They're at it again (sorry Mr. President, you had it coming)

Starting with the young.

CEBU CITY -- Local youth advocates on Monday mailed a letter to President Benigno Aquino III, asking him to take action against coal power plant operations in the country. 

They asked the President to order the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Energy and Department of Health (DOH) to draft concrete steps to address the hazardous effects of coal-fired power plants. ...

If the people are the President's boss, then he should listen to us.

Where are these students from?

Technology has made it possible for cleaner coal.  The new coal-fired power plants make use of cleaner coal technology and those that are under rehabilitation are doing so because of the move towards cleaner coal.

Renewable energy is a cheaper alternative to coal-fired and nuclear power plants.

Of course, for the environitwits, nuclear energy is anathema.  If they look into the science more deeply, they will see that nuclear energy is in fact far cleaner and safer.  They don't care about nuclear energy; it is, as Steve Milloy says, "energy non grata."

Perhaps in the long run alternative sources of energy may be cheaper, but  who is to know for sure.  Countries that have embarked aggressively on these types aren't exactly laughing their way to the bank.  

However, we need energy now so that industries can grow and earn.   Earnings should contribute to research and development on renewable energy, as well as put money into government coffers so that government can also more efficiently do its part in helping move toward development of renewable energy resources.  

These renewable energy alternatives are definitely very expensive at these times, and any move by government to outlaw coal and fossil fuels now will be a rip-off for the taxpayer.  What will your parents, dear students, feel about higher taxes to pay for these projects,  for the higher cost of, generally, everything?

Then again,  "(T)here is no objective or empirical evidence indicating that alternative forms of energy are cleaner, healthier and safer than fossil fuels.  How does more expensive energy without any accompanying benefits lead to long-term economic growth?" (SM)

Let us not even bring forward the notion of climate change, because climate is definitely not predictable.  The only thing predictable about climate is the amount of money the Al Gore types have earned and will earn from their investments in scare-tactics.  

Surely, power outages are more predictable and controllable than climate.

Update:  Malacanang has said that it will not stop coal-fired power plants from operating until more feasible alternative sources can be found.  Experience and common sense prevail.