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Idea to send: |
| Topic | renewable fuels, sustainable society |
| Content | Our growth in this country is stagnant from many perspectives. In many ways we are actually moving backwards. We have been relying on fossil fuels to power our homes, businesses, cars and airplanes for well over a century. In this time there have been few significant advances in fuel efficiency. Meanwhile these fuels continue to pollute our environment and effect the climate, create hazardous air pollution and ultimately affect the ability of the planet to support our ever increasing numbers. My idea is simple-Our homes and businesses should use energy from sustainable and renewable resources that do not pollute the environment. Our vehicles and airplanes should also be powered by fuels that are clean and renewable. These technologies exist. Many of the alternative fuel sources that could accomplish this have been around for the last 30-40 years or longer. The only reason they have not been further developed and put into use is because the fossil fuel companies and our government have blocked them at every pass. They do not want to find alternatives that would free us from our dependence on foreign oil and make America a truly free country. If they really wanted that, it would have happened by now. Currently all our eggs are in one basket - fossil fuels, which are in steady decline and once they're gone they're gone. It will take many different technologies to feed our energy needs and it won't happen overnight, but it needs to start now or soon we will have no fossil fuels left to feed our needs. Solar, wind, biofuels, hydrogen and many other options should be our source of energy. We should reduce our energy needs by making our homes and businesses more energy efficient, choosing more efficient appliances and lighting, using public transportation and recycling our waste. The only way to accomplish this is for our government to pass regulations requiring these higher efficiency standards, impose fines and taxes for pollution causing technologies, and tax breaks for those that increase our efficiency and are environmentally friendly. Oklahoma needs to take a leading role in pushing these standards. Our future our health and ultimately the world depends on it. |
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