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Who is being protected by the EPA? Although the agency is called the “Environmental Protection Agency,” the political movers and shakers in Washington continue to block its mission. If you doubt my own take on things, check this headline from the December 20th Wall Street Journal: ’EPA Sides With Auto Industry: California Is Blocked From Tightening Caps On Tailpipe Emissions”
According to the article “The Bush administration blocked California's plan to put tighter limits on automobile tailpipe emissions, handing a victory to the auto industry on the same day the president signed an energy bill that mandates the biggest boost in federal fuel-efficiency standards in more than 30 years.” Full text: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119810794061340765.html
The “biggest boost in federal fuel-efficiency standards in more that 30 years.” Well, that’s technically true. But the larger truth is the absurdity of legislation which gives the auto industry twelve more years to create a 10MPG improvement. 35 MPG by 2020? My 2003 Volvo comes close to that. The gutless energy bill taken together with the EPA’s blocking California’s emissions cut plan is a tragic failure of the Federal Government at best, misguided protection of special interests at worst.
In addition to California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington have already passed tougher emissions rules for cars and Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota and Utah are about to do so. Just how absurd is it that the EPA will now spent time and resources to battle states who have had the foresight to enact more realistic emissions standards.
The Federal government not only has no coherent policy to address environmental issues, it is a major roadblock to much needed progress. Ironically, in attempting to protect the business as usual auto industry, the administration is failing to provide support for the increasing number of corporations who are facing up to the current situation and developing the technologies of the future. Collectively, these corporations understand that in today’s global economy, if corporate America does not lead in the necessary development and innovation, Americans will be buying these products from elsewhere.
For many months now, the central premise of this writer is that there is no coherent leadership at the Federal level. America needs a comprehensive national policy, which recognizes national security, energy independence, and global warming are closely linked issue. Issues which must be urgently and simultaneously addressed.
The stonewalling of the rest of the world at the recent Bali conference on global warming and the EPAs attack on state environmental protection efforts show the truth to be uglier. Unfortunately, it is not only that there is no recognition in Washington of the urgent need to wisely address the closely linked issues of national security, energy independence, and global warming. Currently, short term political considerations, lack of wise consideration of America’s long term interests, pride, greed and ignorance are driving federal policy. The price that every American will have to pay for this folly grows daily.
Once upon a time an America a new President challenged us all to “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” I pray the next President will present us all with the same challenge – and mean it.
If only it were a Three Stooges movie! You could just change the channel. Unfortunately, the cost to every American of the lack of any coherent and coordinated policy to address the potent nexus between energy independence, global warming and nation security on the part of the Federal Government grows daily. Add to that now the financial crisis now facing America, a housing market described earlier this month by Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf as the “worst since Great Depression,” credit losses at major US Banks projected to be over $400 billion and growing daily, and a growing floodtide of foreclosures facing millions of American homeowners. What does it all mean for America? The UN Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change report 11/17/07 – IPCC Fourth Assessment (AR4) Report full report & panel web-cast makes it ever clearer that the problems associated with global warming and the need to address them grow greater with every day’s delay. Sooner or later, America will have to invest large sums of money to address global warming. The longer we wait, the more it will cost.
Another problem we now face is the plunging value of our dollar, as this inevitably will continue to push up the price of oil. The longer American remains dependent on imported oil, the faster we will have to print dollars to pay for it. At some point, it is quite possible - to the delight of Al Queda, Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and Iranian President Mahmaud Ahmadinejan - that many countries will follow the lead of Kuwait which this summer stopped pegging its own currency to the dollar http://finance.sympatico.msn.ca/investing/jimjubak/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4948777. Were this to happen, oil prices would truly skyrocket, as America would have to pay for its oil by buying the local currency at the exchange rates set by other, often not very friendly, countries.
There is mega-Katrina policy failure at the federal level. The best policies and iniatives in America are bubbling upward from state and city government, environmentalists, corporate America and growing awareness on the part of the American public. Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia currently require power companies to produce at least some of their electricity from renewable sources.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2007-08-21-renewable-energy_N.htm General Electric is closing plants which manufacture the old style incandescent bulbs, and its manufacture and sale of CFLs is growing rapidly. http://www.tedmag.com/common/webnewslink.asp?currentpage=4635
Advancements in solar technology are leading to large scale, price competitive solar energy production.
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2007/06/01/100050990/index.htm
Given all that is happening outside the beltway, imagine the progress America could make with a wise, coherent and coordinated national policy to address the potent nexus between energy independence, global warming and nation security. Consider the alternative. It’s easy to laugh at the absurdity of a three Stooges movie. Laughter will be harder to come by in an America where energy must be rationed and available only for essential services. If we collectively fail to make wise choices for America now, we may well collectively suffer as, the lights go out in our homes, and there isn’t enough gas to get to work.
A cartoon in a recent Wall Street Journal showed a gas station with a sign that said “Last $2.75 gas for the next 10 years. $2.75 gas is now gone the way of the 10 cent pay phone call...gone forever. I paid $3.49 per gallon to fill up here in Naples, Florida yesterday. The weakening dollar is strongly related to raising oil prices.
When will oil hit $100 a barrel? This month? Next week? Before the end of the year? Soon. But the more important point is that it won’t stop there – it largely depends on how week the dollar becomes. Pick your date.
Frederic Lasserre, head of commodities research at Société Générale in Paris He suggested $120 a barrel could represent the level at which the cost of oil could result in economic damage that would be on par with the Arab oil embargo in the 1970s. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071108.ROIL08/TPStory/Business Currently, there is no telling how much higher the price will go: $120? $150? $200?
Earlier this month former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin, led a Securing America's Future Energy (SAFE) “Oil ShockWave” exercise in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the exercise was to simulate a global oil supply crisis and explore economic and strategic options for limiting the damage. According to Rubin: "Oil ShockWave demonstrates the critical importance of preventative action in mitigating the risks of oil dependence. Once a major supply crisis occurs, the short-term options are extremely limited.”(My italics)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKN0155542720071101
The military, strategic and political costs to the United States of failing to have a national policy of preventive action reducing the waste of energy, addressing carbon emissions and bringing on line, as rapidly as possible EVERY source of clean, renewable domestic energy available to us grows daily. National Security, energy independence and global warming are closely linked issues, which must be urgently and simultaneously addressed. To paraphrase Winston Churchill in his calls for England to take seriously the rising threat of Hitler and Nazi Germany…Of course we shall do it in the end, we shall surely do it…but how much more dear the cost for every day’s delay. How much more dear the cost, we don’t know. But the longer we delay addressing these issues, the higher the cost for every American.
Keep doing the math! Approximately two-thirds of American homes – regardless of income – have coffee makers. Coffee makers, small as they are use more energy than your computer, a radio, a humidified or a mid-sized TV set…typically 900 – 1200 watts. Older ones use more. We have one in our home. I love that first cup of coffee in the morning. But once the coffee is brewed I shut the coffee maker off. It takes a lot of energy to have it on just to keep the coffee warm. When you pour a cup of coffee later in the morning, put it in your microwave for 30 seconds instead. Your microwave typically uses about 1500 watts, but that is only for 30 seconds to heat your coffee. Leaving your coffee maker on hour after hour wastes lots of energy – and often, because the coffee isn’t hot enough, you will end up zapping it in your microwave anyway.
http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/TrashGoesToSchool/Energy.html
Our relatively new “Mr. Coffee” unit uses only 700 watts. However, if you do a quick search on goggle, you will find that some use up to 1500 watts. Also, you will note that many coffee maker comparison websites do not include a comparison of the energy used.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=coffee+maker%2Bwatts+used&btnG=Search
Doing the math in our home, and switching to cfl lighting has resulted in an approximately one-third reduction in our energy bill.
http://greenhawk.blogspot.com/2007/09/do-math.html
Corporate America continues to grow in the understanding that energy efficiency makes good business sense…going green saves green! Many states have provided leadership in energy conservation, and in those states especially, cooperation with private industry to conserve energy is taking off.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118938179474522033.html
We do not have leadership at the federal level which recognizes that national security, energy independence and global warming are closely linked issues. These are issues which must be urgently and simultaneously addressed. Today’s Wall street Journal has a front page article by Peter Fritsch and Kelly Evans discussing the probability of crude oil prices reaching over $100 per barrel They point out that tight oil supplies and a weak U.S. dollar are both factors which suggest that oil prices have further to rise. The result would be higher energy prices for every US consumer.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119102487310743331.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Meanwhile, I suggest we all “do the math” of our personal use of energy. Using the same amount of energy will continue to cost you more. Switching to more efficient use of energy will lower your personal cost for energy, because you will be using less energy to get the same tasks done. You win. America wins.
DO THE MATH! The commonly available nightlight found in America’s bathrooms, bedrooms and kitchens uses a seven watt incandescent bulb. Now there are a number of LED nightlights available which use far less energy. If you compare the two nightlights above, both made by the same company, the LED uses only .3 Watts compared to 7 watts for the familiar incandescent bulb. Using 7 watts rather than .3 watts means using 23.3 times the power to do the same job. Why would you do this??!!
There are uncountable millions of conventional incandescent seven-watt night-lights in use in the United States. However, assuming just one million of these were replaced at the same time, the replacement lights would require 300,000 watts of power instead of 7,000,000 watts.
This year, replacing conventional incandescent lighting in our home has reduced our electric bill by about a third. Our nightlights, the smallest of our incandescent lights, were replaced last. Anyone can save money on their electric bill by switching to cfls and led lights. There is no longer an issue of availability. They are on the shelves at your hardware store, Home Depot and Wal-Mart’s.
Corporate America is rapidly going green. As oil, gas and electricity prices have gone ever upward companies there is a growing awareness that saving energy translates into lower, sometimes dramatically lower costs.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118772418179504367.html
Many American cities are providing leadership in the areas of energy independence and global warming. All yellow taxis in the city of New York will berequired to use hybrid technology and meet new fuel consumption standards by 2012. According to Mayor Bloomberg: "Phased in over the next five years, these new standards will cut carbon emissions from these vehicles by half within a decade."
http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2007-05/2007-05-24-voa33.cfm?CFID=184362152&CFTOKEN=87906977
In Washington D.C., a non-profit consortium of leading Washington-area businesses, institutions, government agencies, congregations, and community and environmental organizations called Cool Capital Challenge, is working to bring about an immediate and dramatic reduction in regional greenhouse gas.
http://www.coolcapitalchallenge.org
There is, regrettably, no coherent leadership at the Federal level. America needs a comprehensive national policy, which recognizes national security, energy independence, and global warming are closely linked issue. Issues which must be urgently and simultaneously addressed. America MUST reduce energy consumption, both by reducing the waste of energy and becoming much more energy efficient. America MUST brings on line, as rapidly as possible, EVERY source of clean, renewable domestic energy available to us.
OIL FROM HEAVEN! This past July oil started to flow from the Albertan oil sands in Canada to petrochemical plants and refineries in southeast Texas. From a current national security standpoint, this is indeed “oil from heaven.” Certainly, the security issues of importing oil from Canada are smaller than importing oil from the Middle East and other politically unstable areas. However, it doesn’t do anything for energy independence. According to a July 11th Wall St Journal article: “The rising tide of Canadian crude is subtly changing the political rhetoric in Washington. "Energy independence" is being redefined so that Canadian crude isn't really viewed as an import.”
http://www.polarisinstitute.org/oil_companies_stake_future_on_canada
It IS imported oil. Imported from a country, with which the United States has excellent relations, but imported oil non-the-less. Additionally, as Canada’s own energy needs increase, Americans certainly cannot expect Canadians are going to sit around in the dark in order to meet our energy needs here in the USA.
The clock is ticking on America’s energy crisis, if there is not a significant improvement in energy conservation, and we simply gobble up every barrel of oil we get, our future pain will be all the greater. To continue to use the same or a greater amount of fossil fuel certainly will not reduce our national carbon footprint.
National Security, energy independence and global warming are closely linked issues, which must be urgently and simultaneously addressed. Americans MUST break their addiction to imported oil. We MUST become much more energy efficient. We must bring on line, as rapidly as possible, EVERY source of clean, renewable domestic energy available to us.
There are promising new technologies which could make a big difference. Imagine an “EZ Pass for Emissions" - a tiny device that connects to a car's onboard computer and continuously tracks a vehicle’s emissions in real time. The device exists:
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2007/07/01/100123042/index.htm
Imagine that in 2006 solar cell manufacturers bought more silicon wafers that the chip industry. That’s just what happened – see the current issue of Forbes magazine.
Imagine that presently the United States has no comprehensive and coherent national policy for urgently and simultaneously meeting the challenges of national security, energy independence and global warming. Unfortunately, we don’t.
We need all ”three cherries” to win the jackpot!
To accompany the GREENHAWK BLOG there is now a GREENHAWK WEB RESOURCES PAGE. The website’s content, which is regularly updated, includes hyperlinks to websites which offer useful information for those for those interested in the potent nexus between national security, energy independence, and America's carbon footprint.
http://www.lifecoachusa.com/greenhawk
To get on the GREENHAWK BLOG has been updated E-list, please E-mail me and include “Add me to the Greenhawk E-List” as your subject. Thank you!
America’s energy crisis grows deeper every day. The crisis is becoming very apparent: the United States cannot sustain an energy system that relies on $200,000 per minute of imported oil, nor continue to be the world’s largest carbon footprint. Add to this al queda and its ilk are well aware of our vulnerability. Perhaps we would profit from thinking about the Chinese symbol for crisis, which is is translated as “danger, opportunity.”
In he current crisis, there is indeed both danger great opportunity. Thanks to growing public awareness, things are changing. The Energy Industry Bulletin, of July 29th, 2007 quotes an article by Rebecca Smith, The July 25, 2007 Wall Street : “As recently as May, U.S. power companies had announced intentions to build as many as 150 new generating plants fueled by coal… But as plans for this fleet of new coal-powered plants move forward, an increasing number are being canceled or development slowed. Coal plants have come under fire because coal is a big source of carbon dioxide, the main gas blamed for global warming,…”
http://www.energybulletin.net/32715.html?referer=sphere_related_content
In the August 2nd, 2007 Wall Street Journal, an article by Jonathan Welsh reports: “To win back customers, auto makers are using a variety of new technologies to improve SUVs' fuel economy, including cleaner-burning diesel engines, gasoline-electric hybrids, special lightweight parts and even power-steering pumps that think for themselves.” Corporate America increasingly realizes that Going Green is now part of doing business in the USA, and will become more so.
Others recognize the opportunities which America’s energy crisis brings with it. The same Wall Street Journal issue, in an article by Eleanor Laise, notes there is now “a slew of funds focusing on solar power, wind turbines and other alternative energy sources.” By bringing alternative, clean and renewable domestic energy sources on line as rapidly as possible America will greatly enhance its national security and greatly reduce our carbon footprint. America also has the opportunity to become the world leader in clean, renewable energy technologies.
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To accompany the GREENHAWK BLOG there is now a GREENHAWK WEB RESOURCES PAGE. The website’s content, which is regularly updated, includes hyperlinks to websites which offer useful information for those for those interested in the potent nexus between national security, energy independence, and America's carbon footprint.
http://www.lifecoachusa.com/greenhawk
To get on the GREENHAWK BLOG has been updated E-list, please E-mail
me and include “Add me to the Greenhawk E-List” as your subject. Thank you!
