The Carbon Chronicle

What do we have against carbon? It is part of almost everything living or dead. I saw a Domino sugar ad the other night on TV touting their "Carbon Free" brand of sugar. They claim that production of this sugar has a net zero carbon footprint. I don't think "Carbon Free" is the correct name. Sugar is 25% carbon, 50% hydrogen, and 25% oxygen! How stupid do they think we are? Granted, Domino is using good manufacturing processes for production like a biomass energy plant that recycles all of the plant waste, but look where they have their plant. I'm sure a lot of people would rather have the Everglades in its natural state than the cane fields and water canals scattered throughout South Florida. All of this "green" technology drives me nuts. It lets us feel good about destroying our natural habitat while making some folks lots of money. That's why they call it "green"! "Green" products typically cost more than their non-green counterparts as do the organic foods at the grocery store. There is not a lot of difference in taste and quality but non-green stuff generally lasts longer. Do you ever wonder if we are living longer today because of all the preservatives? ;)
Another carbon-related issue is the whole global warming scheme and the blame laid on carbon dioxide. Let me first say that I don't think global warming is as much the emergency some scientists claim it to be but just a naturally occurring cycle that we have not seen before (unless you lived in the Ice Age). As everyone knows, we emit CO2 but plant life absorbs it. Maybe there are too many mammals or not enough plant life. Maybe it is just our need to reorganize our surrounding to our liking. I think one way to combat greenhouse gases is to PLANT MORE STUFF! Stop the idiots from cutting down the rain forests. While bamboo makes a good flooring option, wiping out natural rain forests in South America to plant Brazilian eucalyptus for exotic flooring is plain stupid. Our quest for over-the-top kitchens is one of the causes of greenhouse gases. Issuing carbon credits is another dumb ass way of making ourselves feel good about destroying our environment. Our guvmint has come up with a way for the rich and powerful to make even more money horse-trading these credits. These credits are just like the wetlands mitigation credits. It is ok to destroy 100 acres of natural wetlands as long as you recreate 100 acres somewhere else. It doesn't matter that you wiped out all of the wildlife on that 100 acres and that it will take 10-15 years for that same wildlife to reappear on the "new" wetlands.
Back to CO2! Some knucklehead has come up with an idea to store CO2 in underground caverns that will be sealed up forever. How do you think we are going to coax the CO2 in our atmosphere to go in a cave and stay there? What would happen if a big cloud escaped all at once? Check out this link: http://volcanoes.suite101.com/article.cfm/1986_limnic_eruption_of_lake_nyos
A gas bubble of CO2 erupted from a lake in Cameroon in 1986 and killed over 1700 people. Over 3000 livestock were also killed. I don't think I want that kind of stuff happening around me. We are mighty bold to think we can re-shape how nature handles itself.
By the way, check out this sugar link. I don't know how legit the info is but it is interesting. http://www.alternativescentral.com/sugar-sweetpoison.htm