"Climate Pledge Arena"

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At first I thought this announcement was a joke.

Amazon has purchased naming rights to a hockey arena in Seattle and naming it "Climate Pledge Arena."
What I don't know is whether they are doing this as a cynical public relations move or whether they really believe what they are saying. Specifically,
  • There is no such thing as "100% renewable energy." It doesn't exist. If they are referring to wind and solar, those are backed up with fossil fuels. The back ups are generators, powered by (usually) natural gas, that are in "spinning reserve" mode. That is necessary because wind is so unreliable. 
  • Wind and solar generating systems usually wear out much more quickly than expected which requires even more rare earth metals to be mined and environmentally awful disposal. The huge solar blades do not break down. They will be in the earth for millennia. 
  • It always amuses me that someone is pledging to do something 30 years in the future -- by which time the pledge will be forgotten. 
If Jeff Bezos really wants to improve the environment, while also helping the less fortunate (by lowering the cost of electricity), he should spend some of his vast fortune accelerating the development of next-generation nuclear. 

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