Tell the President, Congress and Your Governor What You Think About Energy and Global Warming
Contact information for Government Officials – Send them your opinions about the Energy Crisis and Global Warming
President – contact the President or Vice President
U.S. Senators – search for your Senators and visit their websites
U.S. Representatives – contact your U.S. Representative
State Governors – contact information for your Governor
State Legislators – State Legislators by U.S. states and territories
Drilling for Oil Off-Shore is Politically Sensitive
Can we afford not to drill off shore?
The “not in my back yard” attitude regarding drilling for oil off-shore and at other environmentally sensitive areas is hurting our ability to move forward. The same is true for Wind Farms and Nuclear Power Plants:
Oil Consumption, Policy and Subsidies
And What McCain and Obama Say About Energy
The United States consumes more oil than any other nation in the world, and about 60 percent of it is imported. Record-high oil prices and growing frustrations over U.S. foreign policy’s being driven by oil interests have reignited a years-old debate over whether the United States should be relying on foreign oil. Meanwhile, 2008 presidential candidates, left and right, promise voters “energy independence.”
The United States consumes 21 million barrels of oil per day, more than any other nation — this amounts to about 25 percent of the world’s total consumption. Yet the United States has only 3 percent of the world’s proven oil reserves. That 3 percent yields about 5 million barrels per day, and if production were to remain at the same level, the reserves would last 11 or 12 years.
MIT teams with United Arab Emirates on Renewable Energy Initiative
The US Government is caught sleeping
In February, 2007 the United Arab Emirates contracted with MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) to support their renewable energy initiative. Wouldn’t it be great to see MIT and 50 – 75 other leading US research universities working on major energy research and development projects right here in the US, in collaboration with US Government National Laboratories and corporations.
Might this research lead to opportunities for exporting alternative energy generating equipment?
United Arab Emirates teams with MIT to go renewable
Renewable Energy World article
Energy is the single most important challenge facing humanity today.
—Nobel Laureate Rick Smalley, April 2004, Testimony to U.S. Senate
Spending on Energy Research at Universities and US Government National Labs is Anemic
Energy Sites – Renewable energy, energy conservation, energy research
Some interesting energy and global warming research is being done at Universities and US Government National Laboratories, but the funding is very limited and the efforts need a coordinated national effort. The brains are out there in the Universities, National Labs and in corporations. Unfortunately, the brains are not yet activated in Washington. The war in Iraq is costing the US Government (and taxpayers) $150 billion/year. Imagine the payback if we would spend only $3 – $5 billion/year for energy research at our leading research universities? These websites provide an idea of the research underway at several universities and US Government National Labs:
Making Your Business Greener
“Going Green” — How to Make Your Business Greener
Whether your company has started to focus on “Going Green” or not, there are many things companies can do to reduce energy consumption and be more environmentally friendly. Some companies have already done a lot to conserve energy and other resources and to reduce their carbon footprint. Others haven’t started and have a great opportunity in front of them to Go Green. As energy prices escalate, energy technology improves and new ways to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions becomes available, more companies and governmental departments are Going Green.
Going Green article with tips for Going Green - Tips for helping businesses save money and become environmentally responsible.
Conduct “Going Green” Surveys - Survey your employees for their Going Green ideas and to assess their level of awareness about your organization’s Going Green initiatives.
15 Things You Can Do to Save Money on Energy
Take personal action and save money on energy…then contact Washington…here’s how:
Dow Chemical raises prices, says federal government created “energy crisis”
by The Bay City Times
Wednesday May 28, 2008, 2:31 PM
MIDLAND – Dow Chemical Co. announced today it would raise prices by up to 20 percent on its products, blaming soaring energy and raw material costs.
Dow Chairman and CEO Andrew N. Liveris criticized the federal government for creating what he called “a true energy crisis.”
Long Term, the Price of Oil and Gasoline Will Likely be Much Higher
Unless action is taken now
This is especially true if the US and other countries fail to address the energy crisis now in a meaningful way. However, if the US and other countries meet the energy challenge head-on with the needed resources and resolve, oil prices can go down and stay down long term.
The WTRG Economics website includes graphs and analysis on oil price history, demonstrating how oil prices can rise and fall based on world crises and other factors. Another good site with oil price history is at http://www.ioga.com/Special/crudeoil_Hist.htm. The graphs show historical oil pricing through the beginning of 2007, when the price of oil peaked to approximately $70/barrel. In just a year the price has now almost doubled.
What is needed is a comprehensive energy plan that attacks the global warming problem while at the same time it focuses on creating an adequate long-term supply of affordable energy. This will need to include reducing carbon emissions from carbon-based fuels (oil, coal, natural gas) and a massive program to create large-scale alternative energy industries (bio fuels, solar energy, nuclear energy, fuel cells, etc.).
Was Thomas Malthus Right? Are We Doomed?
Has the World’s Population Finally Outstripped Energy and Other Natural Resources?
“A Malthusian catastrophe (sometimes called a Malthusian check, Malthusian crisis, Malthusian dilemma, Malthusian disaster, Malthusian trap, Malthusian controls or Malthusian limit) is a return to subsistence-level conditions as a result of population growth outpacing agricultural production” – Do you think Malthus right? Are we approaching a Malthusian catastrophe? …..Wikipedia full article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malthusian_catastrophe
