The future; choose wisely...
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- Are you interested in becoming an organizer in your area?
- No
- Tell us about your experience with alternative energy:
- Always been interested in being energy independent but never did anything serious because of the government's need to allow the oil companies and OPEC to hold our country hostage. For most people, oil has a near insurmountable barrier to entry.
After Hurricane Katrina I realized what an insanely stupid idea this and started looking seriously into alternative energy sources. I met Tai Robinson in Utah because he found a way to make hydrogen (NOT HHO) a viable option for automobiles. He explained that H2 needs to have an infrastructure and that natural gas was the gateway to a hydrogen economy and I tend to agree.
In Portland we are decades ahead of many cities when it comes to green energy sources. There is a widespread awareness of the need for a choice besides oil. I only throw away a shopping bag full of garbage every two weeks compared to two 13 gallon bags full every three weeks. I live in a co-housing development as well.
I still can't afford to upgrade to a CNG vehicle but I am using solar air to augment my home heat and pay 100% of my utilities through alternative energy options. Next year, I plan to get solar hotwater and within 5 years PV electricity. By then I hope some of these "revolutionary" new solar technologies will be in the market.
- What excites you about this campaign?
- That you don't have to be
- a member of the Earth Liberation Front to see there is a problem with global warming,
- a counter-terrorism analyst to see we are fueling the enemies of our country by buying oil,
- that you don't have to be a scientist to figure out that oil can run out, or
- hold an MBA to figure out that building a non-petrol based economy will create an non-outsourcable financial winfall that will make the dot com boom look like bus fare!
Remember when Americans used to build things?
- What do you want to do to help?
- If there is some grass-roots campaigning I could participate in that would be awesome. Letters to our elected officials and participation in awareness campaigns would be great.
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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: michael.kendall@ymail.com
check this out!
http://www.solarbotanic.com
Real Green Solutions, with real green jobs coming to America
Join our efforts, visit my page
Glad you liked the videos.
EMAIL A LETTER TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES BY USING OUR EASY RED "CONTACT CONGRESS" BUTTON -This is urgent, because the Energy Bill in Congress is in danger of not passing! With little effort, we have the ability here for you to send a letter to our Representatives in Washington and Governor, too. Go to THE PLEDGE (at the very top of this page on the blue header) On the top of the pledge page there are three rectangular buttons- two blue ones and ONE RED BUTTON, that reads "CONTACT CONGRESS" . Fill in the short, standard form. Done!
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.
YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE PLEDGE on the main page. Print out 10 or more of them, get them signed and fax them back to Boone ASAP. This is how we build our numbers fast! Be a leader, be a part of the "100 CLUB", by faxing in 100 signed pledges. Let me know when you are done and I will add you to the list.
PICKENS U has been formed for college and university students to get involved. If you know of a student who would like to become an ambassador to helped coordinate the pledge drive please submit names to Pickens U site. This would be good for job resume.
THERE IS NO TIME TO DELAY
…to wait and see…or to see if someone else will step up to the plate. It is time for US to roll up our sleeves and go to work. Right now momentum is working in our favor, but if gas prices retreat, the public will forget the pain, and our moment may be lost.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Check out Pickens "August Call to Action"- for a course of action! Here is an informative video "Topeka, Kansas Town Hall Meeting": http://www.pickensplan.com/news/2008/08/04/video-of-the-topeka-town...
PERSONAL ACTION OPTIONSWe need to do more than “preach to the choir”. Sharing ideas with each other is encouraging but that will not 1) increase our membership nor 2) influence public policy. If you know someone in the press or someone who blogs - get them to cover this. Ask those in the public eye to support this plan.
A GROUP FOR EVERYONE. Join the Guides and Materials for New Members Group. Lot's of good information there.
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 group of your own.
PLEASE FRIEND ME so we can keep in touch.