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« Opinion
Clean energy is better for so many reasons
Clean energy is better for so many reasons
EDITOR:
In these challenging times, we are all painfully aware of the threats to both our national and our economic security. Our foreign affairs and national defense policies as well as our economy are linked to our energy policy through our dependence on foreign oil. There is no doubt we Americans rely on foreign oil, and we are sending billions of dollars overseas to pay for oil, leaving us vulnerable to unstable or hostile regimes. Our oil expenditures in 2008 broke down to equal: $1.2 billion every day; $50 million every hour; $837,000 every minute; and $14,000 every second.
It’s more than just oil that threatens our national security. Other weaknesses in our nation’s energy systems pose great security and financial risks. Power outages and power quality issues cost the United States an estimated $119 billion to $188 billion every year and our fragile electricity grid puts our military operations and bases at risk. But there is a way to keep more of our money at home while simultaneously strengthening our national security and our economy.
Transitioning to a clean energy economy would allow us to free ourselves from our dependence on foreign oil. Clean energy policies will help us make this transition and start generating our power from renewable sources here at home, instead of relying on sources of energy that require our presence in perilous parts of the world. An improved electricity grid will help save Americans money while providing a more secure, reliable electricity system. What’s more, relying on clean, renewable sources of energy instead of dirty carbon-based fuels will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and solve the climate crisis. The impacts of climate change, security experts warn, could further destabilize politically vulnerable regions around the world.
By reducing our reliance on foreign oil, not only will we reduce our exposure to energy conflicts overseas, we will also keep our energy dollars here in the U.S., where we can invest in American businesses and jobs and strengthen our economy. If we spend our energy dollars here at home, we can expand our clean energy production capabilities and increase our use of renewable energy and energy saving technologies. Relying on renewable energy sources would create millions of jobs, many in our most struggling industries – and these are jobs that can’t be outsourced. Clean energy policies will save us money, too. Energy saving technologies could save households approximately $750 by 2020 and $3,900 by 2030, according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.
And, increased clean energy investments will help generate jobs in Ohio. According to a recent study by the Center for American Progress, investing in Ohio’s clean energy economy could create thousands of jobs.
The United States is already a world leader in so many areas. Isn’t it time we took a leading role in developing a global clean energy economy? In this moment, we have the opportunity to improve our national security and strengthen our domestic economy by supporting and investing in clean energy. As we celebrate the independence of our nation this week, let’s protect America and declare our energy independence as well. It’s time for a change. It’s time to repower America.
DENNIS SPISAK
Struthers
X The writer is a member of the Mahoning Valley Green Party and the Ohio Green Party and ran for Congress in the 6th District in 2008.
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Comments
Keep drinking the Kool-aid Dennis. Those stats from the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy... yeah they are objective in the way they do statistics.
For every "green job" created 2.2 jobs are lost and that costs $800,000 to do. Those jobs also pay less. http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/200...
Second of all your whole "global warming" idea is a complete myth, Scientists have been going between global warming and cooling for years. You breathe out the green house gas CO2, plants need CO2 though.
This country can't afford crazies like you, we have a $11.5 trillion debt and our liabilities are up near $100 trillion... How much debt do you want us to take on before you realize we can't afford it.
You're right Search4Answers. The very best fuel is OIL! And we have lots of it in our own country. How do you generate electricity for battery car? Coal. The libs may not be unpatriotic, just stupid. Wake up Dennis. Green is the new red. For your information Dennis, oil is a renewable energy. If it weren't, we would have depleted it decades ago, Al Gore and RFK jr. would be riding tricycles instead of flying in private jets. lying about global warming."Clean Energy", what a joke.
"global warming idea is a myth". Those pictures of the ice caps melting were down with photo shop.
"oil is a renewable energy". All we need is a bunch of dinosaurs to die a ferment for a few million years.
"clean energy, what a joke." Be a real American, lets pollute the planet as much as possible, only wimps want a clean environment.
Cambridge, you get real. The earth is cooling. Oil is renewable, just like water. Did the oceans dry out yet, or the lakes, rivers or ponds? Those pics of the polar bears standing on small pieces of ice are a fraud. "Clean energy" IS a joke. How do you power electric cars? By using coal fired generators. Cambridge, do you bike to work or anywhere else?
Give it up Cambridge. These guys probably still believe that the earth is flat, demons cause mental illness, that dubya was a good president, the moon is a god, and that socialists are about to take over the world.
You are using something completely foreign to them . . . it's called "reason." You'd do better to try to get the Mahoning river to reverse course.
The Quail
Quail, the earth isn't flat and global warming is a fraud. Oil is the best fuel ever and it's renewable. The Arctic pole cap isn't thawing and socialism is for fools. Your god lenin called them useful idiots.
Actually oil maybe renewable:
http://www.nytimes.com/1995/09/26/scienc...
global warming is an excuse to redistribute wealth, and a money making scheme for some (see Al Gore).
Woody, every Obama voting loser is pro big government, anti personal freedom and a carbon footprint believer. Stupid is as stupid does. Rich white trash like the Kennedys will be permitted to drive SUV's, sail their huge boats and live in energy consuming mansions because they can afford to purchase carbon credits. Remember when they opposed wind mills because they blocked their view of the scenery and when doper, drunken, lady murderer Teddy dumped deisel fuel in the ocean where his idiotic supporters were swimming?
I am getting a line of recyclable 3mil thick polyethlene sleeping bags with air chambers ready for the cold liberals this winter who are lessening their carbon footprint (AKA freezing because of high energy taxes ).
WHEN THE IMAGE OPENS CLICK AGAIN TO EXPAND IT
http://i31.tinypic.com/919gzm.jpg
First of all we should look at using CNG, not as a green debate but we have a heck of a lot of natural gas, our cars only need a converter kit to use it, and its not a replacement but an alternative to oil, you can switch back and forth if you wanted depending on how prices go. The only thing we need are fuel stations willing to sell it. Honda already has vehicles that are sold specifically for CNG.
The sad part about all this climate crap is that we can no longer even have a rational discussion about it. If we wanted to really make a difference we would be calling for gas stations to start offering CNG, and then someday when technology makes plugin cars affordable and economically viable.... we will look into that and other technologies, but for now thats the best solution I can see is having CNG as an alternative to gasoline.
People need to stop thinking the ice caps are melting and the temperature is rising... it does fluctuate and some scientists say its gone down over the last 10 years. Stop panicking over nothing and lets have some rational ideas, second of all gasoline isn't our biggest issue, we have bigger issues to deal with right now.
Cambridge, have you seen An Inconvenient Truth? Even Al Gore recognizes that we have seen times like this before, and even times where the global climate was warmer than now. He also admits that human beings have not been studying and tracking global climate shifts long enough to really understand them.
Everything in life comes and goes in a cycle that is far too large for any of us to comprehend. Climate change is not a myth, nor is it something to get so worried about. There will be warmer and cooler times, and those will have an effect on the ice caps, crop production, and everything else. To think that us mortals have any power to control these occurences is sheer insanity.
Food for thought....