Issues: Environment
Stewardship is key. We are stewards of our world. We cannot forego our responsibilities. We are caretakers, not consumers in the overall scheme of the planet. To maintain our world, we must continue to work aggressively in the search for sources of energy that reduce our dependence on fossil fuels like coal and oil. We cannot depend on steady supplies of any fossil into the distant future. In addition, those fuels contribute to pollution of the environment and to global warming. We must pursue safe and clean alternative fuels for our future.
As a strong advocate for peace, I propose we redirect much of our military spending into the search for alternative energy. Basic and applied research can be funded by the dollars not spent at war if we but change direction a bit. The search for and provision of sustainable energy can be a source of jobs far into the future.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the Federal government is given responsibility for monitoring and protecting our natural resources. In recent years, we have seen increasing laxity and failure to enforce regulations concerning pollution by industry. In the last several months, moves have been made to loosen significantly the regulation of large industrial polluters. This course must not only be stopped, but must be reversed to restore faith of the public in the EPA and its regulatory functions.
Wind
Windmill farms need to be deployed. Basic research into configuration and design for maximum efficiency must be funded. Delaware has large areas with wind speeds that are capable of generating electricity. With careful attention to environmental impact these farms can be functional without serious impact. Governments and private groups around the ,world have windmill farms installed or planned for the near future. The US currently ranks third in wind production of electricity, with Germany far ahead of all others.
Noise pollution is a common concern expressed by opponents of windmill farms. With appropriate physical structure and turbine management, studies show this to be an insignificant issue.
Solar
Much basic research must be funded to improve the conversion of solar energy to electricity. Tax credits to allow homeowners and businesses to install these available devices will help. Zoning laws must be changed to allow easy installation of solar collectors. Electricity created above the needs of a household or a business should be put into the grid and purchased by the local energy company. The company can sell the energy to other customers. This arrangement benefits both the individual consumer and other consumers, as the energy company may rely on smaller production capacity.
Wave Technology
Two-thirds of the global surface is covered by ocean water. Delaware is a state with lengthy beachfront access to the ocean. With attention both to the environment and to the appearance of the devices, harnessing the energy in the ocean waves is possible. Several types of these devices are available to capture the energy in ocean surface waves. With additional basic research and development, the ocean waves may become a major source of electricity far into the future.
Automobiles
Higher fuel economy standards are needed across the board. American manufactures must be pushed by federal standards embodied in the Corporate Average Fuel Economy to improve the performance of their vehicles. Foreign car manufacturers are leading the race today. American manufacturers need both incentives in the form of tax breaks for research and development and standards that must be met in order to regain the lead.
Energy Consumption
Lower energy appliances and energy efficient light bulbs are already available. Increased use of both must be encouraged. Light-emitting diode and compact fluorescent technology are both available, and are the subject of ongoing development and research in the future. Simple suggestions for saving energy include:
- Turning off unnecessary light fixtures.
- Cooking outside in the summer.
- Cooling the house at night and leaving the house closed in the day until outside and inside temperatures are the same. Once the temperatures are equal, the windows should be opened for ventilation.
- Take a cool shower outdoors when the heat and humidity become unbearable.
- Be sure outside windows and the outside parts of air conditioners are shaded in summertime. This will allow more efficient operation of the appliances and keeps heat from entering the house from the windows.
- Stay well hydrated by drinking water, not sugared drinks.
- Dress for the occasion. Light colored and lightweight fabrics work best in the summer. Darker clothes and heavier clothing keeps in the warm in the cold months.
- In winter time, close off unused parts of the house and heat those parts as little as possible.
All energy-saving technology, automobiles, and appliances should be evaluated in terms of the real costs to the environment. A specific model of car may have fine gas mileage numbers, but what of the costs of the elements in the machine such as the battery minerals? Another vehicle using more gasoline may be produced in a very "green" factory from parts with much less environmental impact. Every aspect of any product should be recognized and evaluated in order to produce the least change in the environment over the course of time.
I have no ties to corporate America. Without such ties, I can stand for the public in environmental issues. We must act to clean up our air and our water. We must fund ongoing research projects seeking alternative energy sources. We can no longer continue a course that makes both air and water commodities to be traded and used like other resources. We must protect our forests and our rivers if we are to survive as a species. Clean air and clean water standards must be strengthened. Pollution controls must be increased and standards made much more rigorous.
Energy Policy
Global warming is a reality on our horizon. The polar ice caps are melting. Glaciers are retreating around the world. Ocean levels are rising. Some of this activity is the result of natural factors, but a large part is the contribution of greenhouse gases by mankind. We have an opportunity to stem that tide if we act now and take major steps. We must reduce our burning of fossil fuels (notably oil and coal). If we fail to act and act soon we may lose more than we can afford to the forces of nature.
Any and all steps taken must be driven by scientific fact and not by political considerations. Respected scientists around the world suggest target reductions of greenhouse gas emissions by developed nations including the United States to include 25% below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. These are realistic goals and serve as a fine starting point. I support these beginning goals. This may not be enough in the end, but at least may stave off catastrophic change.
How do we achieve these reductions? One reasonable means with scientific support is a cap and trade auction for greenhouse gas emissions. This allows every generator of greenhouse gases to buy a permit for their emissions. The price will be set by market pressures. Emissions beyond permitted levels must be met with significant fines. There should be no allowance for foreign permits where the actual offset in emissions cannot be supervised and confirmed. Principles of fairness, accountability, and openness must prevail at all times in the entire process.
Emission permits can be sold at open auction with all proceeds to be returned to the public in terms of support for coping with rising energy costs. Monies from the auction may go as direct subsidies to those unable to pay heating bills for example. Other funds may be used to support solar or wind installations by private individuals. We need public programs to help people move to renewable energy for their own homes and for businesses across the nation.
With money from the cap and trade auction I envision a system by which people are given low interest loans, subsidies for purchase, and lease arrangements which allow any person to install solar or wind power generators on their property. The same subsidies should extend to geothermal energy as well. We must move toward a full renewable energy nation.
Public buildings at every level of government must be required to install renewable energy sources. Solar panels may be used on most any roof. New construction of every sort both commercial and residential must begin to meet new and stringent requirements for energy conservation. In cities and towns across the nation solar panels should be installed on every available rooftop. At a minimum solar hot water heaters may be used in almost any residential or commercial building. Proceeds from a cap and trade auction for emissions can support this widespread application.
Higher standards for fuel efficiency in our automobiles is essential. Standards of 50 miles per gallon or more are not out of reach. In addition we need expanded public transportation systems which are as energy efficient as possible. Transportation accounts for nearly 25% of emissions in the United States today. We can do much to reduce that total in the future.
Biofuels such as ethanol and methanol must be put into more use. At the same time we must take care not to protect our food chain and our forests in this process. We must pursue ethanol production from non-food crops. We may use discarded cellulose from various sources but we cannot afford corn based ethanol as a primary fuel source. We must protect our global forests from both lumbering for cellulose sources and from deforestation to provide room to grow sugar cane and other crops for ethanol generation. Balance is important and safeguards must be insured at all levels of the process.
We should place a moratorium on the building of any additional coal fired energy plants in the nation. Coal is the dirtiest of all our energy resources. From the ravages of mining to the dangers of emissions coal is a poor choice if we are to protect our environment. Conventional coal fired generating plants in operation today must reduce their emissions to the lowest possible point as they continue to operate. We as a nation need their energy today and cannot afford to close these plants. And yet we can ill afford to allow their continued operation without reduced emissions in the future.
We must avoid the pitfalls of nuclear power. Nuclear power is the most costly means of producing energy when the costs of construction and maintenance are factored into the equation. The wastes generated in the generation process will contaminate our globe for thousands of years into the future. In addition the current technology requires millions of gallons of circulating water for cooling. This damages the local water environment killing fish and changing the flora in the discharge water.
We must resist any move by our government to subsidize the nuclear power industry at the cost of our environment. The same dollars invested in renewable energy sources and research will provide much greater end benefits to all of civilization. If at some future time new nuclear technology allows energy generation without the dangers inherent in our current processes we can reconsider the issue but until that time we must resist the temptation to deploy additional reactors.
We must begin to require our electrical energy producers to find renewable sources by setting goals of at least 20% renewable energy by 2015. Only with strict standards may we hope to bring about a clean energy future.
We as a nation should lead the world in conservation and in environmental protection. If we apply our resources and current technology we could be independent of carbon based fuels in a generation or two. The necessary changes will have a cost, but failure to make these changes will demand a price we cannot afford to pay in the end.
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