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Dependence Day
Jun 07, 2011
Another July 4th is coming soon, and we'll sing with pride about living in the land of the free and the home of the brave. But freedom and bravery are ambiguous words. Our freedom to maintain an American lifestyle depends on oil from foreign countries, and the alternatives of coal and natural gas would entrap us in a poisoned environment.
And how brave are we? Revolutionary Americans had great courage, throwing off the shackles of foreign rule, fighting for self-sufficiency. The modern version of that fight is energy independence. It may not be as difficult as we think.
A study by Stanford University and the University of Delaware found that the construction of 166,000 wind turbines along the Atlantic Coast could produce 1/3 of U.S. energy demand. Another study by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that up to 80% of our energy needs could be met by renewables with 40 years of dedicated effort. A recent report in the journal Energy Policy asserts that most of the world's energy needs can be met within 20 years, if our political and business leaders make the proper commitment. Sufficient materials are available for wind turbines and solar plants, and the cost of scaled-up renewables would be competitive with that of an oil-based economy.
The main impetus behind such a massive effort would not be the threat of global warming, still a controversial issue in the eyes of conservatives. Alternative energy is simply good business. It's working in Germany, the World's first major "Renewable Energy Economy." In the U.S., millions of labor-intensive jobs would be created to construct the concrete and steel wind turbines and the miles of solar panels. And startup costs would eventually lessen health care expenses, as air and water pollution levels drop.
Our giant oil firms, those brave enough to lead the way, will truly and finally be "taking on the world's toughest energy challenges." Perhaps we'll let them host the party when we celebrate our newfound independence.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
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Paul Buchheit
Paul Buchheit is an advocate for social and economic justice, and the author of numerous papers on economic inequality and cognitive science. He was recently named one of 300 Living Peace and Justice Leaders and Models. He is the author of "American Wars: Illusions and Realities" (2008) and "Disposable Americans: Extreme Capitalism and the Case for a Guaranteed Income" (2017). Contact email: paul (at) youdeservefacts.org.
Another July 4th is coming soon, and we'll sing with pride about living in the land of the free and the home of the brave. But freedom and bravery are ambiguous words. Our freedom to maintain an American lifestyle depends on oil from foreign countries, and the alternatives of coal and natural gas would entrap us in a poisoned environment.
And how brave are we? Revolutionary Americans had great courage, throwing off the shackles of foreign rule, fighting for self-sufficiency. The modern version of that fight is energy independence. It may not be as difficult as we think.
A study by Stanford University and the University of Delaware found that the construction of 166,000 wind turbines along the Atlantic Coast could produce 1/3 of U.S. energy demand. Another study by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that up to 80% of our energy needs could be met by renewables with 40 years of dedicated effort. A recent report in the journal Energy Policy asserts that most of the world's energy needs can be met within 20 years, if our political and business leaders make the proper commitment. Sufficient materials are available for wind turbines and solar plants, and the cost of scaled-up renewables would be competitive with that of an oil-based economy.
The main impetus behind such a massive effort would not be the threat of global warming, still a controversial issue in the eyes of conservatives. Alternative energy is simply good business. It's working in Germany, the World's first major "Renewable Energy Economy." In the U.S., millions of labor-intensive jobs would be created to construct the concrete and steel wind turbines and the miles of solar panels. And startup costs would eventually lessen health care expenses, as air and water pollution levels drop.
Our giant oil firms, those brave enough to lead the way, will truly and finally be "taking on the world's toughest energy challenges." Perhaps we'll let them host the party when we celebrate our newfound independence.
Paul Buchheit
Paul Buchheit is an advocate for social and economic justice, and the author of numerous papers on economic inequality and cognitive science. He was recently named one of 300 Living Peace and Justice Leaders and Models. He is the author of "American Wars: Illusions and Realities" (2008) and "Disposable Americans: Extreme Capitalism and the Case for a Guaranteed Income" (2017). Contact email: paul (at) youdeservefacts.org.
Another July 4th is coming soon, and we'll sing with pride about living in the land of the free and the home of the brave. But freedom and bravery are ambiguous words. Our freedom to maintain an American lifestyle depends on oil from foreign countries, and the alternatives of coal and natural gas would entrap us in a poisoned environment.
And how brave are we? Revolutionary Americans had great courage, throwing off the shackles of foreign rule, fighting for self-sufficiency. The modern version of that fight is energy independence. It may not be as difficult as we think.
A study by Stanford University and the University of Delaware found that the construction of 166,000 wind turbines along the Atlantic Coast could produce 1/3 of U.S. energy demand. Another study by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that up to 80% of our energy needs could be met by renewables with 40 years of dedicated effort. A recent report in the journal Energy Policy asserts that most of the world's energy needs can be met within 20 years, if our political and business leaders make the proper commitment. Sufficient materials are available for wind turbines and solar plants, and the cost of scaled-up renewables would be competitive with that of an oil-based economy.
The main impetus behind such a massive effort would not be the threat of global warming, still a controversial issue in the eyes of conservatives. Alternative energy is simply good business. It's working in Germany, the World's first major "Renewable Energy Economy." In the U.S., millions of labor-intensive jobs would be created to construct the concrete and steel wind turbines and the miles of solar panels. And startup costs would eventually lessen health care expenses, as air and water pollution levels drop.
Our giant oil firms, those brave enough to lead the way, will truly and finally be "taking on the world's toughest energy challenges." Perhaps we'll let them host the party when we celebrate our newfound independence.
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