Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Energy Policy Ideas: Part III

Use of energy is a stewardship and accountability issue, in my opinion. For those reasons, I believe it is immoral and unethical for our government not to have developed a reasonable and comprehensive energy policy by now for the well-being of the American population. Because I believe it is a stewardship issue, I’m addressing it in this blog.

We had wake-up calls in the 1970s with the oil crises of that era, and we did nothing. We have had massive black-outs that show how antiquated and inadequate our electricity delivery system is, and we have done nothing. We have severe problems in the Middle East, and we have done nothing. Most of our oil suppliers hate us, and we have done nothing.

What will it take? Once things get to a crisis point, government will finally act, but by then it will be too little, too late, and much too expensive. We need to put pressure on our elected officials to finally to do their job. To put the American people at such risk is, to me, dereliction of duty. Yet very few candidates for president even talk about energy policy, let alone have some good ideas concerning it. Politicians have to do more than talk and give vague ideas.

Unfortunately, the American people won’t be happy with any policy enacted, even if it is for our own good. Energy policy will have to be rammed down our throats because we, as a people, don’t particularly want to make sacrifices for the common good. For example, we continue to drive large SUVs and pickup trucks that cost a lot to buy, cost a lot to insure, and cost a lot to fuel up. Yet we don’t want to give up our beloved large vehicles. We don’t buy energy-saving light bulbs, Energy Star appliances, and don’t want to adjust our thermostats to more economical settings. We don’t want wind farms because they spoil our view, we don’t want coal-fired electrical plants because they pollute the air, and we don’t want nuclear plants because they might release radiation.

Just how are we to maintain our standard of living while conserving our non-renewable resources? The tree-huggers say we need to conserve, and that is certainly true. However, conservation will not solve our problem by a long shot. We have a serious dilemma, and it will take determination and a strong national will to resolve. God gave us this earth and its resources to use wisely. It’s time we start doing so.

See a future posting for some of my ideas.

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