Algae and coal
Zoe Kenny's assertion in GLW #707 that cost-effective "clean coal" technology does not yet exist requires some modification. In recent years, techniques for carbon sequestration using microalgal photobioreactors have advanced rapidly, and reasonably effective equipment is now being marketed.
Microalgal carbon sequestration (MCS) rests on the ability of cyanobacteria (blue-green microalgae) to absorb CO2 in the presence of light. Under pilot-plant conditions, microalgae have proven capable of removing as much as 82% of the CO2 from flue gas streams during daylight hours.
The US firm GreenFuel Technologies is now connecting photobioreactors to coal-fired power stations in South Africa, and maintains that sales of biodiesel byproducts will make the equipment profitable.
GreenFuel's bioreactors appear to be relatively crude compared with equipment being developed by David Bayless and others at Ohio State University. A detailed account is available at <http://www.ent.ohiou.edu/~ohiocoal/projects/algae.pdf>.
MCS is not about to turn fossil fuels green. It does not remove all the CO2, and works only during daylight hours.
Nevertheless, MCS deserves to be widely applied. Able to be "bolted on" to existing coal-fired power plants, it has the potential to sharply reduce their emissions until they can be phased out.
However, compared to large sums assigned by Australian governments to develop non-biological "clean coal" technologies (which in fact are still very dirty), MCS receives mere slivers of research funding. The reason seems to be that while MCS recommends itself as a "bridging" process for easing humanity out of dependence on fossil-fuelled power generation, the coal industry has no intention whatever of being eased out. It therefore promotes schemes such as geosequestration which can be advertised as definitive answers to the emissions problems of coal-fired plants. The exorbitant lead times and general dim promise of "clean coal" and geosequestration are ignored.
One suspects that in reality, the coal bosses and their allies in government are as little fooled by the "clean coal" rhetoric as their critics in the green movement. The actual purpose of the lavish "clean coal" funding would seem to be to distract the public, while the coal industry gets on with its business of roasting the planet.
Renfrey Clarke
Adelaide [Abridged]
HIV/AIDS
Congratulations to Peter Robson for his article on HIV/AIDS (GLW #709). It is good to see someone taking a stand against the superstitious nonsense that is alternative medicine, and the moralistic view of medicine that goes along
with it; instead endorsing scientific medicine as the only way to deal with a health crisis. Unfortunately this is rare on the left these days. I again urge the Socialist Alliance to make a policy on AIDS consistent with this article and to reject the views of Thabo Mbeki and his kind, and to reject the conspiracy theories regarding HIV.
Carl Kenner
Belair, SA
Venezuela
On the surface, the non-renewal of the broadcasting license of Venezuelan TV network RCTV may appear a diminishing of media freedom, however upon closer examination, media freedom and diversity is actually increasing.
This is because for much of the time President Hugo Chavez has been in office, he has had to contend with a hostile privately owned media that has pumped out negative and tendentious reports about his government along with the sensationalist, formulaic and contrived programming which is the staple of commercial broadcasting the world over including Australia.
There are still at least two privately owned stations which broadcast similar fare to RCTV. This type of programming which believes that people won't be interested in politics allows the interests of the business and political elites to dominate the interests of the country and marginalises and excludes the interests of a majority of the people.
It is this previously excluded majority that supports Chavez and were the ones dancing in the streets while the well to do RCTV supporters were protesting the loss of soap operas, sports and anti-Chavez news media.
There is a documentary on the failed coup of April 2002 to oust Chavez called "The Revolution Will Not be Televised". It illustrates the excesses of RCTV during the coup, including encouraging people to support the military coup against the elected Chavez government.
RCTV has also not been shut down or silenced, merely moved off the public airways as it can still be found on cable and satellite. Instead the frequency has been replaced with culture, art and entertainment more appropriate to building people up and fostering a collective social and socialist consciousness.
In Australia it would be a little like replacing Channel Nine or Channel Ten with another channel of the ABC or SBS — more Play School, Bastard Boys and Living Black, and less Big Brother, Australian Idol and the Footy Show.
Richard Titelius
Ballajura, WA
Political spin
Aren't you sick of political spin? You know, buckets of cash to tell us black is white? I heard PM John Howard wants to squander $23 million trumpeting his "green" plans. Come off it John, Aussies didn't come down with the last shower. Lift your act, and lift your miserable 2% mandatory renewable energy target. It's a sick joke, and the grim truth behind the slick ads and glossy brochures. Want some real info? Check out ABC 4 Corners' "Earth, Wind & Fire" (link at <http://www.kimspages.org/two.htm>).
Kim Bax
Cedar Vale, Qld
Creative comforts
How much some of our political masters cost us for their creature comforts is almost unbelievable. It's now been revealed that it's over $20 million for the Howards' use of two residences, Kirribilli House and the Lodge in Canberra, not to mention the tremendous cost of daily VIP plane flights between the two. How many unemployed, drought-stricken farmers, or homeless would that feed.
Ken O'Hara
Gerringong. NSW
Dean Mighell
Kevin Rudd's move to quickly demand the resignation from the ALP of union leader Dean Mighell illustrates the absurdity of the claim that Rudd Labor would be sympathetic to radical unionism. Indeed, the more moderate ACTU is unhappy with aspects of Labor's industrial relations policy.
When most workers request this, Labor will allow a union to negotiate for an enterprise agreement. This is standard policy in economically successful countries overseas. However, union representatives would be bargaining with employers and would often not get what they sought.
Unionised work forces tend to enjoy better pay and conditions than comparable non-unionised work forces. It is not surprising that the fall in union membership rates has coincided with a decline in the proportion of national income going to workers. Meanwhile, shareholders have gained.
Under Labor, business owners and managers will retain far more power than unionists. They will continue to decide what investment occurs and who gets a job.
Brent Howard
Rydalmere, NSW