Last week ENN publisher Jerry Kay challenged readers to come up with their own vision for the nation's energy bill. Jerry wrote, "If you could have written our national energy legislation what would you have included?" Here's the final round of insightful responses.
Last week ENN publisher Jerry Kay challenged readers to come up with their own vision for the nation's energy bill. Jerry wrote, "If you could have written our national energy legislation what would you have included?" Here are the most recent responses.
There is so much to improve one hardly knows where to start. However:
1. Ration fuel with a base amount relatively cheap but additional fuel at a rate that reflects environmental damage and repair costs. This would allow an incentive and time frame to adjust. Cheap volumes decrease yearly.
2. Fund an independent commission to look at the various green technologies and promote the ones with the largest environmental pay back.
3. Establish a "war bond" type of investment bank that only invests in green technologies.
4. To interest employees in green tech life styles, establish low wages but establish a good health care program and retirement benefits, (similar to Congress').
5. Make decisions with the well being of future generations as well as sound science respected.
- L. Knutsen
My energy bill would have been for using less today so future generations could have more.
1. No nuclear energy. Completely phase out
2. Mass Transit pushed and encouraged to be included in the tax code
3. No more free energy out in the sticks for Industrial and home developers. They would be responsible to pay for all electrical and transportation improvements needed.
4. Encourage tree planting around every home. Encourage Windbreaks wherever possible
5. Set and build every home the way it will keep the warmest in the winter
6. Bring back Porches as a cheap type of air conditioning
7. And last find a way to reuse and recycle everything
By the way did anyone notice many of those things could be done quite cheaply?
- M. Ruger
Exceed Rocky Mountain Institute and "Factor Four" (double efficiency, halve resource use) recommendations. All buildings and landscaping must be latitude and climate appropriate with an emphasis on passive vs. active. Tax fuel as in Europe using the "extra" for rail, bicycle, walking and other mass transportation. Every structure (school, church, business, home) should make use of solar energy (architecture, photovoltaic, shading, siting) including windows, light shelves and insulation. Encourage least cost, end use (long term) thinking and actions in every possible way. Emphasize conservation.
- S. Kruse
Put a surtax on household dryers - they use a huge amount of energy. Install household meters so everyone can see what energy they use for different tasks.
- L. Holmes
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We should fund research for alternative energy sources and work on improving clean technologies. The energy bill only mentions "clean burning coal" (oh sure) and nuclear power... with alternatives such as solar and wind as a tiny footnote to the focus. All the auto manufacturers should be mandated to develop hybrid vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles by 2010.
- S. Davidson
While we need to do all we can to develop alternate fuel sources, we need to do all we can to use the resources we have, such as oil and coal, no matter where that may be. The gasification of coal could be a real plus and we have an abundant supply. There will be obvious costs to be sure to lessen the Green House gas problem. We must separate ourselves from the Middle East at all costs. Let's not forget Nuclear as well.
- N. Charles
Resources dedicated to research that improves long-term reliability and improved output of devices that generate electrical energy from solar and wind sources -.preferably those suitable for home use. Real tax incentives for individuals and developers to incorporate energy efficiency and the use of non-petroleum energy sources in home renovations and in new buildings. Requirements for a phased improvement in fuel efficiency in gasoline and diesel vehicles, with a goal of eliminating petroleum as a fuel source for private vehicles within 30 years and for public ground/maritime transportation within 50 years. Fuel efficiency for airplanes should be required as well, but I suspect the technology to shift to another energy source is not yet developed.
- J. Willingham
I would have made it a two-part bill:
Issues to be dealt with immediately:
1. Develop comprehensive (and energy saving) recycling programs inevery community in the U.S.
2. Improve Mass Transit Systems, and provide funding for P.R to makethem widely used.
3. Strengthen building and development codes (set requirements formin. insulation values, encourage mixed used development, anddiscourage continued urban sprawl) to reduce energy expenditures forheating, cooling, and driving.
4. Encourage/Provide Tax Breaks for people who produce there ownenergy (i.e. roof-top solar cell arrays). This would reduce thedemand on foreign oil supplies and diversify our energy grid improvingthe security of the energy grid
5. Push for all Automobiles to meet the improved CAFE standards
Plans for the Future:
Fund Research and Development to improve Solar energy and Hydrogenproduction programs (especially hydrogen gas production throughphotobiological methods, I mean think about... bacteria that can breakdown our organic waste and produce hydrogen to meet our energydemands).
JFK gave a speech and under a decade we where on the Moon, there is noreason why our society can not be completely powered by renewablemeans with in a decade.
- E. Howard
Millions of people around the world are exercising everyday, using "machines" that do absolutely nothing but provide resistance to muscles. It is the height of absurdity, when we have the technology to redirect a moderate amount of exercise into a significant amount of electricity....which can be stored in batteries for use when needed.
We are literally sitting on the most abundant, renewable, non-polluting, primary source of energy on the planet. I would like to see every penny, allocated to alternative energy research, spent on perfecting an electricity-producing system for home use.
How about including a requirement that all consumer products include an energy rating (ER) label. This label would indicate the estimated total energy consumed in the production and direct use, cradle to grave for each product. A cradle to grave value is essential to effectively measure and appreciate the actual energy cost of every thing we purchase use and do. Including an ER on such items as gasoline, autos, trucks, food, drinks, clothing, housing, appliances (many appliances already have an ER) etc. would help educate people in the total energy costs of various items.
- R. Palmer
I would also include a progressive ER tax on all non-food items. Perhaps include a program establishing Fossil Fuelish (FF) chapters (sort of like AA chapters) around the country where people could go to learn to wean themselves from excessively energy consumptive habits.
- P. Juhle
Since a large part of the energy problems, and global warming are related to personal vehicles, there should be national carpooling campaigns that are encouraged by the federal and local governments with as little (streamlined) interference as possible. This effort should include an effective medium, such as bulletin boards at park-and-rides, or popular websites that list regular, and non-regular carpooling in an area. Every effort should be made to encourage carpooling opportunities across this nation. Perhaps this effort by the American people could lead the way for similar efforts within industrial energy users. How could industry refuse to heed the call, if the American people led the way with 20,30 or more percent energy reductions? We need to lead the way by example, and get the government and industry to follow our lead.
- B. Ritchie
To me, the bill needed to be grounded on the philosophy of survival conservation, not financial exploitation. I would have suggested that, first and foremost, we are at war due primarily to our dependency on, and excessive use of, oil. Because of that, we need to take every step we can to reduce that dependency and use, and put such an effort on a par with our sacrifices made during World War II. What steps to take are obvious: insist that Detroit produce higher gas economy vehicles, and give the necessary tax breaks to encourage their purchase. Ethanol, biodiesel, hybrids: they're all ready and waiting to go -- they just need the necessary tax breaks to make them nationally accessible. I would follow in general the format laid out by The Rocky Mountain Institute's research book, WINNING THE OIL ENDGAME. I would continue to follow the survival conservation philosophy to deal with global warming, and put a Manhattan-style program together to come up with a major wind and solar energy industry, while forcing GHG-producing industries to accept Kyoto-level reductions or face stiff penalties. I would promote the program as something that is absolutely necessary for our survival, and would make it an issue of patriotism. I would allocate money to produce television programs on how people can conserve, and how their efforts contribute directly to our survival. I would encourage local and national recognition of people and organizations that make significant contributions to that effort.
I would make it clear that the main intent of the energy bill is to spend the necessary money, time, and effort to end both our oil dependency and our atmospheric fouling, and I would want to see the establishment of a department whose responsibilityit was to oversee the whole program -- from national, to state, to local government, with a clear agenda and timetable for all to see.
- B. Ross
One simple tweak would solve all our energy problems. A $4 per gallon gas tax with the proceeds funding more bike and pedestrian routes...
- K. Versteegen
I would offer a $10/square foot tax credit to homeowners living in areas that receive >3.5 hours of average peak sunlight per day for the installation of solar power systems on their houses. This has a three pronged effect. It reduces pollution and dependence on foreign oil, it reduces the load on the central power grid and helps reduce the effects of blackouts either accidental or caused by terrorists and it would stimulate research and competition in the solar power industry as well as an increase in manufacturing capacity and efficiency thereby reducing per unit costs. Not to mention increasing the homeowners sense of independence and security. I would also set high mandatory MPG standards.
- J. Wiles
Everyone should know, if they don't already, that energy conservation and energy efficiency are the quickest, cheapest, and most productive ways of lowering our dependence on oil, foreign or domestic, while giving the most benefit to all Americans. I wish I understood the exact mechanism by which politics are able to hold this simple yet most effective mechanism at bay while at the same time finding ways to fund the most ridiculous and mainstream mechanisms of keeping Americans dependent on big oil and its like minded cronies. For if these mechanisms could be understood by most Americans, I believe that we could organize a way to get that power shifted to what is right instead of being oppressed by that power.
- B. Bates
