Energy can be generated any number of ways and takes many different forms…Solar, Nuclear, Wind, Hydro, Coal, Natural Gas, Oil. In the 21st Century, the challenge will be to continue to create more energy to meet the needs of an ever-expanding population as our energy creating natural resources shrink.
There is consensus in the United States that we must wean ourselves away from polluting fossil fuels. In his State of the Union message in January of 2008, President Bush, an oil man, laid out a plan that spoke specifically about almost everything except oil.
Here are some excerpts from President Bush’s address to Congress. (January 27,2008)
Our third goal is to promote energy independence for our country, while dramatically improving the environment. I have sent you a comprehensive energy plan to promote energy efficiency and conservation, to develop cleaner technology, and to produce more energy at home. I have sent you Clear Skies legislation that mandates a 70-percent cut in air pollution from power plants over the next 15 years. I have sent you a Healthy Forests Initiative, to help prevent the catastrophic fires that devastate communities, kill wildlife, and burn away millions of acres of treasured forest.
I urge you to pass these measures, for the good of both our environment and our economy. Even more, I ask you to take a crucial step and protect our environment in ways that generations before us could not have imagined.
In this century, the greatest environmental progress will come about not through endless lawsuits or command-and-control regulations, but through technology and innovation. Tonight I'm proposing $1.2 billion in research funding so that America can lead the world in developing clean, hydrogen-powered automobiles.
A single chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen generates energy, which can be used to power a car -- producing only water, not exhaust fumes. With a new national commitment, our scientists and engineers will overcome obstacles to taking these cars from laboratory to showroom, so that the first car driven by a child born today could be powered by hydrogen, and pollution-free.
Join me in this important innovation to make our air significantly cleaner, and our country much less dependent on foreign sources of energy.
Let’s take a closer look at energy…with emphasis on what we, as individuals, can do to conserve our energy producing natural resources while working to develop and improve clean energy sources.
Oil / Gasoline
As gasoline continues its’ inexorable move toward $4.00 a gallon, most Americans are looking for ways to either spend less on gasoline… or get better mileage from the fuel they buy.
Here’s a neat website that has 30 gas-saving tips you can start using right now.
http://www.howtoadvice.com/savinggas
Properly inflating your tires may be the best tip of all… check out this site.
http://pumpemup.org/
Coal
Here are the facts. The United States has more than 27% of all the coal reserves in the world. More than 50% of the electricity generated in the US comes from coal. And, at least for the foreseeable future, coal will continue to be a major fuel source for the generation of electricity.
Coal is also dirty. And… while some have touted the advances made recently in creating clean fuel from coal, the fact remains the release of dangerous emissions into the atmosphere is having a negative effect on the quality of our air.
The Federal Government is investing billions into finding a way to make coal “cleaner”. With more recoverable coal within our borders than any other nation… it’s incumbent on us to find a way. Here’s what the Department of Energy is saying about clean coal.
http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/powersystems/cleancoal/
Environmentalists, on the other hand, are saying that “clean coal” is an oxymoron. They say the answer lies in finding alternatives to coal.
http://www.sierraclub.org/coal/
Natural Gas
While the United States has only 3% of the world reserves of Natural Gas, scientific advances have increased the efficiency of this fuel dramatically. And the use of fuel cell technology has enabled this fossil fuel to be the cleanest yet.
http://www.naturalgas.org/environment/technology.asp
Fuel cells can be used in all sorts of vehicles. The Pinellas SunCoast Transit Authority has been using natural gas as a fuel since 1998. And designers the world over are incorporating this clean fuel technology into more and more vehicles every year.
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/transportation/fuelcells.html
Solar Power
Seems like a no-brainer, doesn’t it. The Sun, after all, is the source for all the energy that exists on the planet. And… the best estimates are we’ll have it as a source for 5 billion more years.
Florida, also known as the Sunshine State, is in a pretty good position to take advantage of this source… although not quite as efficiently as our neighbors in the desert SouthWest.
Plenty of research has been done on solar energy. Check out this site and plan a visit to the State of Florida’s Solar Energy Center. The 20-acre research complex on Florida's Space Coast is adjacent to the University of Central Florida’s Cocoa Campus. This state-of-the-art research campus is composed of a number of buildings that provide office, laboratory, and test facilities.
http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/
For more information on eco-friendly energy tips, check out the Pinellas Living Green Expo, coming May 3 and 4th to the Harborview Center in Clearwater. Click here.
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