Ted,
re: I didn't say this had to be done overnite but rather, we need to get serious asap.
Actually, there are a lot of energy production and conservation methods that are ready or almost ready for prime time.
One is solar. It's finally on the cusp of being economically efficient (cost less than benefit). You get a couple of million households not only using solar for their energy needs, but feeding the power back into the grid when it's not needed, and you have a real benefit.
You have electric and hybrid autos that consume less than 1/2 the energy than the typical family car. Why not encourage usage with significant tax breaks, and social pressure? If you can get these into volume production, then you have a winning economic and energy benefit.
Nuclear energy is a part of the solution. But we have to get past the "not in my backyard" syndrome.
The solution to the energy situation is incremental. 100 million baby steps. There is no magic technology that's going to make us independent. That doesn't fit well with the US psyche, but unfortunately it's the way it will work.
It will take a real leader, a JFK or a Reagan, to get us on the right track. Right now, folks will send their kids to war before they will give up their SUV's. There has to be a heartfelt change in values. It's obvious the oil guys in the White House are NOT going to be the guys to lead us to a solution. They think more, and more, and more oil is the future, regardless of the (economic and human) cost.
My 2 cents,
John |
