From NYTimes.com: Gore Calls for Carbon-Free Electric Power
“We’re borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Persian Gulf to burn it in ways that destroy the planet,” Mr. Gore said. “Every bit of that’s got to change.”
And it can change, he said, citing some scientists’ estimates that enough solar energy falls on the surface of the earth in 40 minutes to meet the world’s energy needs for a year, and that the winds that blow across the Midwest every day could meet the country’s daily electricity needs.
“Of course, there are those who will tell us that this can’t be done,” he conceded. “But even those who reap the profits of the carbon age have to recognize the inevitability of its demise. As one OPEC oil minister observed, ‘The Stone Age didn’t end because of a shortage of stones.’ “
It’s critical that we have bold leadership going forward who are willing to invest in developing new technology to free us from our dependence on foreign oil. An “Apollo” type investment in renewable energy could help end this dependence on carbon based fuels and create new high tech energy related industries and jobs. I think people are beginning to realize the seriousness of our energy problem and the time may have finally arrived for change.
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