By John McClaughry
The climate activists have found a new target for their mandates, restrictions, and taxes: the city of Burlington.
They’re pushing a resolution that would lead quickly to a ban on burners, boilers, furnaces, stoves, fireplaces and dryers that use natural gas. The resolution could also allow a carbon tax on Burlington residents that decide to keep their current heating system rather than converting to electricity. Imagine that — a natural-gas-free Burlington!
The tax on households that keep heating with natural gas is another interesting liberal idea. Taxing for not switching to electric heat pumps is like taxing for not buying Obamacare health insurance. Happily, Congress did away with the Obamacare individual mandate tax, so the Burlington tax for not doing something the government thinks is good for you, or for the government, or for the planet, is now at the top of the “tax ‘em until they give in” list.
A new organization named Opportunity Vermont has just been formed to fight back against this latest Nanny State plan. It aims to educate Burlingtonians on the unpleasant consequences of adopting the “Burner Ban” resolution. It has launched a petition drive calling on the mayor and city council to abandon any proposal that taxes residents who need gas for heat, hot water, or cooking.
They get what they voted for. I do not feel sorry for them.
I can’t wait to move away from here one day because I am so sad that the people here don’t stand up and say they won’t take this anymore. I love and hate Vermont all at the same time, not a native, it is so beautiful here and people are so hoodwinked. I don’t get it.
Heat Pumps are Money Losers in my Vermont House
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/poor-economics-of-electric-vehicles-in-new-england
My annual electricity consumption increased about 50%, after I installed three 24,000 Btu/h heat pumps, each with 2 heads; 2 in the living room, 1 in the kitchen, and 1 in each bedroom.
They are used for heating and cooling my, well-sealed/well-insulated house.
They displaced a small fraction of my propane consumption.
My existing propane system, 95%-efficient in condensing mode, is used on cold days, 15 F or less, because heat pumps would have low efficiencies, i.e., low Btu/kWh, at exactly the same time my house would need the most heat; a perverse situation!
There have been no energy cost savings, because of high household electric rates, augmented with taxes, fees and surcharges.
Amortizing the $24,000 capital cost at 3.5%/y for 15 years costs about $2,059/y.
There likely will be service calls and parts, as the years go by, in addition to service calls and parts for the existing propane system.
https://www.myamortizationchart.com
Dear Lord. All with eyes, who maintain their own checkbooks and use electric only based heat – know they are screwed.
Let Burlington demand that their elected officials promoting this crud, by the first to try it – shut off the Natl gas, shut down the oil burner, and any other heat source and to report back the reality of utter stupidity !!!
Electricity does not come from fairy dust either. The part generated a hundred miles away loses power just getting to your home. What is the true total energy cost, tree felling, bundling
, chipping, 40 car railroad train, of providing wood for the woodchip McNeil generating plant?? All of this comes from diesel and gasoline!!
Nuclear, hydro – AKA solar, Natural gas and fuel oil remain king.
Let’s burn the Climate Activists at the stake!
But the climate activists have so little substance…
…You still might freeze to death !?!?
Are they crazy?
I know that Burlington is a la la land but some of the people are living proof of insanity.
So, some humans are uncontrollably detrimental to the well-being of the planet. Perhaps those who think this way should do the rest of us a favor and seriously consider the ultimate remedy to their existence in that regard. John Kerry should go first because he has one of the highest carbon footprints on earth. I’ll be happy to go too, when my carbon footprint number is called in the order of its significance. But I suspect we’ll figure out before then, as these folks, like Kerry, protest that their carbon footprint is more justified than ours, that he’s been BS-ing us from the get-go.
All environmentalists are equal. But some take longer to cook than others.