Odd Photo Use or Not?

The Boston Globe ran this photo and caption along with an accompanying article about the largest ever jump in Greenhouse gas emissions.

                                                                   AP File Photo

A coal-fired power plant in northeast China's Jilin province. 

I found it a bit odd to use a photo that would also include the nuclear power facility in the Jilin province, unless of course they were attempting to send a subliminal message as well.

The Boston Globe article was reporting the news that the Greenhouse gas emissions jump was the highest ever and cited both China and the United States as major culprits for this alarming news.

‘‘It’s a big jump,’’ said Tom Boden, director of the Energy Department’s Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center at Oak Ridge National Lab. ‘‘From an emissions standpoint, the global financial crisis seems to be over.’’

The world is slowly using more coal and less natural gas when it should be doing just the opposite because of climate change, said Gregg Marland, a professor of geology at Appalachian State University.

‘‘Really dismaying,’’ said Granger Morgan, head of the engineering and public policy department at Carnegie Mellon University. ‘‘We are building up a horrible legacy for our children and grandchildren.’’

While there was no mention of nuclear power plants in the article I couldn't help but feel I was getting set up for the argument that we need to increase our use of nuclear power to help alleviate Greenhouse gas emissions.

I'm just curious, what ever happened to our conservation efforts in this country? Our greedy, gluttonous society of today seems ready to go to any extent and pay any price necessary to avoid having to conserve our natural resources. From that viewpoint I would agree with Mr. Morgan, we are indeed "building a horrible legacy for our children and grandchildren."