I get frustrated with environmental NIMBY's who block clean energy projects. But I also agree with their arguments: solar plants can trample tribal rights, kill tortoises, and alter aesthetics of the landscape. Those thing hit me in the gut. wsj.com/articles/solar…
The frustration sets in when no one frankly acknowledges that EVERY new clean power station is going to "destroy this land forever,” wherever that land may be. And EVERY big infrastructure project like this requires balancing the wishes and rights of different groups.
It's easy to point out the problems with a proposal. But doing so relies on the assumption that the alternatives are not going to be even worse. And with the climate warming we shouldn't make that assumption. The motto "Come back later with something better," = status quo
Is the solution:
better locations? let's see these folks fighting just as hard to make those better sites work.
less land use? let's see these folks making nuclear politically viable.
less energy use? let's see these folks making degrowth politically viable.
better locations? let's see these folks fighting just as hard to make those better sites work.
less land use? let's see these folks making nuclear politically viable.
less energy use? let's see these folks making degrowth politically viable.
It's easy to float an imaginary alternative that aligns with your core beliefs, but will never happen because no one is willing to compromise their core beliefs.
Way back when I was influenced by this little book by David MacKay - ever since I've been trying to figure out what it means to say "yes" to something new withouthotair.com/c32/page_250.s…
Saying no is so easy! Saying yes, means finding a way to get enough people to take a leap of faith, and make a painful trade off in order to get a compromise. It's so hard to find the thing enough people will say yes to to actually make a change. 
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