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Gates Foundation Cheap Shot or Deserved Blow?

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation had gotten a free ride from the press: How can you knock a guy who's giving away some 90 percent of his money? Now, investigative journalists are looking at the harm some of the foundation's projects are doing.

Besides fighting disease, the foundation is funding power plants, which can pollute and cause respiratory disease.

In fact, the foundation has been investing in lots of energy companies to earn more money to pay for vaccines and research.

And therein lies the contradiction.

Energy companies are not known for their environmental contributions. But should the Gates foundation shy away from what could otherwise be a good investment? Just where is the greater good?

Would it be better for the foundation to invest in solar power and fuel cells? Sure -- as long as it gets just as good a return as drilling for oil. Tell me where I'm wrong at [email protected].

Posted by Doug Barney on January 10, 2007


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