The long haul

The Pickens Plan will lead us down the road to energy independence, but, like all other options, will take some time. The expected time right now seems to be about 10 years. True, work has already begun, but it takes time to build the infrastructure required to produce and transport electricity and convert to CNG cars. So, try not to get distracted or off target. The plan will need help and support for years. And, like any good movement, should spur other growth in other areas of the country.
Right now, we should all be focused on one goal: getting off foreign oil. Our economy and country cannot survive if we continue this unhealthy addiction.
While the Pickens Plan is a slow move toward that goal, we can speed our progress by doing everything we can locally and encouraging family and friends to do the same. What can we do locally? Well, the first thing is to either drive less or move to a more efficient vehicle. Research your local electric utility and encourage renewable energy such as wind, solar, nuclear and hydroelectric. If, like me, you use a utility that burns foreign oil to produce electricity, do everything you can to limit your use or get off the utility entirely. Shop for locally grown food items at local farmers markets and butcher shops to reduce the shipment of goods across the country. Telecommute if possible. Grow some of your own vegetables in a garden. Compost food items to limit garbage truck trips to landfills.
And one of the most important things is to recycle. Foreign oil is used to produce plastic bottles, jugs and even trash bags. Recycling other metals reduces the digging and trucking ore and heating the foundry to produce aluminum and tin. Start recycling at work.
Since composting and recycling, my weekly trash has been cut by 75%. I put more recyclables out than garbage. I grow many of my own vegetables at home and use the dreaded CF light bulbs.
If every American would do the same, the savings would be incredible. So let’s stay focused on becoming energy independent by doing our part every day.