Alternative Energy, Here and Now
Profile Information
- Are you interested in becoming an organizer in your area?
- Maybe--But Not Sure What to Organize
- Tell us about your experience with alternative energy:
- Big proponent of wind energy based on economics and geopolitics
- What excites you about this campaign?
- Large groups of people, together, make a movement. I don't want to be the guy standing on the sidelines, watching.
- What do you want to do to help?
- I tell people about the Pickens Plan whenever the opportunity to discuss energy or politics comes up.
Karl's Blog
getting people to buy wind power through their electric companies
Hey there, everyone!
I'm thinking about having a "fund drive" at work to get people to pay just a few extra dollars a month for their electricity, since the local utility here (RG&E) has a program--New Wind Energy--where people can sign up to get their electricity "from wind".
Anybody have any experience with this kind of thing? I'm thinking about contacting some other companies in the area and working wit… Continue
I'm thinking about having a "fund drive" at work to get people to pay just a few extra dollars a month for their electricity, since the local utility here (RG&E) has a program--New Wind Energy--where people can sign up to get their electricity "from wind".
Anybody have any experience with this kind of thing? I'm thinking about contacting some other companies in the area and working wit… Continue
Posted on February 9, 2009 at 8:26pm —
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Please let me know if you get to talk to Louise Slaughter. Keep in touch.
27FEB09
Honorable Speaker of the House Congresswoman Pelosi,
I am an Electronic Technician Chief in the US Navy with 27 years service stationed overseas. I’m outlying an idea to assist and work with current plans for achieving energy independence. I urge you, as speaker of the house and the driving force to form the select committee on energy independence and global warming, consider for discussion and introduction into the house US Treasury Savings Bonds for Energy Independance.
In WWII America sold war bonds supporting the war effort. When young, my mother told me her primary school raised enough money through bonds to build a tank to support troops. I am impressed with the patriotism and purpose of our greatest generation that accomplished so much.
Selling energy bonds for RE (Renewable Energy) development would lower foreign oil imports and assist with the complex problem of funding. Bonds sold as “Energy S” could support new solar trough plants, “Energy W” to support wind farms, Energy “H” to support hydroelectric plants, Energy “T” to support RE transportation such as electric bullet train routes powered by RE, Energy "C" COOPS for small communities only needing a small quantity of turbines, and Energy “I” for needed infrastructure high voltage power lines to the RE site. Bonds will have the project name and include an artist’s perspective of the project and an American flag. President Obama had great success with the internet during his campaign. In a similar manner, using the internet, energy bonds could have a website listing current projects and an “electronic checkout” could purchase a bond $25 or higher. Simpler methods of payment such as “PAYPAL” and credit cards would be available and after an electronic purchase is complete a color print out of the bond is available with a follow up of the bond in the mail. The website would limit quantity of projects for each category until funding is complete. After a project becomes funded, a new project will be available. A tab on the site will show history and status of previous projects. Purchasers may take great pride in “collecting” and displaying bonds of various RE projects and participating at different levels of financial support. Solar trough plants in the multi-hundred MW size capacity with molten salt energy storage in California, Arizona, and West Texas can provide a major portion of electric needs. North Dakota has potential to support 1/3 of our nations electric needs in it’s class 4 wind zone areas. There are plenty of suitable proposed wind turbine farms now around the nation to significantly increase our RE if funded. Mid sized hydro-electric has not been used in America to it’s full potential. Following the example of our neighbor, Canada, it would provide a significant increase in percentage of electric production. Developing all three we could provide the majority of our electric and heating needs through renewable energy in a "New New Deal" fashion allowing natural gas for transportation as T. Boone Pickens is working for. Bullet train routes have proven a viable alternative to commercial domestic air service and when powered by electricity provided by RE suppliers America would be in the forefront of world technology. Example, I heard of discussion for a commuter train from Denver to Colorado Springs. Such a route built as a renewable energy project with charter requirement legally requiring to only purchase electricity from available renewable energy sources would be a model example. There are many train routes, city bus systems, and government vehicles that can be converted to run from alternative energy sources and fuels. Jobs created would bolster the economy, lower trade deficit, and strengthen national security. I would take great pride in print outs of bonds with graphics of each project I supported and many other Americans would also. The energy bonds could have tax breaks. BLM lands may be a viable place to start for some projects.
I contacted the US treasury department and was told that the marketing department for savings bonds closed several years ago. I was told there would be problems because savings bonds are at the federal level while the projects will be at the state and local level. I disagree and believe that these can easily be figured out in the way of grants to the state and local level using money from the bonds for those specific projects. I was told to check out auctions on the www.treasurydirect.gov website and found them to not apply to citizens wanting to buy savings bonds to support a cause such as energy independance. I was told by the treasury department to look into CREB (Clean Renewable Energy Bonds). I found CREB to be large scale funding that a citizen would not be able to participate in as a US Treasury Energy Independance Bond would provide. If given the tools to participate directly, the power of the citizens of the United States to help achieve energy independance could not be denied. Americans mean well and the Energy Independance Savings bond program will give citizens the power at their level to make it happen. If marketed through a web page, commercials, and to federal employees the word would get out and participation would spread like wildfire.
Mr. Paul Gipe, a resident of Bakersfield CA, an author of several books about wind energy, and recipient of multiple awards as a pioneer in the industry since the 1970's has put a letter I wrote to Senator Dorgan on this subject as well as an older letter I wrote on wind COOP in JAN07. These websites are:
http://www.wind-works.org/coopwind/RenewableEnergyBondsforEnergyIndependence.html
and
http://www.wind-works.org/articles/AmericanEnergyIndependencethroughCooperativeInvestmentinWindEnergy.html
Sincerely and very respectfully,
ETC(SW/AW) Mike Kendall USN
Mailing address: PSC 476, Box 879, FPO AP, 96322 USA
Telephone (803) 265-4756, Email: ke6cvh@yahoo.com
EMAIL A LETTER TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES BY USING OUR EASY RED "CONTACT CONGRESS" BUTTON - - With little effort, we have the ability here for you to send a letter to President Obama, our Representatives in Washington and your Governor, too.
Click here to help organize the New Energy Army in your Congressional District! Sign up to be a District Leader today.
Go to the MY ENERGY page. Register and make your voice count.
Go to THE PLEDGE Lend your voice to the call for American energy independence Fill in the short, standard form. Done!
Download the Pledge/Petition : get them signed, fax them in to the 888# at the bottom of the pledge, asap.
This is how we build our numbers fast! Be a leader, be a part of the "100 CLUB", by faxing in 100 signed pledge. Let Kim Anderson know when you are done and she will see that you are added to the list.
YOU CAN ALSO HELP BY BRINGING 5 FOLKS TO JOIN the site today, so that we can build a voice big enough that Congress will finally have to listen to us, instead of the lobbyists and special interests, who are trying to derail this historic effort.
If you answered "YES" to Interested in becoming an organizer, there are several things I can recommend. Join the following Groups:
Organizers & Leaders
Online Action Army
Guides & Materials for New Members
On the upper right corner of Your Page, click on "States" to visit the Push Pickens Community for your state.
Contact and "Friend" the New Energy Army Regional Leader for your state; you can find them to the right, in the Featured Members section. Let him/her know that I sent you there and you are interested in becoming an organizer.
PICKENS U We are recruiting "Campus Coordinators" for colleges and universities to represent the Pickens Plan on campus. We are looking for someone who can create a college page on the Pickens Plan site and also on Facebook encouraging folks to sign up for the Pickens Plan.
A GROUP FOR EVERYONE
Join the Guides and Materials for New Members Group
Check out the many Groups for Solar, CNG, your area, etc. Connect, learn and share. We grow stronger with your input. If you don't see a Group that speaks to your interest, then start a Pickens Plan related Group of your own.
Join in on The Discussion Forum.
OTHER RESOURCES
Posters * Power Point Presentations * Logo * Presentation Videos * Badges * Widgets * House Party Guides
IDEAS & PROPOSALS FOR PICKENS I know that many of you have great ideas and proposals that you would like to get in front of Boone's team...
They asked us to have you submit all ideas/proposals in writing to the Pickens Plan at: PO Box 12123 Dallas TX 75225.
If there is any way I can help, please, let me know. If I don't have the answer, I will do my very best to get you the answer.
Thanks again for joining this historical effort. TOGETHER WE CAN DO THIS.
Leslie - Welcome Wagon Volunteer