Spring Break
U.S. needs a sustainable energy policy
Justin Gero
Issue date: 5/23/08 Section: Ed-Op
Rising gas prices and environmental concern have brought energy policies to the forefront of many people's minds, especially in an election year. The need for a smart energy policy is of the utmost importance because, as Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico and former Democratic presidential candidate explained in his May 19 lecture, "Energy: A Flashpoint for Change," energy policy is connected to everything else we do. It affects the decisions we make domestically, and a dependence on imported oil shapes our foreign policy.
The race for control of the world's dwindling natural resources has driven mankind to ravage the environment and start wars for large oil reserves. President Bush's answer has been to give oil companies billions of taxpayer dollars and beg oil-rich nations like Saudi Arabia to increase output.
The answer to our energy problems is not drilling more oil. There have been proposals to drill in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge, but this isn't the quick and easy solution that its proponents make it sound like. We wouldn't be able to cash in on these oil reserves for another 10 years, and even when we finally started refining ANWR oil, it would only supply about 1 percent of U.S. consumption. In the end, we would have devastated a protected wildlife habitat, and wasted years and millions (perhaps billions) of dollars that could have been spent on developing new, better, cleaner technology.
The answer to our energy needs is not more oil, but environmentally friendly, renewable energy sources.
Despite growing support, many remain skeptical about renewable energy sources, and renewable energy has yet to have a big impact on life in the U.S. For example, wind power provides only 1 percent of U.S. energy today.
To increase the impact of renewable energy, we need to support their development more aggressively. May 12, the U.S. Department of Energy reported that wind power alone could provide 20 percent of the country's energy needs by 2030. The Department of Energy was clear to state that this report was not a prediction of the future, but it is important because it shows that effectively utilizing renewable energy technologies on a large scale is possible.
The race for control of the world's dwindling natural resources has driven mankind to ravage the environment and start wars for large oil reserves. President Bush's answer has been to give oil companies billions of taxpayer dollars and beg oil-rich nations like Saudi Arabia to increase output.
The answer to our energy problems is not drilling more oil. There have been proposals to drill in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge, but this isn't the quick and easy solution that its proponents make it sound like. We wouldn't be able to cash in on these oil reserves for another 10 years, and even when we finally started refining ANWR oil, it would only supply about 1 percent of U.S. consumption. In the end, we would have devastated a protected wildlife habitat, and wasted years and millions (perhaps billions) of dollars that could have been spent on developing new, better, cleaner technology.
The answer to our energy needs is not more oil, but environmentally friendly, renewable energy sources.
Despite growing support, many remain skeptical about renewable energy sources, and renewable energy has yet to have a big impact on life in the U.S. For example, wind power provides only 1 percent of U.S. energy today.
To increase the impact of renewable energy, we need to support their development more aggressively. May 12, the U.S. Department of Energy reported that wind power alone could provide 20 percent of the country's energy needs by 2030. The Department of Energy was clear to state that this report was not a prediction of the future, but it is important because it shows that effectively utilizing renewable energy technologies on a large scale is possible.
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Trevor Witts
posted 5/25/08 @ 6:22 AM EST
An excellent summary of the predicament we are in. I hope this reaches the descion makers and the policy makers.
If only the predicament can be universally acknowledge we might just get the "war effort" that is required to meet the challenge. (Continued…)
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