn mowed, has absolutely no effect on your neighbor's lawn, and that his lawn weed seeds will be all over your lawn, no matter what you do!
Have another glass of climate kool-aid, with a splash of panic!

 

[PuffyC]

I think the term “sustainability” helps put some common sense into a lot of the green talk you hear today. Many are against all the tree hugging hippy stuff, but simply asking if a practice is sustainable should make the argument clear. Sustainability simply means can you keep doing what you’re doing. It’s not necessarily about climate change but they’re intertwined. So the way we harvest the ocean, can we keep doing what we’re doing or will we eventually run out of certain fish and/or cause other significant damage? We already know the answer there. What about the way we harvest and burn fossil fuels? We already know the answer there too. What about the way we harvest and consume lumber, or materials for batteries, or carpet, or whatever? To me this makes it very clear and easy to understand, and I’m no leftist nut job. There are a lot of things that we clearly cannot keep doing the way we are today, and while there may not be answers for all of them right now, we better find them soon.

 

[PuffyC]

Please tell me that you are going to forward your information to the Chinese, Indians, and hundreds of 3rd world countries.
Please tell me you understand that keeping your own lawn mowed, has absolutely no effect on your neighbor's lawn. and that his lawn weed seeds will be all over your lawn, no matter what you do!

Very true, and while many of these countries lag, they also recognize the problem and are working to fix it. For example, China has mandated that EVs make up 40% of new sales by 2030 - that’s only 9 years away. As certain leading countries like the US pioneer new solutions, these trickle down to poorer countries in time. You shouldn’t decide to stop caring for your lawn simply because your neighbor doesn’t care about his.

 

[fried1765]

Very true, and while many of these countries lag, they also recognize the problem and are working to fix it. For example, China has mandated that EVs make up 40% of new sales by 2030 - that only 9 years away. As certain leading countries like the US pioneer new solutions, these trickle down to poorer countries in time. You shouldn’t decide to stop caring for your lawn simply because your neighbor doesn’t care about his.

China currently has 247 NEW COAL FIRED electric plants under construction!
China will feed those 40% mandated "pollution free" EV's.....with coal fired electricity!
Coal is CHEAP energy throughout the world!
There ain't no free lunch!

 

[Hay Dude]

China currently has 247 NEW COAL FIRED electric plants under construction!
China will feed those 40% mandated "pollution free" EV's.....with coal fired electricity!
Coal is CHEAP energy throughout the world!
There ain't no free lunch!

Amazing ain’t it?
Some of us understand that electric vehicles are nice, but require recharging>greater fossil fuel consumption>more greenhouse gasses and the average person doesn’t, you realize it’s EDUCATION that is lacking in this country!
No free lunch is 100% correct!

Id be a heck of a lot more ON BOARD with zero emissions vehicles, tractors, etc. if we FIRST made a clean electric grid to charge them!
So simple, yet so hard to grasp for the average emotional enviromentalist!