News about Solar, Wind and alternative green power technologies

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., referred to the American economy as a system that is maintained by “energy from hell”, during his lecture in September at the Memorial Coliseum. There is a definite relationship between the decline in the United States economy, their foreign policy agenda, and their dependence on coal and oil. We are now witnessing the destructive impact of these policies on the lives of Americans.

The answer to this reliance can be found in the solar energy generated naturally from the sun’s rays. 

Citizens of the United States believe in the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However, these rights are threatened by manufacturers that pollute the environment and by corporations that restrain the development of natural, renewable energy sources. 

Big businesses are always trying to convince their consumers they are making progress towards creating a cleaner environment and providing a better way of life, while they hold back the development of renewable energy sources. Their only concern is for the bottom line profitability of the company, regardless of the cost to society. The government has also contributed to this flawed philosophy by lending their support to the oil industry with trillions of dollars in subsidies.

By lending money to oil producers, the US government’s debt load continues to grow. The supply of oil is dwindling, while the government continues to throw more money into this industry. The world’s supply of oil is rapidly decreasing and is estimated to last only another seven years, according to Royal Dutch Shell. Instead of investing in a dying industry, the government should be putting their money into renewable energy sources that have future growth potential.
 
Time is of the essence, and new energy sources need to be developed now to reduce the dependency of the American economy on oil. Instead of battling wars over oil and increasing their indebtedness to foreign countries, Americans need to become self sufficient in their production of energy.
 
Oil threatens the lives of Americans by polluting the environment, the air, and the water. When accidental oil spills occur or when oil is disposed of improperly, then the environment suffers. 

Coal mining also destroys the environment by polluting the waterways. Fish that live in freshwater lakes have been contaminated with mercury that is caused from coal burning. The level of mercury in these fish poses a significant threat to the consumer, according to the Center for Disease Control.
 
The US Geological Survey sampled fish from 291 streams throughout the United States, and reported that every fish sampled contained mercury contamination. One in four of these fish had enough mercury to be dangerous for human consumption. These levels of mercury pollution result in sterile lakes, and cause birth defects. The largest producer of mercury contamination is coal fired power plants.

Those states that suffer most from the coal mining industry are West Virginia and Kentucky, and the beautiful Appalachian Mountains are also poisoned by coal mining.

Poor working conditions prevail for those who earn their living by mining coal, yet their own tax dollars support this industry. Not only are their wages taxed, but when roads are paved with asphalt to transport the coal trucks, it is their tax dollars that pay for the highway improvements. 

If a renewable energy source such as solar power can be harnessed, then the reliance on coal and oil can be reduced and even eliminated. The endless cycle of pollution, poison, and poverty can be broken. The sun’s energy occurs naturally and is freely supplied. This energy source is reliable, supplied fresh each day, and will never decrease or run dry. Solar energy does not harm our environment and is clean to use. 

Once the energy grid is installed, then solar energy is freely supplied. Any excess power can be sold back to power companies at prevailing market rates. Energy that is good for the environment is also good for the economy. By using the sun’s rays for energy, the United States can lower its dependency on oil and coal and improve the well being of its citizens.