Back in the 1980s,you couldn’t pick up a newspaper or magazine without reading about Rifkin filing lawsuits against Biotechnology(genetic engineering).His main complaint was that
scientists were rushing to use this technology without taking any precautions or having a
thorough discussion,debate and a full scale evaluation on the safety of Biotechnology and
it’s impact on society and the enviorment.He raised concerns,issues and warned of unforeseen consequences.But now,with his Third Industrial Revolution,Rifkin’s doing the opposite.He’s traveling the globe,getting people all excited to make the switch to renewable energy.The problem here is that Rifkin’s not raising concerns and issues with
renewable energy like he did with Biotechnology.He’s not questioning the cost,safety and
reliability of hydrogen storage and battery technology.He also neglects to mention all the
excess mining and the pollution that will be created in order to obtain the rare minerals
needed to make solar panels and wind generators and both don’t last forever.What do we
do with expired solar panels and wind generators?If they can’t be recycled,are they going to end up in some massive landfill?What about the toxic chemicals used to make the solar
panels?If it costs too much to reprocess,are they going to dump it out in the middle of nowhere like the petrochemical industry did back in the 1970s?China’s solution was to dump it next to a school playground(AND DON’T TELL ME RIFKIN DOESN’T KNOW ABOUT
THIS).What I can’t understand is WHY the people who attend his lectures or interview him
never question Rifkin about any of this.
Back in the 1980s,you couldn’t pick up a newspaper or magazine without reading about Rifkin filing lawsuits against Biotechnology(genetic engineering).His main complaint was that
scientists were rushing to use this technology without taking any precautions or having a
thorough discussion,debate and a full scale evaluation on the safety of Biotechnology and
it’s impact on society and the enviorment.He raised concerns,issues and warned of unforeseen consequences.But now,with his Third Industrial Revolution,Rifkin’s doing the opposite.He’s traveling the globe,getting people all excited to make the switch to renewable energy.The problem here is that Rifkin’s not raising concerns and issues with
renewable energy like he did with Biotechnology.He’s not questioning the cost,safety and
reliability of hydrogen storage and battery technology.He also neglects to mention all the
excess mining and the pollution that will be created in order to obtain the rare minerals
needed to make solar panels and wind generators and both don’t last forever.What do we
do with expired solar panels and wind generators?If they can’t be recycled,are they going to end up in some massive landfill?What about the toxic chemicals used to make the solar
panels?If it costs too much to reprocess,are they going to dump it out in the middle of nowhere like the petrochemical industry did back in the 1970s?China’s solution was to dump it next to a school playground(AND DON’T TELL ME RIFKIN DOESN’T KNOW ABOUT
THIS).What I can’t understand is WHY the people who attend his lectures or interview him
never question Rifkin about any of this.