A contributor last week called LCC’s electric bike raffle “tragically ironic”, as if a simple bicycle with a battery pack could rise to that level. I might suggest that the mining industry (the number one polluter in the nation) pushing the idea that we need more mining to “go green” is the truly tragic irony here. Haven’t you heard the old adage, “You can’t mine your way out of the climate crisis”? The vast majority of minerals mined go to further bloat the weapons industry, not to enable renewable energy production. As for responsible mineral sourcing, I’m all for it – but that would mean we don’t allow inherently toxic sulfide mines to endanger salmon-rich rivers and the Indigenous communities who depend on them – whatever continent they’re on. A recent UN report tells us, “The world produces as much as 50 million tonnes of.. (e-waste) a year… Only 20% of this is formally recycled. The e-waste produced annually is worth over $62.5 billion, more than the GDP of most countries. There is 100 times more gold in a tonne of e-waste than in a tonne of gold ore”. Those wishing to mine these hills would clearly find greener pastures in mining the world’s very lucrative dumps. The only thing that makes new mines profitable is socialism, whereby taxpayers pay for the infrastructure (roads, ports, energy supply) and cleanup of this extremely inefficient and toxic industry. E-Bikes, meanwhile, are getting cars off the road and helping more people enjoy the great outdoors.
Jessica Plachta