Green Leader

Many compelling arguments have been made for renewable energy, although as of
August 2008 renewable energy sources have still only comprised 7% of all energy
sources used in the United States. Out of the total energy consumption, 40% is still
petroleum, 23% natural gas, 22% coal, and 8% of all energy is from nuclear electric
power (EIA, US Energy Consumption by Energy Sources, 2003-2007, May 2008). In
1991 – 18 years ago -, Isaac Asimov and Frederik Pohl, two writers more known for their
science fiction work, collaborated on a scientific survey piece entitled: Our Angry Earth.
The book starts by giving the political history of the U.S. involvement in the Persian Gulf
War, which led to one of the biggest “environmental wars” and disasters related to
politics since Hiroshima was dropped in Japan during WW II. What did it take to finally
get people’s attention? Al Gore losing the 2000 Presidential election so he could create
the Inconvenient Truth movement around the globe, which 8 years of real progress was
lost on the federal level in the United States.

While most people have known that recycling and renewable energy sources were the
right idea for decades, politics can often get in the way of the best ideas. Wood, wind,
water, and sun power have been used for cooking, heating, milling, and other tasks for
millennia. In his blog, The Politics of Renewable Energy: Unintended Consequences of
Biofuel Policies, Robert Rapier explains the short-sightedness of aggressive biofuel
policies that ignored the science that proved the policies would lead to a huge increase
in greenhouse gas emissions (Rapier, February 2008). One problem that still remains
with solar energy is the high cost. While costs have dropped dramatically since the mid-
1970’s, from hundreds of thousands of dollars to several thousands per installed
kilowatt, the cost still remains out of reach for most homeowners, especially with the high
rate of unemployment putting people out of jobs and the struggling economy in general.
What this country needs is a Renewable Energy Action Plan – we can call it REAP for
short. While most of the statistics noted above are no doubt well known for people who
have worked or studied the environmental and climate change sectors, what does not
seem to be in place is a plan similar to a Climate Action Plan that uses science and
mathematics (calculations) to set in motion the intelligent way to promote the use of
renewable energy. We have been able to whittle down a CAP on a personal level to
three things:

1. Take Personal Action
2. Alert and Motivate Leaders (in your community)
3. Encourage Others to Act Locally and Think Globally

But what motivates individuals to really care about the planet? Leaving it for their
children or just the next generation? How about knowing that you personally did what
you could to save an amazing world? I have no children, but on Tuesday when I made
the drive from the San Francisco Bay Area to the Sonora in the Sierra Foothills, I saw
that there is so much beauty and open space still left to save just right here in this
segment of the State of California. In about 100 miles, the transition goes from city to
suburban, rural ranching, agriculture, and rolling foothills still in a spring patchwork of
brown and green before hitting the Sierra Nevada range. What would you like to save
where you live?

So is a REAP on the local level the next step to your community CAP? How else can we
move away from the dependence on 93% of non-renewable energy consumption to the
reverse? Solar, wind, water, geothermal and biomass power can all be made
sustainable and affordable if we have a plan of action. It’s time to take that next step and
move much faster than we have since publication of The Angry Earth confirmed that
global warming was here and not going away.

Janet Palma has a Master of Science degree in Environmental Management from
USF and Bachelor of Arts in literature from UC Berkeley. She has over 12 years in
the environmental planning and science field, including professional experience
in urban forestry for seven years with the City and County of San Francisco. Janet
is the author of Universal Connection Blog.

Tags: Renewable Energy, Renewable Energy Action Plan, United States

This entry was posted on Monday, May 18th, 2009 at 7:47 am and is filed under Renewable Energy, United States. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.