Touching on a subject I mentioned yesterday Marc Morano does not back-of-the-envelope calculating at the New York Post:
But how many pizzas would you have to order to equal just one trip on John Kerry’s private jet?
In 2021, Kerry’s private jet emitted an estimated 116 metric tons of carbon in less than a year.
Private jets emit up to 40 times as much CO2 per passenger as commercial flights.
By comparison, the carbon footprint of a wood-burning stove (a reasonable facsimile of a pizza oven) is barely measurable. The 8 Billion Trees project estimates that the “carbon footprint of wood-burning stoves†can be up to 15.6 grams an hour or 374 grams a day. This is measured in grams, not metric tons.
You would have to burn that stove for 310,160 days — that is, 849 years — to equal what hypocrite Kerry puts out in a year.
But wait, it gets better!
Physicist Dr. Will Happer, emeritus of Princeton University and the chair of the CO2 Coalition, told the New York Post that restrictions on wood- or coal-fired pizza ovens may increase the carbon footprint of pizza in New York City.
“To the extent that the wood-fired ovens are replaced by electrically heated ovens, which I suppose is what is intended, CO2 emissions will probably increase,†Happer said.
“Even for New York City, most of the electrical power probably comes from burning gas or coal. For a gas-fired pizza oven, all the heat of combustion is used to bake the pizza. For an electrically heated oven, you have to convert electrical power back to heat.
“It is hard to see how emissions could decrease if people want to continue eating the same amount of pizza,†he added.
The figures I’ve seen suggest that fewer than 100 locations would be affected by the new regulations.
Doing a little back-of-the-envelope calculating of my own if the relative number of private to commercial flights holds true (it’s about 1:10) 300 private jets land in New York City airports daily. Why not ban those aircraft from landing? Wouldn’t that accomplish more than trying to regulate wood-burning pizza ovens out of existence?
That leads to the question what are they actually trying to accomplish? Clearly, based on the foregoing it isn’t reducing carbon emissions.
The war on pizza ovens is indicative of utter rank stupidity that vitiates all government decision making—-all. Idiocracy reigns everywhere, and our advanced technological civilization is dying. There is not a single profession left, not law, not medicine, not any science, not even engineering, in which the practitioners can be relied on to behave rationally and sanely and to tell the truth. All is cant and posturing—-all.
I am surprised that there are only 100 wood burning ovens in NYC. They are very common here. Anyway, I suspect they have more than one stove so not sure of the value of calculating one stove for X number of years. The value and costs of stoves should be weighed separately from private jets. For example some of those private jets are probably bringing in organs for transplants.
I suspect that if you do the calculations for wood burning ovens the numbers will favor retaining them especially if it’s only 100 places. Looks like performative politics of which we have plenty in both parties.
Steve
I’m not sure what the relationship between “performative politics” and the politician’s fallacy is. I suspect both are involved.
Politician’s fallacy
We must do something. X is something. Therefor we must do X.
How much carbon dioxide are the Canadian wild fires producing? Here in rural north central Ohio, the smoke haze has reduced visibility to less than one mile. You can feel the smoke in your sinuses, throat, and lungs. You can even taste it.
Apparently, these fires were set by eco radicals.
Here on the Colorado front range, wood burning anything is regulated or banned, but not for CO2 reduction, but for air quality. The poor air quality the mid-west is having now was a Tuesday in Denver in the 1980s.
But yeah, this is a pretty dumb policy. Same with the gas stoves/ranges.
The proposed rule has nothing to do with CO2 but particulates. It only has incidental affects on climate.
Performative politics doesnt even need a real problem. You just claim there is a problem then provide a solution that doesnt really have to do much to fix the proposed problem, or fix anything for the matter. It’s usually aimed very much at the base and if it pisses off the opposition its kind of a bonus. Pretty much any proposal by AOC or MTG would be good examples, which reminds me that a good deal of the time (most?) the proposal of a bill or reg is the purpose as they know they cant pass it or put it into law.
Steve
News Item:
Fourth of July cancelled. Fears of runaway particulates emissions. New York has announced the end of Fourth of July celebrations. Included are elimination of fireworks, hamburger and hot dog grilling, deadly smores production and, worst of all, roasted marshmallows. Residents were warned that campfires would also not be tolerated, and those seeking to circumvent regulations by using indoor fireplaces would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
In separate news fine dining establishment have been told to eliminate candlelight dinners. In addition, the state is seeking volunteers to spy on homemakers destroying the environment through wanton vacuuming and dusting in their homes.
And in science news, particulates from mining of lithium for EV batteries has come under scrutiny………oh, wait. Never mind.
Drew: Fourth of July cancelled. Fears of runaway particulates emissions.
Private fireworks are illegal in New York City. Keep in mind that what may be reasonable in a small town may not be safe in a big city with high population density, including open fires. Even rural areas of Vermont can be inundated with smoke from wood burners during the winter months.
” Residents were warned that campfires would also not be tolerated,”
Damn liberals. Now we cant have our annual campfire in front of the Empire State Building.
Steve
You probably know this by now but Ritholz covered this and it’s basically BS.
https://ritholtz.com/2023/06/what-do-you-believe-why/
Steve