A PILOT PROGRAM WILL BE PRODUCED  

The governments of the world are on the verge of picking the winners and losers in the race for alternative fuels, but the debate is often based on poor science.   

The first series of programs will look at the downsides of the probably choices, starting with ethanol, and moving on the nuclear and wind power. 

•  For example, the ethanol craze ignores the impact on food prices with dire global demographic and political consequences, as well as deforestation which will result in an increase in carbon production — one study shows corn ethanol's payback period at 167 years. Even if the U.S. switched its entire grain crop to ethanol, it would only replace one fifth of U.S. gasoline consumption. 

• Nuclear power is proving to be too expensive. No Western country has more than one nuclear plant under construction, and scores of nuclear power plants will be decommissioned in coming decades. The costs of  new nuclear power plants has quadrupled in less than than ten years, and will cost nearly three times as much as wind. But in the long-term, nuclear power may be the only realistic option. 

• Wind is on the rise, adding nearly half of new U.S. power last year and expanding its global capacity by a third in 2007. But after increasing its worldwide wattage tenfold in a decade -- China is now the leading producer, and Europe is embracing wind as well -- it still produces less than 2 percent of the world's electricity. 

• Solar and geothermal are similarly inexhaustible technologies, but they're still minimal contributors. The average U.S. household now has 26 plug-in devices, and the rest of the world is racing to catch up; the U.S. Department of Energy expects global electricity consumption to rise 77 percent by 2030.  

• These are just some of the initial arguments that will be aired on Earth-Watch TV, as the show begins to fulfill its important public service function, and becomes a profit generating project in its own right.    

• Earth-Watch TV will explore all of the most important issues and options in an objective manner.  

• The primary sponsor will earn credibility, prominence and international stature for placing this vital matter before the public in a responsible and effective manner to join the political debate.