Tournament: NDT Quals | Round: 1 | Opponent: Stanford GS | Judge: Jason Peterson

The Sky is Falling 1ac

Observation 1:  immanency

Statistically likely that Earth will be hit with another large asteroid soon.

Urry 2/16/13 , Israel Munson professor of physics and astronomy and chairwoman of the department of physics at Yale University, where she is the director of the Yale Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics ~Megg, A meteor and asteroid: 1 in 100 million odds By Meg Urry, Special to CNN,http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/16/opinion/urry-meteor-asteroid/index.html~~**

The close fly-by of an asteroid like DA14, like the Tunguska meteor
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thought — it ought to have happened about 12,000 times already. 

The impact is billions of deaths.

Ghayur ’07 ~A., 5/3/20, Lecturer, University Institute of Information Technology,

http://www.aero.org/conferences/planetarydefense/2007papers/P5-1—Ghayur—Paper.pdf-http://www.aero.org/conferences/planetarydefense/2007papers/P5-1~-~-Ghayur~-~-Paper.pdf~~

I. Introduction 694 was the year when a man envisioned a bone chilling scenario
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scale would result in deaths and displacement of billions, if not more.
 

Kilometer wide asteroids could create a nuclear winter—causing extinction.

Blackwell’02 ~Tom, 8/29/20, National Post, Lexis~

Asteroids a kilometre-wide could cause catastrophic damage and create years of nuclear winter for a continent. Giant, 10-kilometre-wide rocks, like one that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, would "sterilize" the planet, said Mr. Balam.

Our case massively outweighs any disad — a single asteroid collision is capable of doing more damage than all nuclear weapons in existence combined.

KUNICH ’97 ~ LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOHN C., Staff Judge Advocate, 50th Space Wing, Falcon Air Force Base, Colorado, Air Force Law Review, 41 A.F. L. Rev. 119; Lexis~

If you were standing on Kosrae Island off the New Guinea coast on February 1
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nuclear weapons in existence combined-approximately 9 million megatons of TNT. n4

And, extinction is categorically different from any other impact—even if they win a nuclear war kills 99 percent of the population, an asteroid strike still outweighs by an order of magnitude.

Matheny ’07 ~Jason G. Department of Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health, http://jgmatheny.org/matheny_extinction_risk.htm-http://jgmatheny.org/matheny_extinction_risk.htm~~**

Even if extinction events are improbable, the expected values of countermeasures could be large
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between risks that threaten 99% of humanity and those that threaten 100%.

And the risk of mass species extinction is beyond dispute.

KUNICH ’97 ~LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOHN C., Staff Judge Advocate, 50th Space Wing, Falcon Air Force Base, Colorado, Air Force Law Review, 41 A.F. L. Rev. 119; Lexis~

Irrespective of the ultimate resolution of these controversies, it is beyond dispute that planet
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collision rates of such large bodies with the Earth on long time scales.
 

Species extinction risks human extinction.

California Academy of Sciences ’04 ~last modified 8/21/2004 (http://www.calacademy.org/research/library/biodiv.htm-http://www.calacademy.org/research/library/biodiv.htm~~====**

Currently, more than 10,000 species become extinct each year and while precise
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and the unique spirit, which mankind has associated with that life form. 

And, a hit on the ocean is no safer.  It would devastate world ecosystems.

KOPLOW ’05 ~JUSTIN L. , J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, Georgetown International Environmental Law Review, Winter 2005, 17 Geo. Int’l Envtl. L. Rev. 273; Lexis~

Yet, more likely, as the Earth is over seventy percent water, the
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of the world and alter world ecosystems with catastrophic loss of life. n16

A strike in the right location would cause worldwide famine.

Jones ’08 ~Thomas D., Aerospace America, October,

http://www.aiaa.org/aerospace/images/articleimages/pdf/View%20from%20Here1.pdf-http://www.aiaa.org/aerospace/images/articleimages/pdf/View from Here1.pdf~

Of course, Earth’s long history has often been punctuated by much larger cosmic collisions
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probably cause global climatic disruptions, widespread crop failures, and worldwide famine.

Abrupt agricultural shortfalls trigger worldwide conflict.

Calvin ’91  ~William, Whole Earth Review, 12/22/91; LEXIS~

But non-Europeans are vulnerable too, and not just those along the.
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described by the aggressors as ’irresponsibly squandering its agricultural potential while others starve").

Asteroids will decimate the ozone layer.

Bekey ’09 ~Ivan,Dealing with the THREAT TO EARTH From ASTEROIDS and COMETS, International Academy of Astronautics, http://iaaweb.org/iaa/Scientific%20Activity/Study%20Groups/SG%20Commission%203/sg35/sg35finalreport.pdf-http://iaaweb.org/iaa/Scientific Activity/Study Groups/SG Commission 3/sg35/sg35finalreport.pdf~

There has also been recent argumentation ~J.W. Birks, P.
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NASA NEO Science Definition Team (SDT) (See ref.22).

Ozone depletion threatens survival.

Turco ’03 ~http://www.ioe.ucla.edu/academic/M1BReadings/Ozone%20Handout-03doc.pdf-http://www.ioe.ucla.edu/academic/M1BReadings/Ozone Handout-03doc.pdf~

Ozone is singled out as one of the most important constituents of the atmosphere.
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ozone layer for as long as we hope to survive on this planet.

Unlike speculative disad impacts, it is statistically inevitable that Earth will be struck by asteroids and comets.

Chapman ’04 ~Clark R., Southwest Research Institute,  March 4, 2004, http://www.b612foundation.org/papers/Chapman_hazard_EPSL.pdf-http://www.b612foundation.org/papers/Chapman_hazard_EPSL.pdf~~**

Even after discovery of the Chicxulub impact structure in Mexico and its temporal simultaneity with
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into the fragile ecosphere, which must have had dramatic consequences every time. 

Observation 2:  Nuclear Deflection

The US has obligated itself to take the lead in NEO defense.

KOPLOW ’05 ~JUSTIN L., J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, Georgetown International Environmental Law Review, Winter 2005, 17 Geo. Int’l Envtl. L. Rev. 273; Lexis~

The fundamental procedures of intercepting an incoming missile and diverting an asteroid are significantly different
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are being denied normal means and opportunities for self-defense and protection. 

NASA is committing the US to a nuclear-only deflection system.

Chapman ’07 ~Clark R.,Senior Scientist, Southwest Research Institute Dept. of Space Studies, Critique of "2006 Near-Earth Object Survey and Deflection Study: Final Report",  http://www.b612foundation.org/papers/NASA-CritChap.doc-http://www.b612foundation.org/papers/NASA-CritChap.doc~~====**

Furthermore, the Report takes a totally backwards approach to characterization, saying that we
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argument is "developed" in the middle paragraph of pg. 61.~.)

The problem is that nukes won’t work. Multiple uncertainties make nuclear weapons a bad option for deflection.

Schweickart ’04 ~Russell L., Chair, B612 Foundation, "Asteroid Deflection; Hopes and Fears," www.b612foundation.org/papers/Asteroid_Deflection.doc-http://www.b612foundation.org/papers/Asteroid_Deflection.doc~~====**

In both these cases the characteristics of the specific asteroid are clearly critical.  In
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asteroids lead many proponents of deflection to remain skeptical about the nuclear options.

Nuclear deflection will fail…the warheads will explode on earth.

Bekey ’09 ~Ivan, Dealing with the THREAT TO EARTH From ASTEROIDS and COMETS, International Academy of Astronautics, http://iaaweb.org/iaa/Scientific%20Activity/Study%20Groups/SG%20Commission%203/sg35/sg35finalreport.pdf-http://iaaweb.org/iaa/Scientific Activity/Study Groups/SG Commission 3/sg35/sg35finalreport.pdf~

There is a persistent notion in lay circles that the way to deal with a dangerous NEO is to
simply hit it with an ICBM and vaporize it in space. Unfortunately, reality
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current technology upper stages, is highly undesirable if not essentially ruled out.

Using a nuclear weapon fragments the asteroid:  increasing the overall threat.

Schweickart ’04 ~Russell L., Chair, B612 Foundation, "Asteroid Deflection; Hopes and Fears," www.b612foundation.org/papers/Asteroid_Deflection.doc-http://www.b612foundation.org/papers/Asteroid_Deflection.doc~~====**

The hard options consist of various forms of nuclear explosion as well as that of
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it is highly dependent on the structural character of the asteroid in question.  

Plan: The United States Federal Government should substantially increase grants for solar sail energy research and development in the United States.

Observation 3:  Sailvency

Nuclear weapons should be considered a means of last resort—98% of asteroids can be deflected with non-nuclear means.

Klaes ’07 ~Larry, 3/21/20, staff writer, http://seti.sentry.net/archive/bioastro/2007/Mar/0159.html-http://seti.sentry.net/archive/bioastro/2007/Mar/0159.html~~====**

In contrast, Schweickart argues that the so-called "nuclear standoff" option should be used only as a last resort. He contends that 98 percent of the potential threats can be mitigated by using less extreme measures. For example, he favors the development of a "gravity tractor" - a spacecraft that would
Hover near an asteroid for years at a time, using subtle gravitational attraction to draw the space rock out of a worrisome path.  To kick it up a notch, Schweickart said a threatening NEO could first be hit
with a kinetic impactor - say, a scaled-up version of the Deep Impact bullet that hit Comet Tempel 1 back in 2005 - and then the orbital track could be fine-tuned using the tractor. Navigational sensors aboard the tractor would check to make sure the NEO was on a completely safe path.  "This combination is obviously the way to go," he said.

Nuclear weapon deflection fails—softer forms of deflection are superior.

Fountain ’ 02 ~Henry, 11/19, staff writer, http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/19/science/space/19ASTE.html-http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/19/science/space/19ASTE.html~~====**

But it is becoming clear that a longtime assumption of many scientists and of
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shift an asteroid’s orbit enough to change a hit into a close call.

Investment in solar sails makes it an immediately feasible option.

Johnson et. al. ’10, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL ~ L. Johnson 1 , R. Young 1 , D. Alhorn 1 , A. Heaton 1 , T. Vansant 2 , B. Campbell 2 , R. Pappa 3 , W. Keats 3 , P. C. Liewer 4 , D. Alexander 5 , J. Ayon 4 , G. Wawrzyniak 6 , R. Burton 7 , D. Carroll 7 , G. Matloff 8 , and R. Ya. Kezerashvili 8, SOLAR SAIL PROPULSION: ENABLING NEW CAPABILITIES FOR HELIOPHYSICS, http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20110007225_2011006130.pdf~~====**

Taking solar sail propulsion technology from ground testing to flight validation and mission implementation is
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applications, is highly recommended as an outcome of the 2010 Decadal Survey. 

International norms and laws will force US abandonment of nuclear option once solar sails are viable.

Atkinson ’11, Universe Today ~Nancy, Every way devised to deflect an asteroid,http://phys.org/news/2011-11-deflect-asteroid.html~~====**

Every Hollywood story dealing with asteroids always involves packing nuclear warheads on board a spaceship
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would serve as a propulsion system to alter the trajectory of the NEO.

U.S. leadership is essential to effective planetary defense – everyone will follow.

Dinerman ’09 ~Taylor, staff writer, http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1418/1-http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1418/1~~====**

Yet in the end, it is likely that the decision, if there is
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"global governance" could end up setting the stage for a disaster.

Solar sails will shift asteroids away from Earth.

Blackwell ’02 ~Tom, 8/29, National Post, Lexis~

Canadian Dave Balam, one of the world’s lead trackers of dangerous asteroids and comets
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been to attach some sort of engine that could do the same thing.

NASA assessments prove solar sails are our best option for deflection.

Hsu ’10, SPACE.com Senior Writer ~Jeremy, Solar Sail Flotilla Could Divert Possibly Dangerous Asteroid, 12/22,http://www.space.com/10531-solar-sail-flotilla-divert-possibly-dangerous-asteroid.html~~====**

A previous NASA assessment of possible asteroid deflection methods had placed solar sails relatively high
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out the solar pressure and keep the sails flying in their proper place.

Tournament: NDT Quals | Round: 7 | Opponent: Fresno State AR | Judge: Nathan Tribble

Solar FiT~’s 1AC

Observation One – The Status Quo

The federal government is embracing solar as a viable form of energy production, but their plans for expansion are limited to 6 states and utility scale projects.

US Dept of Interior ~’12 ~~~http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/Obama-Administration-Approves-Roadmap-for-Utility-Scale-Solar-Energy-Development-on-Public-Lands.cfm~~~~~~

As part of President Obama~’s all-of-the-above energy strategy to
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support 13,000 construction and operations jobs according to project developer estimates. 

The Administration~’s recent decision to fast-track large-scale solar was a pivot point in our nation~’s relationship with solar energy – it was a matter of choice, and the United States Federal Government chose to fund programs that will increase the cost of electricity for the majority of rate payers while guaranteeing a boost in revenue for utilities.

Union Bulletin ~’13 ~~~1/3, Small-scale solar~’s big potential goes untapped, by Julie Cart,http://union-bulletin.com/news/2013/jan/03/small-scale-solars-big-potential-goes-untapped/~~~~~~

The Obama administration~’s solar-power initiative has fast-tracked large-scale plants
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also have brought solar power within reach for many homeowners and small businesses.

These large scale programs, by their very nature, do no integrate into the most overlooked communities — that have been battered by their proximity to fossil fuel industries for decades, and are being excluded as beneficiaries of the solar movement.

Cervas ~’12, Coordinator @ California Environmental Justice ~~~Strela, 1/19, Solar for All,http://caleja.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/SmallScaleRDGfitProposal_FINALv4.pdf~~~~~~

Low-income, communities of color have shouldered the burden of living adjacent to
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will give teeth to the concept of investing in communities most in need. 

This problem is exacerbated by current incentive structures that allow the benefits of solar panels to be reaped by middle and upper class families and businesses while low-income families literally pay the price.

Cardwell ~’12, Business Day reporter for The New York Times covering energy ~~~6/4, Diane, Solar Panel Payments Set Off a Fairness Debate, New York Times,http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/business/solar-payments-set-off-a-fairness-debate.html?pagewanted=all~~~~~~

In California~’s sun-scorched Central Valley, the monthly electric bill can easily top
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continue to encourage rooftop installations, while the utilities have generally been opposed. 

Thus, we offer the following plan: The Unites States Federal government should implement a feed in tariffs system for solar projects with a project size cap of 500 kilowatts, a program cap of 375 megawatts by 2020 at a "regular annual pace" with a term minimum of 20 years.

Observation Two – Solvency

A small-scale FiT structure will facilitate solar installation in low income communities.

Cervas ~’12, Coordinator @ California Environmental Justice ~~~Strela, 1/19, Solar for All,http://caleja.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/SmallScaleRDGfitProposal_FINALv4.pdf~~~~~~

1 – Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs) for small-scale projects:
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innovation, education, etc. to local communities, especially underemployed communities.

These small scale projects will revitalize low income communities and give people control over their energy future.

Cervas ~’12, Coordinator @ California Environmental Justice ~~~Strela, 1/19, Solar for All,http://caleja.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/SmallScaleRDGfitProposal_FINALv4.pdf~~~~~~

Low-income communities of color need renewable energy systems that are 1.5 MW or less. A small-scale feed-in tariff program for renewable distributed generation allows rooftop solar that can be sited in low income urban and rural communities. Small-scale projects create jobs, reduce energy bills, generate wealth, revitalize neighborhoods, and give people some control over their energy future. 

Specifically, and empirically, small-scale feed-in-tariff systems cut utility bills in half.

Evo Energy ~’11 ~~~4/12,http://www.triplepundit.com/2012/04/solar-feed-tariffs-uk-clarification/~~~~~~====**

It has been a frantic few months in the short-lived life of the feed-in tariff, with rates cut in half 5
the tariff was designed to encourage the growth of micro-generation from renewable sources
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would rise each year with inflation and was tax-free for homeowners. 

Observation Three – Forced Out

The insanely high cost of energy forced upon low income communities by unequal access to solar strains their already limited budgets – forcing the choice between paying energy bills and every other necessary cost of living, including mortgages and rent.

Smith et. al. ~’07, MD %26 MPH – Chairperson of Child Health Impact Assessment Working Group ~~~Lauren A., April, Unhealthy Consequences: Energy Costs and Child Health,http://www.hiaguide.org/sites/default/files/ChildHIAofenergycostsandchildhealth.pdf~~~~~~

High energy costs place increased economic demands on low-income households with limited budgets
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suggest that their situation would be even more precarious without this important assistance. 

Specifically, high utility bills in low income communities are a leading cause of individuals~’ %26 families~’ inability to maintain the habitability of their home.

Smith et. al. ~’07, MD %26 MPH – Chairperson of Child Health Impact Assessment Working Group ~~~Lauren A., April, Unhealthy Consequences: Energy Costs and Child Health,http://www.hiaguide.org/sites/default/files/ChildHIAofenergycostsandchildhealth.pdf~~~~~~

It is well documented that high energy costs can result in unpaid bills, leading
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off moratorium period, families continue to accrue debt for their utility bills. 

3.5 million people are on the brink of losing their home as we speak.

National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty ~’12(4/16, "Law Center Launches "All-In to End Homelessness" Campaign"  ~~http://homelessnesslaw.org/2012/04/law-center-launches-%E2%80%9Call-in-to-end-homelessness%E2%80%9D-campaign/-http://homelessnesslaw.org/2012/04/law-center-launches-%E2%80%9Call-in-to-end-homelessness%E2%80%9D-campaign/~~~~)

The "All-In" campaign commemorates the Act~’s 25th Anniversary – recognizing its
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to act.  It~’s time to fulfill the promise of McKinney-Vento.

Scenario 1 – Cycle of Trauma

The forced move from experiencing low-income housing to homelessness specifically pushes women
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the impact of this trauma and to stop the cycle before it starts.

Goodman et.al. 11 ~~~Lisa A. Goodman, Ph.D., Katya Fels, %26 Catherine Glenn, M.A. With contributions from Judy Benitez, No Safe Place: Sexual Assault in the Lives of Homeless Women~~~

Although prevalence rates of homelessness have been estimated at up to seven to eight percent
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creating a growing number of ìspecial needsî victims whose needs are grossly neglected.

Women experiencing precarious housing situations are uniquely vulnerable to interpersonal violence – this demands our immediate attention.

Goodman et.al. 11 ~~~Lisa A. Goodman, Ph.D., Katya Fels, %26 Catherine Glenn, M.A. With contributions from Judy Benitez, No Safe Place: Sexual Assault in the Lives of Homeless Women~~~

Despite over two decades of media and public policy attention, homelessness remains an enormous
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might take to intervene with victims and prevent future sexual assaults from occurring.

Scenario 2 - Visibility

Loss of daily shelter forces people into absolute vulnerability and leads to unspeakable, inescapable violence against them - we must take steps to pull people out of this trap.

Norton ~’09 ~~~Larry, 8/19, Dehumanizing the homeless: violence and hate, http://blog.oregonlive.com/oldtown/2009/08/dehumanizing_the_homeless_viol.html~~~~~~

What is the effect of dehumanizing the homeless? Vulnerability. Previously (Part
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message to the many homeless victims. Well so much for day dreams.

People experiencing homelessness, even as they are brutalized are literally invisible in our society – our 1ac is an attempt to bring them back into our collective field of vision. Simple recognition is the first step.

Jean ~’10 (Abby, August 5, 2010, "Vulnerability: Indexes, Homelessness and Disability" http://disabledfeminists.com/2010/08/05/vulnerability-indexes-homelessness-and-disability/)

This population is considered extremely difficult to serve, as lots have tried to engage
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that – and these programs are proving that assumption to be absolutely wrong.