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Energy & Environment
Alternative Energy: A Must by Linda Waters The recent blackout (August 2003) in the Northeast part of the USA has set my mind to whirring with the usual questions of what can be done to prevent this type of thing from happening again. Apparently the grid system is flawed, though I don't foresee any change in the near future as to how our power is distributed. What did strike me about the outage is not what happened during the blackout, but after. Reporters took great delight in being "on the scene" in Times Square in New York, reveling in the massive display of commercial lighting. What they thought was wonderful struck me as obscene. At a time when it is becoming imperative to find alternate sources of energy, i.e., as we use up the remnants of fossil fuels, I felt angered at this blatant display of energy use that is totally unnecessary. How are we, as individual consumers, able to take seriously the pressing need to conserve our resources, and our earth, when all around us - in government from national to local levels, in entertainment, in corporate enterprises, you name it - energy is wasted on ostentatious displays that have nothing to do with providing power where it is needed? Do we really need to light up Times Square to survive? Do we need buildings, bridges, monuments, signs, lit up 24 hours a day? All that wattage could certainly be put to better use. In New York City, budget constraints caused a decision to turn off the lights on the George Washington Bridge. One bridge. And it wasn't out of concern for squandered resources- it was a strictly financial decision. So how are they finagling to get those lights turned back on? By asking the citizens of New York to give donations- donations! - to keep a bridge lit up! It's not as if this unlighted bridge causes any unsafe conditions- the lights are just for show. Just as they are in Times Square and in the rural town squares. We, of course, foot the bill. Back in the early 70s there was an "energy crisis" that caused a concerted search for energy alternatives. The crisis was highly suspected to be caused "artificially;" tankers full of oil waited off the coast to be unloaded. The price was driven to unendurable levels, and were the precursor to the high prices we have today. The impact on everyday life was considerable. Gas was rationed according to license plate numbers and universities were shut down. I remember, in an effort to do the right thing as well as avoid the gas lines and prices, I started taking a train to work, which involved a 1 1/2 mile walk on the opposite end. I didn't mind the filth and disrepair of the train as much as I did that mile walk in the bitter January cold. I made a sacrifice- all the more reason to resent the waste of power today. Apparently the lesson of that time was lost. It, like the power failure, will happen again. Back to the power situation. Again, it seems as though, for the time being, we have enough power, but the grid is overloaded. If large enterprises, whether corporate or governmental, could supply some or most (maybe even all) of their own energy on the spot, wouldn't that relieve the demands on the grid? It can be done- with solar energy. I would like to see this start with the corporations, as they can afford it and pave the way with a usable technology. What if they were called upon to put photovoltaic cells on their rooftops, and also in their parking lots -- which would have the added benefit of hhaving shelter for cars to park under? Of course, this isn't feasible everywhere - and I fear New York is one where it isn't - but the southern states could certainly lead the way toward weaning the country from its oil dependency. The broad use of technology tends to further improve and refine it. Starting with these large corporations, I believe it would be a significant step toward refining the technology for use on the individual level. Again, back in the late 70s, my mother-in-law decided (because of the energy crisis) that she wanted to install solar panels on her rooftop in Florida to supplement the energy company's service, thereby not only doing something environmentally sound, but saving money over the long haul in the process. In the course of getting permits for the job, she was denied. The reason? The panels were too unsightly for the neighborhood! What was "unsightly" then is imperative now, on a much broader scale. Florida, the scene of my mother-in-law's encounter, has been doing an admirable job of trying to get the technology in use. Recently there was a government fund that gave subsidies for solar energy use depending on how many watts were being generated. My suggestion is that to relieve the grid, certain private and government sectors take the lead in using a renewable, free, non-polluting energy source for their own use. From there, I believe we can springboard into wider applications. Solar energy isn't the only answer, but I think it's a great start. Why there isn't Alternative Energy in the US by Cherrie Lynn Lippsett The reason we don't have alternative energy in use is because of the huge lobby of the oil, gas and coal industries. They don't care what is best for the US. They care only that they make money. Also there is the crazy plan of the neo cons to control the energy supplies of the world and thereby control the world. So the neo cons and the energy lobby have the same interest -- to keep the status quo. If our planet continues to use fossil fuels for energy we will pollute our atmosphere to the extent that we don't have even 100 years left. The energy industries know about this and so do the neo cons. That is one reason no more money has been put into the energy infrastructure we have now. As they are afraid if they do the rug will be pulled out from under them (the energy companies) and they will not recoup their investments. So if the power grid is updated it will be at a great increase in price of electricity to consumers as you can bet industry is not going to be left holding the bag. The neo cons don't have time left to take over the energy supply of the world and thereby control the world and if they did it would not be for long as we must changed to alternative energy sources soon or we perish as a planet and race. I do not know why "they" continue down this utterly insane path. WE CAN NOT FIX THE PRESENT POWER GRID SO IT IS FAIL PROOF. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE!! To change to individual fuels cells powering each structure has so many advantages and no disadvantages. I will say again I don't see why we just don't get a plan and start designing and manufacturing nuclear fuel cells for individual structures and just gradually make the change over. If we do it gradually (in the huge cities such as Los Angeles and New York City first) it will have less disruption on society. I wish I could speak to someone in the know so I could understand why we do not just go ahead and make the change. I personally believe if we do not make an effort soon to start changing away from fossil fuels this type of outage will continue to happen and maybe at more frequent rates and no matter how much money we spend on the grid we can not make it fool proof to numerous incidents happening in a short sequence of time. You say that won't happen very often. Will I am betting the laws of probability won't be on our side. Now I don't have any real inside information on this but I do kind of as I am in the know and do know exactly what is going on. We have more than enough fossil fuel to use it up. In fact the planet will be gone before we use up all the fossil fuel. That is not our problem. The fouling of our atmosphere is the problem. The common people are not told how much trouble we are really in because of polluting the atmosphere. At the rate the Neo cons are progressing in their showcase country, Iraq, we are in real danger as far as waiting tell they take over the energy supply of the world. The pipelines to deliver the oil are being blown up at an ever-increasing rate. THIS PLAN WILL NOT WORK NEO CONS!!! IT NEVER WOULD WOR!!!. YOU WERE TOLD THAT AT THE BEGINNING!!! YOU WERE TOLD YOU WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD ENERGY SUPPLY. YOU HAVE BETTER BELIEVE IN THE "WORD" AND QUIT TRYING!!! And that is a message from my power backer to the neo cons which sending through this site will get it to them as my emails are intercepted before being sent out. My power backer will not speak directly to this administration. Lets just say there is no love loss between the group I speak for and this administration. AND I AM ASKED TO REMIND THIS ADMINISTRATION AGAIN THAT THE GROUP THE ORACLE OF DELPHI (MY CODE NAME) SPEAKS FOR DEFINITELY CARRIES THE BIGGEST STICK IN THESE PARTS OF THE UNIVERSE!!!! |
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