Climate Change/Mass Extinction Megathread

[Sheilbh]

Is your neighbour keeping a hobo hostage for cheap labour?

Unclear - and I'm not going to pry.

But she's right, I met him for the first time today and he absolutely is someone I see out and about in the community and have seen doing next door's garden and doing some work for the cafe. So far he's done a great job of clearing mess in the garden, clearing away garden waste (it is complex trying to get rid of garden waste in my borough) and is trimming the front hedge soon....

[Barrister]

I'd be suspicious of why they're reliant on door to door salesmen. That always puts me instantly on the defence.
But worth checking out and seeing their competitors too. If at least for the fun of them trying to con you with illegal small print.

To be fair I also purchased my solar panels via door to door sales. But that is pretty common in home improvement work around here. Whenever some company is doing a project in the neighborhood they will see if any of the neighbors want something similar done so long as they are in the area.

So hey - tell me about your experience with solar panels!


As for door-to-door sales... I am very aware of the issue of scams.  But going door-to-door is a legit sales strategy (albeit annoying).  As mentioned, everything seems to check out with this company.

[Valmy]

Um, yes. 

It is the red flag that the BBB warns everyone about.

Cute that you shifted the goal posts from home improvement to mowing a lawn.  One requires estimation, the buying of the materials needs, often some prefab, etc.  The other I did as an 8 year old pushing my dad's lawnmower around the neighbourhood.  I hope you are able to see the distinction there.

Well what kind of work do you think normally goes on in a suburban neighborhood? It is going to be tree trimming, lawn treatments, cleaning your gutters, and that sort of thing. I was making a statement generally about door to door sales people in my area.

I think it is a little ridiculous that door to door selling is some kind of significant red flag. Sure all sales and advertising of any sort should be treated with healthy skepticism. In a world where you are constantly bombarded with bullshit email scams and robocalls, actually having humans taking the time to talk to you in person definitely puts them at a higher level of legitimacy that what I normally see.

In any case whatever they offer, you can easily check online about how good the deal is and check their reviews.

[Valmy]

I'd be suspicious of why they're reliant on door to door salesmen. That always puts me instantly on the defence.
But worth checking out and seeing their competitors too. If at least for the fun of them trying to con you with illegal small print.

To be fair I also purchased my solar panels via door to door sales. But that is pretty common in home improvement work around here. Whenever some company is doing a project in the neighborhood they will see if any of the neighbors want something similar done so long as they are in the area.

So hey - tell me about your experience with solar panels!


As for door-to-door sales... I am very aware of the issue of scams.  But going door-to-door is a legit sales strategy (albeit annoying).  As mentioned, everything seems to check out with this company.

I have had a very good experience. They have been producing at a high level for three years with no maintenance or issues and have paid very little in energy costs. Fortunately our electricity coop has a net metering program so we get credits during the day we can use at night.

In Texas the electricity provider doesn't have to do shit for you so we are lucky in that respect, though they are legally able to change the deal anytime they want. Fortunately, they are a socialist cooperative so we members have to approve it first and fat chance of that happening.

You should check to see how your electricity provider handles solar panels if you haven't already.

[Valmy]

A Texan who doesn't enjoying mowing his own lawn? King of the Hill has lead me astray

I fucking hate mowing the lawn. I have softened on doing other yard work. I will clean gutters and pull weeds and all that but I will do just about anything to get out of mowing the lawn.

It is too damn hot four months out of the year for one thing. And when it isn't, it is just really inefficient. It might take me all day to get the lawn mowed and the edges trimmed. The dudes I hire do the whole thing in less than an hour.

[crazy canuck]

I'd be suspicious of why they're reliant on door to door salesmen. That always puts me instantly on the defence.
But worth checking out and seeing their competitors too. If at least for the fun of them trying to con you with illegal small print.

To be fair I also purchased my solar panels via door to door sales. But that is pretty common in home improvement work around here. Whenever some company is doing a project in the neighborhood they will see if any of the neighbors want something similar done so long as they are in the area.

May not have happened in your situation, but the door to door sales people who start with the line "we are in the neighourhood doing another project" are normally the scammers.

There is no cost savings if a legitimate contractor is merely in the neighbourhood. 

Um you sure?

"We are mowing lawns in the area and wanted to know if you wanted your lawn mowed" say a bunch of dirty looking dudes with lawnmowers. I mean what are they doing to do? Mow my lawn while secretly planting fast growing grass?

In any case yes there is no cost savings. They are just selling their shit while they happen to be around. In fact with the solar door to door guy we ended up going with one of his competitors in the end but that got the process started.

Um, yes. 

It is the red flag that the BBB warns everyone about.

Cute that you shifted the goal posts from home improvement to mowing a lawn.  One requires estimation, the buying of the materials needs, often some prefab, etc.  The other I did as an 8 year old pushing my dad's lawnmower around the neighbourhood.  I hope you are able to see the distinction there.

Ummm you are aware that there are grown up lawn care companies. They come with big boy estimates and invoices too.

Sure, but I have never actually had one of those companies drop by my front door and say, hey we were just in the neighourhood.  Those people are on a schedule because they are actual legit businesses.

[Barrister]

I'd be suspicious of why they're reliant on door to door salesmen. That always puts me instantly on the defence.
But worth checking out and seeing their competitors too. If at least for the fun of them trying to con you with illegal small print.

To be fair I also purchased my solar panels via door to door sales. But that is pretty common in home improvement work around here. Whenever some company is doing a project in the neighborhood they will see if any of the neighbors want something similar done so long as they are in the area.

So hey - tell me about your experience with solar panels!


As for door-to-door sales... I am very aware of the issue of scams.  But going door-to-door is a legit sales strategy (albeit annoying).  As mentioned, everything seems to check out with this company.

I have had a very good experience. They have been producing at a high level for three years with no maintenance or issues and have paid very little in energy costs. Fortunately our electricity coop has a net metering program so we get credits during the day we can use at night.

In Texas the electricity provider doesn't have to do shit for you so we are lucky in that respect, though they are legally able to change the deal anytime they want. Fortunately, they are a socialist cooperative so we members have to approve it first and fat chance of that happening.

You should check to see how your electricity provider handles solar panels if you haven't already.

Alberta energy market is deregulated, and generation and distribution are separate.  You're able to choose from several differen generation companies.  You are also able to sell excess electricty back to the grid (from things like solar panels).

As mentioned it's anticipated we would be net consumers of electricty during winter (not so much sunlight, plus potential for snow cover on the panels), while being net contributors during the summer.

Now you ever know things could change.  Our provincial government just announced a fairly inexplicable freeze on any large-scale wind or solar projects for six months (anything about 5 MW, so home panels are unaffected).

[Valmy]

Now you ever know things could change.  Our provincial government just announced a fairly inexplicable freeze on any large-scale wind or solar projects for six months (anything about 5 MW, so home panels are unaffected).

Doesn't sound very deregulated. I suspect they are concerned about reliability, which is the last bastion of the anti-renewables forces.

[Barrister]

Now you ever know things could change.  Our provincial government just announced a fairly inexplicable freeze on any large-scale wind or solar projects for six months (anything about 5 MW, so home panels are unaffected).

Doesn't sound very deregulated. I suspect they are concerned about reliability, which is the last bastion of the anti-renewables forces.

Well look let me be clear - I think this freeze is stupid.

BUt we've long had a requirement to get approval for large power projects - be it coal, natural gas, oil - or renewables.  I don't think that makes it not deregulated.

Or maybe you just have to remember that in most other provinces the Government just 100% owns power generation.  Probably by accident of geography and history, in that Alberta lacks any significant hydro power resources, but has ample hydrocarbons, we've been much more open to the pricate market.  If I recall correctly our big energy deregulation push in the 1990s was inspired by Texas?

[Sheilbh]

Also separating generation and distribution sounds very sensible to me and just good anti-trust regulations, assuming it's a private market. Although I feel like distribution is probably a natural monopoly in countries with old school grid systems?

[Valmy]

If I recall correctly our big energy deregulation push in the 1990s was inspired by Texas?

California. They did it first. We copied them.

Big projects in Texas do not have to be approved by the government if they are in the de-regulated area, because they provide their own financing.

[Barrister]

If I recall correctly our big energy deregulation push in the 1990s was inspired by Texas?

California. They did it first. We copied them.

Big projects in Texas do not have to be approved by the government if they are in the de-regulated area, because they provide their own financing.

At all?  No environmental regulation or anything?  You can just go ahead and build a big coal-fired plant?

[Valmy]

At all?  No environmental regulation or anything?  You can just go ahead and build a big coal-fired plant?

Yes you can!

But we have no coal resources (well ok there are some but of very low quality) in Texas and the coal plants that did exist only came into existence due to Federal subsidies during the 1970s energy crisis. They are money losers here.

Also Federal environmental regulations still apply so investors are doubly unlikely to invest in them.

Heck investors are hesitant to build new gas combine plants just because they are expensive and they are paranoid about environmental regulations on those, despite the potential for being profitable in the long run.

[crazy canuck]

Also separating generation and distribution sounds very sensible to me and just good anti-trust regulations, assuming it's a private market. Although I feel like distribution is probably a natural monopoly in countries with old school grid systems?

We combine it but it is all heavily regulated, including the rates that can be charged.

[Valmy]

Also separating generation and distribution sounds very sensible to me and just good anti-trust regulations, assuming it's a private market. Although I feel like distribution is probably a natural monopoly in countries with old school grid systems?

The grids are monopolies. You get to pick the company that is selling you electricity though.

Well I don't since I live in a socialist co-op but those people living in the deregulated area do.