Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Alternative Energy Now...Lets Stop Screwing Around

I made this blog up some time ago using the information that I could find available about the CCC which was one of Franklin Roosevelt's programs to put people to work after the depression in the 1930's. That was a bad time, but I really think that it is much worse this time.
By 1930, many people who had enjoyed the prosperity of the Roaring Twenties, found themselves in soup lines and tattered clothes.The stock market crash had devastated the nation's economy and left many in dire  straits.
Does this, in anyway, sound familiar? If it doesn't, you have not been reading the newspaper or watching TV.
It doesn't do any good to stand up and shake our fists at the banks, the mortgage companies, the real estate companies, the stock market manipulators, and a bunch of other greedy manipulative people that were largely responsible for the down fall in our economy. And there is plenty of  blame to be passed around to our  members of congress who screw up any good legislation that would help and pass  bad legislation that doesn't do "diddly squart" for the people but somehow  seems to benefit mostly themselves. This is not the point of this blog, although it could easily be.The point of my  blog is this; why don't we take this opportunity to work on "alternative energy projects". Help get us off fossil fuels  that supply us with gasoline and diesel fuel, the same fossil fuels that come from oil wells owned by people that really do not care too much for us, just our money and who pretty much can control the cost ot this fuel.
OK! ,That mostly covers  a need that this country should be facing right now.We are already late to the table on this. I think that this would be a good time  to mention one millionaire that I am very proud of, because he puts his money where his mouth is. He is T.Boone Pickens. I don't know all that he is doing, but I do know that he working hard to get our trucking industry to convert from diesel engines to natural gas engines. Natural gas doesn't have as much muscle as diesel has, but it apparently is close enough to work, because the diesel truck engines at some big seaports on the west coast have converted. I know that natural gas is non-renewable but the quantity of natural that we have  in  our reserves is enough to supply our usage for many years to come. By then, the natural gas can be phased out for some other source of alternative energy.
Joe Scarborough said to T.Boone Pickens one morning when he was a guest on his show.: "I will tell you this right now though. I would like that $2 billion a week to invest in what you're talking about, Boone, and that is transforming our economy and breaking our dependence on foreign oil from OPEC."
I know we get can get this done by working together.
OK! This is the other side of the coin. There are many  alternative energy projects out there in other countries. There is not a whole lot of effort being made around here in this country to "kick Butt" and get some of these projects going. What kind of projects am I talking about? Well, it wouldn't be a bad idea to investigate some of the Countries that are so much more advanced than we are on alternative energy and see how it is working out for them.
The United States is one of the most needy countries in the world when it comes to renewable alternative energy use. Why haven't we done more to advance alternative energy? President Barack Obama has shown a consistent commitment to changing the country's energy priority to renewable alternative technologies, such as solar, wind, hydro power  and other sources. Many colleges and universities in the country have already experimented with alternative power vehicles and technologies, and the president is optimistic about changing the energy grid and infrastructure to use alternative energy sources in place of fossil fuel use. This will minimize or end the dependence on foreign oil that this country is experiencing, and make energy more environmentally friendly with stable prices and supplies.
I wonder! Do you think that it's possible that the big oil companies might stand in the way of alternative  energy advancement by financing the election of politicians that would be sympathetic to big oil? Naw! Who would be low enough to put personal gain ahead of their Country???
Here are what some countries are doing about alternative energy.
2. Germany
Germany in recent years has made vast investments in renewable alternative technologies and implementation. In the year 2007, this country was the leader of the global community concerning solar pv production and alternative energy use. Wind and solar energy both play a large part in Germany, and the country is  prepared to switch to alternative energy sources which are renewable.
3. The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is well prepared to make the switch from fossil fuels to renewable alternative energy sources. This country is one of the leaders when it comes to offshore wind energy, which makes sense when you realize how windy the coastal areas of this country can be. Reducing fossil fuel use in the UK can be done fairly quickly and easily by switching to renewable alternative energy sources which have already been developed.
4. Sweden
When it comes to using and implementing renewable alternative energy sources that are good for the environment and the population, Sweden is probably one of the top countries in their area. For many years, going back decades, Sweden has advocated against energy sources which harm the environment and pollute it, in favor of green technologies. Sweden is hoping to be completely oil free by the year 2020, and will not have much difficulty meeting this goal because this country has always been against earth harming energy sources.
5. India
In recent years India has made a big commitment to renewable energy technologies, and they have been very successful when it comes to on shore wind energy generation and to building the infrastructure needed to use alternative energy sources that are widely available. Because India is considered a developing country makes  this country  one of the top seven that are preparing for the move away from fossil fuels. This country is number four when it comes to wind power generation capability, and hydropower is also starting to see a rise here as well, with almost one hundred and fifty projects planned in this area.
6. Denmark
You may wonder how Denmark is on a top seven list, when it is one of the smallest countries in the world, but since the oil embargo in the 1970s Denmark has been determined to move away from fossil fuels and head towards renewable alternative technologies for energy instead. Wind power meets at least one fifth of the country's needs for energy, and biomass also plays a big part. Common use of the public transportation systems and very low vehicle use, as well as conservation efforts by the population and strict energy requirements for buildings and homes.
7. Spain
Spain is one of the seven countries which are the most prepared to make the switch from fossil fuel use to renewable alternative energy generation and use. This country has invested significantly, and is completely prepared to use solar energy, wind energy, and biomass energy to replace the energy found in fossil fuels which are harmful
I included this section on the CCC not for the information but to show how our unemployed citizens can be utilitized on many of the alternative energy projects that we need to start working on.I know that it is not as simple as I make it look, but we do have people who want to work---WHERE ARE THE PROJECTS???
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________By 1930, many people who had enjoyed the prosperity of the Roaring Twenties found themselves in soup lines and tattered clothes.The stock market crash had devastated the nation's economy and left many in dire  straits. Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president in 1932 with his promise of a "new deal" for the American people. Within days of his inauguration, FDR called Congress into special session to work on emergency legislation. Agencies and programs was created. Roosevelt kept his promise and the New Deal was born.
One of these programs was the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), designed to reduce unemployment while also conserving natural resources. The CCC  changed the lives of several million people, along with Big Bend National Park and other like projects. Nicknamed "Roosevelt's Tree Army," the CCC was operated through the cooperative efforts of four departments. The Department of Labor oversaw the selection of enrollees, the Army ran the camps, and the Interior and Agriculture departments provided work projects..
Roads and trails were needed for the new park, and the  CCC  provided an ideal workforce.
As the generation who participated in the  CCC  passes, the legacy of their work lives on. When you visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park and drive the roads, stop at the River Bend Overlook, or hike out to the old East Entrance Station. Take a few moments to reflect on the  CCC , the men who labored on these projects, and the investment America made during its most desperate economic period. The Civilian Conservation Corps' hard work all those years ago still continues  to pay off  today

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