Perhaps it is not a victory, but I will, in the very least, make the concession that it is a step in the right direction. We have all seen the impact of rising gas prices in our day-to-day lives. While we can curb this with carpooling, taking public transit, or – ideally – walking or biking to work, school, or play, we will continue to be impacted by not only the cost of fossil fuels, but the detriment it is causing the earth. Government is picking up on this too (dare I say – finally!).
A few weeks ago, President Obama addressed this rising concern in his weekly video conference from the White House – “But we can’t just drill our way out of this problem. While we consume 20 percent of the world’s oil, we only have 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves. We’ve got to develop new technology that will help us use new forms of energy.” (To read the entire transcript from Obama’s update, click here)
This resonates with me. Domestic drilling in Alaska presents a host of environmental issues – it is less than ideal. However, we cannot continue to depend on foreign oil as we have in the past. What do we do, then? Get creative. Focus on the alternatives. Think long-term rather than short-term.
And people are beginning to do just that! I was thrilled when I read this week that in California, more than 75 governmental officials voted ‘yes’ to “endorse [a] pioneering vision to build 12,000 megawatts of clean energy—enough solar energy to cover a million solar roofs—by 2020.” This is a very promising step, as 12,000 megawatts is the equivalent of 24 coal-fired power plants (EcoWatch). Image the implications? The opportunity?
What are your thoughts? Should government invest more in alternative technologies, or is there another solution? What can each of us do to further the cause? I would love to hear your thoughts below!
Image courtesy of Flickr J.N. Stuart
