Beyond Smoke and Mirrors: Climate Change & Energy, B Richter - Book Report/Review Example

and Beyond Smoke and Mirrors: Climate Change & Energy; B. Richter The world is still developing as many things happen: some are constructive and good while some are bad. Global climate change is considered as one of the most critical issues that are presently experienced by humanity. The “Beyond Smoke and Mirrors: Climate Change & Energy” by Burton Richter is a text that examines the rational, meaningless and predisposed proposals for the prevention of the possibly catastrophic global warming consequences. It gives a reader the chance of coming up with their own assumptions and conclusions on the idea of shifting to a source of energy that is more sustainable. It is without a doubt that this is an excellently written text that anyone would wish to read to get the message and ideas written by a highly qualified author. Burton Richter is a scientist who won a Nobel Prize. He served in several International and United States reviews committees on matters of energy and climate change. He offers a succinct overview of our uncertainties and knowledge within the science of climate change, talks about the current supply and demand of energy, and the alternatives of energy that are available for cutting the greenhouse gases’ emissions (12-29). The text opens with an excellent summary of the science that connects carbon to climate, offers a precise briefing on the economics of the long-standing climate policy, and then ends with a short, rational, and clearly stated set of policy recommendations and options. This text is written in a simple and understandable language, and gives a balanced view of alternatives for shifting from our traditional use or reliance on the fossil fuels into a system of energy that is much more sustainable, and can also be accessed by a large number of people who do not have a scientific background- the concerned citizen, policymakers and students. I really enjoyed every chapter and page of the book and the dynamic personal manner which the author puts his work in. Once the readers begin reading the book, they will want to continue until they finish it so as to get every bit of the ideas that the author is trying to present. The chapters about energy are perfectly written and I hope that this is a book that will be read widely and extensively. A host of problems regarding energy and global warming are in the news day after day. In this excellently written text, the writer provides a careful and smart examination of the matter as well as a dose of soberness on the real and possible solutions. Nonetheless, rare in the field, we find that the text is both up to date, yet written in stylish prose and accessible. The focus of the study is a sequence or series of short but extensive and comprehensive chapters on all of the major sources in the world and their improvement opportunities. The masterful study by Richter is full of hope about the resolution of the problem of global warming, even though it is also pragmatic about the level of the effort that will be required. In addition, he gives a warning that currently different governments are failing in the designing of the policies required. Whether the readers of the book are politicians, students, industrialists, journalists, environmentalists or even the ordinary people, we find that this text will give them a good grip of a very difficult subject. The author writes in a concise and clear manner with subtle funniness, which enables the story of the world’s increasing energy requirements for nine billion people to be read like just a page-turning thriller. However, this is not a text of doomsday; the vast knowledge that the writer has concerning physics presents a factual description of what has been accomplished for the society by the human creativity and what it can further do. Physicians have for long been trying to explore the planet Mars to find out whether life can be supported there, and the attempts are still on even today. The writer relates his writings to modern physics whereby he tries to offer a complete description of the past, present as well as the future of the exploration of Mars. The text is written by a physician who is intimately engaged in the missions to Mars, and gives personal first-hand information. The text will definitely attract anybody who has interest in this planet. When we consider what he says concerning efficiency of energy, we find that the standards of appliance have appeared to be economical. (32-56). The American Council on an Economy that is Energy Efficient approximates that the current standards of appliances in the United States of America have already been able to save approximately two hundred and fifty billion kWh of the electricity which at a price of ten cents per kWh totals twenty five billion dollars. The same standards of appliance are approximated to save another two hundred and thirty billion dollars for the period from now until the year 2020. Individuals that work in the scientific field usually complain over the general illiteracy of the population about the large numbers and units of measurements. At various conferences electrical utility executives complain about the confusion presented by the mainstream reporters: they misinterpret watts, which is the measure used for power, with kilowatt-hours, a measure used for energy. The writer with the understanding and comprehension that all great teachers have, begins his text with the basics. In the preface, there are three major elements for anybody who wants to have a better understanding of energy: the list of units, which includes large numbers: that is giga, meaning one billion; tera meaning one thousand billion or even one million-million. He also provides the list of factors of conversion, which includes factors of energy conversion: hours of gigawatts to million tons of the oil equivalent; volume conversions: United States gallon to barrel, United Kingdom gallon to barrel and mass conversions from ton to kilogram.  The writer tells the readers that the demand side management is perhaps one of the most effective and efficient ways of reducing the emissions of carbon, and warns that whereas efficiency is also part of the solution to the issue of emissions of greenhouse gas, it won’t be able to solve the problem in a whole. He dedicates three of the eighteen chapters to the sources of renewable energy (13-45). He addresses geothermal, wind and solar with objectivity together with graphs, tables, illustrations and maps that are highly accessible. He has also included more technical energy production and gathering aspects. The book is related to the modern physics because the writer describes in the text the same things that are studied or involved in physics today. Energy as a whole is an issue that is related to physics and the writer appears to support the production and use of nuclear energy which requires physics to ensure all these. For instance, Japan recently experienced a very terrible and disastrous nuclear crisis that no one would ever wish to see again. However, the writer remains an advocate of nuclear energy. He asserts that nuclear energy is the only large-scale system that is carbon-free is now able to produce base-load energy. The base-load energy refers to all generation of electricity that happens on a twenty four-hour basis. This electric generation involves lighting and home appliances, as well as all manufacturing, airports, traffic lights and hospitals (56-78).      The writer also talks about the biofuels. Whereas he recognizes that the biofuels’ coming generations, like algae and bacteria has a potential that has only been started to explore, he states straightforwardly that the policy of the United States of America on ethanol does not make any sense unless one believes that the reduction of oil imports is the only way that can be used to determ the benefits or advantages. Since the power inputs that are essential in the making of ethanol are nearly the same as energy that it contains, the use of ethanol as a fuel for motors really drives cars on a combination or mixture of oil, nuclear energy, natural gas and coal. The writer states that those who do not accept or recognize the reality of global warming claim that perceptible flatness of the record of temperature before the year 1800 is very wrong and misjudged the natural variability of the climate. He says that the National Academy of Science established a commission to look into the issue. According to Richter (32), their report indicated a much larger inconsistency from the proxies as opposed to how it had been stated by some. He says that nothing in the past one thousand, two hundred years shows the steady rise of the temperature that started during the nineteenth century together with rise in the use of the fossil fuels. The natural processes don’t always change the global mean temperature in such a fast manner. The most possible cause is the activities of human beings (33). In the text, there is a good presentation of information and ideas regarding climate change and energy. It is an exceptional text that sets out the challenges and issues in a clear manner. Policy makers and citizens have an understandable and comprehensive guide to the issue of global warming and what can possibly be done about it. The text is authored by a Nobel prize-winning scientist who does not have any other interest apart from making the world fit for human habitation that is conducive for even his great-grandchildren. This text covers the range of issues from basic economics and climate science to the technologies and policies that are essential in the mitigation of global warming. He claims that there are several climate models, which have been formed by various expert groups across the globe. The most complex and sophisticated are known as the AOGCM (atmosphere-ocean general circulation models (38). He further argues that these models separate the planet’s surface into small sections, it also divides the atmosphere into layers, and the oceans are also divided into layers, and here is where the big problem that leads to global warming comes up. The facts regarding the issue of climate change and the reactions that are given to it are the subject of considerable confusion among the people. The writer has packed an amazing and considerable amount of the most important and very rare commodities in short: reliable information about climate change and energy and even good conclusion. Nevertheless, we find that he has done this with an engaging style and a light which will actually touch the interest of an intelligent and sustained reader. It helps people in improving substantially the level of significant discussions regarding policy in these areas.    Richter ends his text with a part on policy on a climate change. He states the good, bad and new aspects of the policy of the United States up to the time of the authoring of the text, mid-2009. He claims that a national law is essential to create instead of what is now available - a clutter of different approaches and strategies. There have been a lot of changes in the federal government of the United States since mid-2009, which include the election of the Congress that is largely Republican and attempts to do a way with legislation on climate. However, the laws of physics essentially remain incontrovertible, and the demand for power by the world continues to increase. As a compendium of critical information on energy, this book is an important resource for clear facts on the issue of climate change as well as insights into the way political decisions regarding energy are made in the United States of America and the world as a whole. The judgment of Richter is excellent in the assessment of roles that might be played by different possible solutions in the aversion of a global warming crisis. He has a long-standing experience as an advisor on energy to the governments of the United States. This is clearly shown in his arguments. He discusses objectively and in a calm manner. He has also managed to successfully and effectively present the big picture regarding the implications of the climate change and the way that the increase in global average temperature can be reduced. This text is a must to read for all the concerned citizens and stakeholders involved in the issue. Physicians should also read the text since it is a guide on how they are supposed to proselytize science to ordinary people. It is without a doubt, that the writer has transferred his knowledge in sciences into writing so as to help people understand better the issues of climate change. Therefore, this is an excellent text that should be read by all. Works cited Richter Burton. Beyond Smoke and Mirrors: Climate Change And Energy. Cambridge University Press: 2010. Print. Read More